"Want to know why the Post Office loses money? Let me show you."

Michael Smith

"Want to know why the Post Office loses money?

Let me show you.

I live in Park City. I ordered a cap from the merch site of a favorite author of mine, Jack Carr, who also lives in Park City. The cap was shipped from Park City and this place is small enough that pretty much every location within my 84060 zip code and the 84098 zip (considered Park City but not within the city limits) is within a 10 minute radius of my house - so here is the actual tracking info of the package from the USPS:

August 24, 2020, 9:53 am
Out for Delivery, Expected Delivery by 8:00pm
PARK CITY, UT 84060
Your item is out for delivery on August 24, 2020 at 9:53 am in PARK CITY, UT 84060.
August 24, 2020, 9:42 am
Arrived at Post Office
PARK CITY, UT 84060
August 24, 2020, 4:43 am
Arrived at USPS Facility
PARK CITY, UT 84068
August 24, 2020, 1:19 am
Departed USPS Facility
84198
August 23, 2020, 4:15 pm
Arrived at USPS Facility
84198
August 23, 2020, 4:02 pm
Departed USPS Facility
WEST VALLEY CITY, UT 84119
August 23, 2020, 2:55 pm
Arrived at USPS Facility
WEST VALLEY CITY, UT 84119
August 23, 2020, 6:48 am
Departed USPS Regional Facility
LAS VEGAS NV DISTRIBUTION CENTER
August 22, 2020, 6:32 pm
Arrived at USPS Regional Facility
LAS VEGAS NV DISTRIBUTION CENTER
August 22, 2020
In Transit to Next Facility
August 21, 2020, 5:08 pm
Departed Post Office
PARK CITY, UT 84060
August 21, 2020, 4:18 pm
USPS in possession of item
PARK CITY, UT 84060
August 19, 2020, 7:02 pm
Shipping Label Created, USPS Awaiting Item
PARK CITY, UT 84098

The package was mailed from a USPS office 6 miles from my house to Las Vegas - 427 miles away, then 421 miles back to a distribution center in West Valley City (just south of Salt Lake) and then 37 miles to the Post Office that is 2 miles from my house to be delivered to my mailbox today.

All in all, this package will have travelled 887 miles over 3 days to reach a destination that was 8 minutes and 6 miles from its origin of shipment.

No wonder they lose billions of dollars."