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Do you have a physical mailbox at your house for receiving mail?

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Someone:

--- Quote from: CatalinaWOW on March 07, 2023, 07:14:27 pm ---I have a box, about 3/4 kilometer (notice the clever use of fraction units in the metric system) down the road on a stand with all the other neighbors boxes.  The USPS provides email notification of first class letters upon request.  There are a couple of larger lockers adjacent and the postman places larger packages there and leaves the key in our box.  If the box doesn't fit the lockers, or if there are more large deliveries than lockers the postman will usually drive to our house and leave the package on the doorstep (along with the days letter mail). All of this service is free.
--- End quote ---
Who provides and maintains the extra lockers/boxes with keys? "free" is a wobbly term.

CatalinaWOW:

--- Quote from: Someone on March 09, 2023, 12:37:23 am ---
--- Quote from: CatalinaWOW on March 07, 2023, 07:14:27 pm ---I have a box, about 3/4 kilometer (notice the clever use of fraction units in the metric system) down the road on a stand with all the other neighbors boxes.  The USPS provides email notification of first class letters upon request.  There are a couple of larger lockers adjacent and the postman places larger packages there and leaves the key in our box.  If the box doesn't fit the lockers, or if there are more large deliveries than lockers the postman will usually drive to our house and leave the package on the doorstep (along with the days letter mail). All of this service is free.
--- End quote ---
Who provides and maintains the extra lockers/boxes with keys? "free" is a wobbly term.

--- End quote ---

I agree, and I don't know.  They were here when I moved in.  I can think of a couple possibilities but don't have any facts.  As there are about twenty mail boxes it would have been a moderate cost for a collective of the patrons.  On par with a year of PO box charges.

bw2341:
Maybe your mailbox is owned by USPS?

https://faq.usps.com/s/article/What-is-a-Cluster-Box

We have the same thing in Canada. Community mailboxes (AKA super mailboxes) are deployed in new housing developments instead of door-to-door delivery. They're less expensive to operate due to reduced labour. Of course, they are less convenient for the residents.

Canada Post started to convert all addresses to community mailboxes, but public outcry turned into an election promise which halted the program. My home address was converted. They did not convert it back.

From google image search, it looks like USPS and Canada Post use the same mailbox hardware. In addition to the individual mailboxes and lockers, there is an outgoing mail slot. If you have a parcel, you will find a key for the locker in your own mailbox. After retrieving the parcel, you return the key by putting it in the outgoing mail slot.

rdl:
That kind of mailbox set up is the same as what is used at this apartment complex. Except they stopped using the separate large parcel boxes about 10 years ago (where they would leave the key in your box) and just started leaving them at your door.

jonovid:
just an idea-
in 2012 I did look at the typical physical mailbox for receiving mail.
the problems- mail theft, wet or soggy mail , lost mail , over size mail. stuffed into a narrow insertion slot.
concluded this can be resolved with the same typical technology as used in other household appliances.
a physical manual use mailbox can be made automatic by adding motorized rollers top and bottom of the mail insertion slot.
giving the insertion slot added width , opening like jaws.  the bottom spring loaded motorized roller jaw drops down. 
working like a shoe box sized wall safe, all mail inserted into the slot  would be automatically pulled 100% into the physical mailbox.
avoiding wet or soggy mail ,or theft. provides you with mail notification on phone or sound inside your home.
in addition an automated physical mailbox can display the house number and have a CCTV added if needed.
solar powered if you have a long driveway. installed on the back of a door UK style , or anywhere in a wall.
face plate would be  15 x 15 cm - 10 x 10 "  and can be any style you like from stainless steel to artificial brick.

did experiment with an old computer case , some cut-down used printer rubber rollers, some DC motors back in 2012.
idea was shelved.  as this was a rental property.

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