Post #652828 by Lukeulele on Thu, Sep 20, 2012 7:26 PM

For what it's worth...

I recently mailed (USPS) a bunch of fragile items.
The postmaster asked the usual "Is it liquid, fragile, or perishable?" I said "Fragile! Very Fragile." I then asked what difference it made, ie; do they treat it any differently? He shrugged his shoulders and let out a little laugh and said, "Nope! Just hope the monkeys in the back see it and treat it with care." He then slapped the postage label on it and THREW it into a bin!!
On a second trip, I asked another postmaster the same question. She said "Nope" as well. She also added that most of the boxes go on conveyor belts and through machines that scan them. If your box happens to be on the bottom of a bin and a heavier box drops on it.... well, you know the rest of the story...

I also learned recently that it is illegal to send booze through the USPS because they use commercial jets to transport the mail and do not want potentially flammable liquid on board. However, UPS and FedX will ship it because they use their own carriers. Go figure.....