7 ms·

umm, no. it's illegal. a competing post service was launched, with variable rates, and the gov shut it down. by law, your rate has to be flat.

posguy 6y ago
What are you on about? UPS and FedEx will happily charge you more to deliver to high cost locations, whereas getting a 50lb parcel overnighted from one low cost location to another is usually around $30 if you have a volume rate. There is hefty price discrimination against high cost to serve customers baked into UPS and FedEx's model, and smaller couriers like DHL and Amazon Shipping happily blacklist large parts of the USA due to price.
- maxlybbert 6y ago
  I believe it’s a reference to the Private Express Statutes ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_Express_Statutes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_Express_Statutes ). I don’t remember the law requiring flat rates, but the rates are regulated and effectively required to be more than the post office’s. FedEx, UPS, DHL, etc. can’t legally compete with the post office on price.
  - dungdang 6y ago
    United States v. John C. Gilmore. the supreme court determined it was illegal, and the people providing letter service, which was cheaper than usps, were arrested.
- dungdang 6y ago
  when people say 'mail' they mean what your postman puts in your mailbox. a letter. with a stamp on it. that is what the discussion is about. letting other companies compete on delivering letters. this is the post, this is what has been on the news, this is what 'the billionairs' are pushing for. they already provide parcel service. no one is arguing they should be allowed to start doing what they already do. you should educate yourself on the point before arguing such a strong strawman. this battle has been going on for over 150 years, and it has nothing to do with parcel service. start here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Letter_Mail_Company https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Letter_Mail_Company that's what i and the whole country is 'on about.' welcome to the conversation.

posguy 6y ago

What are you on about? UPS and FedEx will happily charge you more to deliver to high cost locations, whereas getting a 50lb parcel overnighted from one low cost location to another is usually around $30 if you have a volume rate. There is hefty price discrimination against high cost to serve customers baked into UPS and FedEx's model, and smaller couriers like DHL and Amazon Shipping happily blacklist large parts of the USA due to price.

maxlybbert 6y ago
I believe it’s a reference to the Private Express Statutes ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_Express_Statutes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_Express_Statutes ). I don’t remember the law requiring flat rates, but the rates are regulated and effectively required to be more than the post office’s. FedEx, UPS, DHL, etc. can’t legally compete with the post office on price.
- dungdang 6y ago
  United States v. John C. Gilmore. the supreme court determined it was illegal, and the people providing letter service, which was cheaper than usps, were arrested.
dungdang 6y ago
when people say 'mail' they mean what your postman puts in your mailbox. a letter. with a stamp on it. that is what the discussion is about. letting other companies compete on delivering letters. this is the post, this is what has been on the news, this is what 'the billionairs' are pushing for. they already provide parcel service. no one is arguing they should be allowed to start doing what they already do. you should educate yourself on the point before arguing such a strong strawman. this battle has been going on for over 150 years, and it has nothing to do with parcel service. start here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Letter_Mail_Company https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Letter_Mail_Company that's what i and the whole country is 'on about.' welcome to the conversation.