[pct-l] Bounced packages--no "free lunch"?

[Kevin Cook]

I wish they had priority mail buckets! ;)

On Tue, Nov 9, 2010 at 12:55 PM, Ken Powers <ken at gottawalk.com> wrote:

> You needed to add the words Priority Mail to your question. You can forward
> a Priority Mail box if you do not open it. NOTE that one postal employee
> refused to let us forward a Priority Mail box because we had "taken
> delivery" of it at the Post Office. Every other postal employee has let us
> forward unopened boxes not removed from the Post Office. Several postal
> employees have let us forward opened and resealed boxes with out paying
> postage again, but I don't think that is the intent of the postal
> regulations.
>
> See http://www.gottawalk.com/shipping_fuel.htm about mailing fuel. The PO
> has not changed their regulations even though DOT has made it difficult for
> non-PO truckers to carry fuel. If your box is labeled "ORM-D Consumer
> Commodity" the postal regulations still allow you to ship small amounts of
> fuel. The DOT regulations have essentially stopped retailers from shipping
> fuels.
>
> Another consideration is that  Priority Mail means travel by air and fuel
> cannot be sent by air. Fuel must travel by "Surface Mail Only" - by truck.
> Remember to allow sufficient time for your box to travel by ground.
>
> Regarding mailing boxes: We have started using the Flat Rate Priority Mail
> boxes from the Post office. The boxes are free, postage is a flat rate
> based
> on the box size, and as the commercial says "If it fits, it ships". You can
> cut costs a little more by printing your own postage from the USPS website.
>
> Ken
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Mike Yanasak" <amuddler2 at gmail.com>
> To: <Pct-L at backcountry.net>
> Sent: Tuesday, November 09, 2010 11:00 AM
> Subject: [pct-l] Bounced packages--no "free lunch"?
>
>
> Hi,
>
> I just today phoned the USPO (national office) with a question and was
> surprised at the answer.  My question was:
> Hypothetically, if I were to take delivery of a package at a USPO in San
> Francisco and, not immediately needing the contents, could I forward said
> package, unopened, to myself at a USPO in Portland, free of charge?".  The
> answer was "Yes, but only if you re-package the box and pay postage on it
> (again)".
>
> This is not consistent with the information I thought I had been hearing on
> this site and elsewhere.  Did I ask the wrong question, word it
> incorrectly,
> misunderstand the nature of "bounce box" mailing, or was the USPO official
> with whom I spoke uninformed?
>
> Also, which might be the better and cheaper options for mailing (box sizes,
> weights, etc.) and is it a hassle to mail butane canisters?  Any other
> mailing advice would be appreciated.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Amuddler
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-- 
~ Kevin
Soon To Be PCT Thru Hiker!
"The indoor life is the next best thing to premature burial." Edward Abbey