USPS Jammed package collection boxes

[Kurt H.]

In the United States, the Post Offices have a self service kiosk which sells  postage 24X7 and has collection box where packages can be dropped off 24X7. It is a good system which works well, if the post office is open, you might be able to avoid the line. If the post office is closed, you can ship a package and  buy stamps. It looks like this:

 

 

I have been slowly purging my stash on ebay, and it is convenient for me to drop off packages in the middle of the night.  The package collection box at the post office has a rotating drum you place your package in, when you lift up on the handle, it dumps your package behind the wall. When there are too many packages, the package collection box jams shut.

 

I had 3 bidders pay immediately upon the end of the auctions which ended tonight, so I printed labels and decided to get the packages out.

 

at 1:30 am I left my house and went to the post office right down the street. The box was Jammed. Bummer .... ok, there is another, larger post office, a "general mail" facility 3 miles away.   When I got to that post office, I could see through the window the package collection box was open and had packages in it.  Optimistically, I tried to close the drum and clear it of the packages so I could deposit mine. No luck, it was jammed.

 

I have gone to two other Post Offices to send packages, but they are about 10 miles in the other direction. I did not feel like driving all the way over there, but I remembered there was another one close by, but I had never been there before. I found the location with my phone and headed over there.  This place was in a nice neighborhood, but hard to see from the main road,  I felt cautiously optimistic.  I could see through the window the box was closed... and it opened, so it was not jammed. I was able to deposit all 3 packages!  A quick run to the post office turned into an odyssey.  

 

I just hope my bidders enjoy getting their packages as quickly as possible.  

 

 

Edited May 1, 2017 by Kurt H.

[racerman]

That's what happens when someone jams a package in there that's too large!