Commingled mail2000

A blast from the past!

Commingled Mail 2000 was a system used by the United States Postal Service (USPS) to sort and process mail in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The system was designed to increase efficiency and reduce costs by combining mail from multiple sources into a single stream, which could then be sorted and delivered more quickly.

Here's how it worked:

  1. Mail was collected from various sources, such as businesses, organizations, and individuals.
  2. The mail was then taken to a commingling facility, where it was mixed together with mail from other sources.
  3. The commingled mail was then sorted using automated machinery, such as optical character readers (OCRs) and barcode sorters.
  4. The sorted mail was then delivered to its final destination.

Commingled Mail 2000 was designed to improve the efficiency of the mail processing system by:

  1. Reducing the number of trips mail had to make through the system, which saved time and resources.
  2. Increasing the speed at which mail could be processed and delivered.
  3. Reducing the need for manual sorting, which reduced labor costs and errors.

However, the system was not without its challenges. Some of the issues that arose included:

  1. Increased risk of mail loss or damage, as mail was being handled and sorted more quickly.
  2. Difficulty in tracking and tracing individual pieces of mail, as they were being mixed together with other mail.
  3. Potential for errors in sorting and delivery, as the system relied on automated machinery to sort the mail.

In the early 2000s, the USPS began to phase out the Commingled Mail 2000 system in favor of newer, more advanced technologies, such as barcode-based sorting and tracking systems. Today, the USPS uses a variety of systems and technologies to sort and deliver mail, including automated package sorting machines and handheld scanners.