Mail Sorting & Distribution Flashcards

Which type of mail is typically NOT processed through automated sorting equipment at USPS facilities?

Answer: Odd-shaped parcels and tubes

Odd-shaped or irregularly sized pieces such as tubes and bulky items cannot pass through automated letter and flat sorting machines.

What does a carrier's 'case' refer to in postal distribution?

Answer: A physical sorting frame where mail is organized by delivery stop

A case is a physical sorting framework at the post office where carriers manually sort mail into slots representing each delivery stop on their route.

Mail that has postage paid but was not picked up from a blue collection box is referred to as:

Answer: Originated mail

Mail deposited by customers into collection boxes or at the post office is called 'originated mail,' as it originates from that collection point.

When a mail carrier finds that a customer's mailbox is too full to accept new mail, what is the correct procedure?

Answer: Return all mail to the post office and leave a notice

If a mailbox is full, carriers return the mail to the post office and leave a notice informing the customer to pick up their mail.

The ZIP+4 code extends the basic 5-digit ZIP code by adding 4 more digits. What do the extra 4 digits typically identify?

Answer: A specific delivery segment such as a block face or building floor

The ZIP+4 add-on digits identify a specific delivery segment, such as one side of a city block, a floor of a building, or a postal carrier route.

Which of the following mail classes requires the sender to pay based on the distance the piece travels?

Answer: Parcel Select Ground

Parcel Select Ground (formerly Standard Post) is a distance-based rate product where postage varies depending on how far the parcel must travel.

A 'nixie' in postal terminology refers to:

Answer: A mailpiece that cannot be delivered or returned

A nixie is an undeliverable mailpiece that cannot be returned to the sender either, often because both addresses are missing or invalid.