New Flat-Rate Overnight Box from the USPS

Many of Doc's readers need to ship documents overnight, which they do either through one of the commercial services (FedEX, UPS, DHL, etc.) or by using the USPS Express Mail flat-rate envelope. As of January 22, 2012, if you have to send a whole bunch of documents (or anything else up to 70 pounds), you have a new option, a flat-rate overnight box from the USPS.

Postal Service customers will be able ship a box for overnight delivery anywhere in the country for one price regardless of weight (up to 70 lbs).

"The introduction of the Express Mail Flat Rate Box leverages the success of our Priority Mail Flat Rate advertising campaign and further positions the Postal Service as the best value in the shipping business," said Paul Vogel, president and chief marketing/sales officer. The new box, priced at $39.95, for domestic mailing, will be available for customers who need overnight service for items larger than what can be placed in an Express Mail Flat Rate Envelope.

Other Express Mail changes include lower retail prices for half- and one-pound packages and commercial packages to local and close-in areas. The new retail price for the Express Mail Flat Rate Envelope is $18.95. The overall price change for all Shipping Services is 4.6 percent, with Priority Mail prices increasing an average 3.1 percent and Express Mail prices increasing an average 3.4 percent. While $39.95 may be a bit pricey for some things, if you have to get a box of flyers to an important sales event or presentations to a meeting, Doc thinks this new option is pretty neat.  Seventy pounds is a lot of printed material.