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Posted By: Rick

Hello. I have worked for the Postal Service for many years, and I am currently the Postmaster in Wisconsin. You might want to consider Express Mail as an alternative to Registeed mail for cards valued under $5000, which is the limit for Insured Express Mail. For instance, if you have a card valued at $1000, Registered Mail will cost you about $12.50, but it will take a week or more for delivery. Insured Express Mail will cost you about $25.00, but you will receive the Express Mail item in 1 or 2 days, depending on where you live.

Both Registered and Express need a signature upon delivery, unless you choose the "Waiver of Signature" option, which isn't a great idea on a $1000 card. The Express Mail goes straight from the mail truck to the airport with no delay, then from the airport to the mail truck and to the delivery Post Office. We run about 96% on time delivery for Express Mail, and if you don't receive it on time, your postage is refunded (not the insurance fee, just the postage). In the 25 years that I have been with the Post Office I have only heard of 1 Express Mail item that was lost and never recovered.

You probably don't want Express for a $100 card, but for anything of significant value I always use Express, even when I send cards to PSA.

The reason for the slowness of Registered Mail is because of the security. The Postal Service was experiencing some losses from theft of Registered Mail, so we really tightened up on security. When a clerk at my Post Office accepts a Registered Mail item from a customer, the clerk financially responsible for that item. The clerk puts the item in the safe, and signs a log. At the end of the day the clerk puts the item in a locked pouch, and gives the pouch to the truck driver, who gives the clerk a written receipt. When the truck driver arrives at the main Post Office, the driver hands the pouch to a Registered Mail clerk, who gives the driver a written receipt. This happens all the way along the line until the item is delivered. Some one is physically and financially responsible for Registered Mail at all times. This is great for security, but it does slow down the delivery time.

I do agree with you that the tracking system for both Express and Registered is pretty crappy. The local Postmasters have been pushing for a system that is accessible to local Post Offices and customers, so that we can identify exactly where a package is located. Fed Ex currently scans an average package 17 times, and the Postal Service needs to have a major upgrade of our tracking system. It is very frustrating when a customer comes in for help, and I am not able to provide the help.

I hope this helps to clear up some questions.

Goin Postal

Rick