Are there fewer mailboxes in the world?

Yes, I have noticed it. My guess is there was too much vandalism. People would use them as garbage cans, break in looking for money. People probably trusted them so little, they would be empty, or close to it most of the time.

At least in the U.S., yes, there are fewer mailboxes now than in decades past. The postal service analyzes the volume of mail collected from each box. If usage is too low, the mailbox might be removed for reasons of efficiency.

Absolutely. They’re being removed at quite a good pace around us. We used to have several between my house and the next big intersection – now it’s a pretty big walk to the nearest one. Pretty much have to drive or take a bus to get to one now.

People don’t use snail mail very much any more and it’s a cost-savings measure.

Yes. Part of the general cutback in services.

Ahem. Are there fewer mailboxes in the world?

:)

Wow. I still have a working one in my rural subdivision. We also have post offices is many local grocery stores I shop in.

Great. I’m not insane then. (insert joke here)

It does make sense as snail mail is less popular. I hadn’t thought of the cost involved in maintaining them and/or cleanup from vandals.

I don’t know why, but I find it sad there are fewer mailboxes now.

There is less mail in the world.

In our area, the only mailboxes are at the actual post office. There might be a few downtown, but anywhere else and you’re out of luck. We’re lucky that the post office is quite close to our house (though it’s not a walk-able distance, at least not for us.)

You know, I never even noticed until now that there are no longer mailboxes in front of the grocery stores. Gone the way of the payphone, I guess.
Thanks electronics.

I’ve been known to drop my mail off at what ever business and ask if they can add it to their outgoing mail. They always say, “Sure!”

I think there are about two in my area, but I haven’t noticed any removals.

In December, 2014 someone broke into or fished my payment check from one of those boxes. After that, some idiot named Jahira or Janira Valencia whitewashed the check, forged it, and then wrote her name on it. Luckily my credit union is FDIC insured, so the full amount was restored to my account.

In 2015 the US Postal Service lost several of my payment checks, including the one for my property tax. I filed a complaint with them, but after that they failed to deliver about 3 bills to me.

I now use the electronic payment service provided by my credit union, so I’m not at all surprised they’ve lost business. I later tried to sell some of my Forever stamps to some friends for about 5 cents less than my cost per stamp, but no sale.

One of the reasons you are seeing fewer boxes is because many neighborhoods are switching over to NDCBU’s and CBU’s (both are types of cluster boxes). For the last 30 years or so all new homes get their mail through these cluster boxes as opposed to a the house itself. If the USPS had its druthers all deliveries would be deliveries to these boxes. It’s only because of efforts by the NALC (National Association of Letter Carriers) that most people still receiving delivery at their house continue to do so.

Hey Chuckie! Hiya! I think the Cookie is talking about USPO mailboxes for outgoing mail though that used to be scattered about.

@janbb Those cluster mailboxes have an outgoing mailbox built right in. It’s tiny, though, obviously.

@augustlan Aha! I didn’t know. (Now will you whip me please?)

Great googley moogley! @AstroChuck and @augustlan together again!!!

Yes, exactly @janbb — I am talking about the blue USPS outgoing mailboxes. Big metal things I used to sit on when I was a kid.

@cookieman, don’t they make a sweet-looking couple?

@AstroChuck I’ve noticed that with a lot of new construction around here.