My Post Office has the new Automated Parcel Drop (APD) Anyone else try it?

[anniebrosia]

My Post Office recently installed the new Automated Parcel Drop (APD).  I love it.  You press a button, scan your package, lift the door, place package inside, close it, and it prints a receipt.  Conveyor drops it on the other side.  Only downfall is you can only do one package at a time.  No more worries about the scan for on time shipping.  Anyone else have this new Automated Parcel Drop? 

[southern*sweet*tea]

That must be a big city thing. Our Post Office doesn't even have a stamp machine

But it sounds awesome for those that drop off at the PO after hours!

[annadryl]

I've never even heard of them. Sounds like a great idea though. I have started putting bright red SCAN ME stickers on the front and it's worked great so far. Not that they probably HAVE to any way, but still...

[pooh333piglet]

I'm jealous!

[zzydny]

I am green with envy!  I bet it's gonna take quite a long while before one of those doo-dads reaches Picayune, Mississippi. 

[1786davycrockett]

Heck, I still have to bring a feed-bag filled with oats to bribe the horse, before the Pony Express rider will even saddle up. . ..

[anniebrosia]

It's the Cupertino, CA Post Office.  Am I allowed to post a link the the USPS Article about it?  It says, "The machines are being tested in five retail lobbies in California, Florida, New York, North Dakota and Virginia".  I think it's only in service during post office hours.  I went there on Saturday after the counter was closed and the Machine was turned off.

[zzydny]

Only five!  It's definitely gonna take forever then.  Drat. 

My tiny local PO has only one window and a lobby that isn't much bigger than a bathtub.  It's always absolutely crammed with people waiting to see the postal clerk.  One of those machines would be the answer to standing in line for ten or 15 minutes ever time I visit the PO.

[mayrmartine_83]

I am in the lowest part of Texas spit and you hit Mexican territory . We have an after hours drop chute inside the lobby of our post office 24 hours problem is 5 minutes after the counter closes the chute is full. its would be great for weekends but again 5 minutes after counter closes its full so got to wait for Monday really defeats the purpose of 24 hour all weekend post office ?"><:+ Jealous too .

[berserkerplanet]

Here in Sacramento we've had the APC's in most or all of the PO's for many years, but not your new drop off setup. I could really get on board with using that if and when they roll them out here.

*Automated Postal Centers. Scale and touchscreen where you weigh and use CC to buy postage for things. Think they even print stamps (replaced the stamp machines). There are big bins with armored trapdoors next to them to drop pkgs (up to about 18x14x12?). But no label scans for my preprinted labels, and don't know if labels printed via the APC get an auto acceptance scan, but suspect not).

[mr_lincoln]

@anniebrosia  No but take a picture of it next time you are there and then post it here.  I would love that but our P.O. can get so busy with people selling on line I can see there being a line there at times.  But that would be agreat addition.

[mr_lincoln]

@1786davycrockett

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@1786davycrockett wrote:

Heck, I still have to bring a feed-bag filled with oats to bribe the horse, before the Pony Express rider will even saddle up. . ..

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lol!  Here they make us use a shovel around the horse's hitching post before we can mail anything!

[arun7500]

I can only wish. hand written labels, each box tied with a string. You go to the post office, take a number and sit and wait. Tracking is affixed to each parcel individually, the label is then scanned by the clerk who then decides the postage rate. We have a worker who just does post office delivery. There is no pick up here, nothing automated. One thing I do miss about the States.

[anniebrosia]

Next time I go to the PO, I will take a photo of the Machine.  No packages for the PO today 😞

[airsheep]

We have the APC at our local post office as well, and it really makes it easier with packages, especially around the holidays. They used to have one of those big collection bins, but then wised up and relocated the drop slot so it feeds directly into the inside of the PO. It almost never gets overfull or jammed.