BASIC Quesion..

[satellitedriver]

Satellite;
A few points, some customers demanded to have a service that was a lower cost alternative to our ground. FDX offers smart post where 100% of pkgs are delivered by the USPS, in some cases they deliver to the DDU (Local Post Office). in others they deliver to the BMC (Bulk Mailing Ctr - aka hub).
For our basic, we listed roughly 1/2 the zip codes where 25% of the population lived that is very rural. The average cost per piece to deliver a residential pkg is high due to the miles between stops etc. By deliverying all these USPS Basic pkgs to the post office, we reduce the number of stops and saving time (on average). Besides the time saved with a driver day. We also have other cost reductions for basic. We don't give claims on Basic, we have more liberal DR policies on Basic, we don't commit day for these pkgs. Now your route may be different where it does cost more to go to the post office. But on average, it's far cheaper for UPS. Any one can take a great decision that works most of the time, and find times when it doesn't make sense to do in one area. I think that's what we have here in your area.

My route can not be that rare.
I do have a slight grasp, on the theoretical concept.
Also I know, "we"/IE based our/their theory on USPS Zip codes.
Instead of IE doing a precise analysis of our delivery territory,
"we"/IE "piggy backed" our data base into the USPS structure of zones.

Bad move.

Someone at UPS should develop a software that color overlays zip codes onto a map.

By the "in town" zip, I drive 10 miles past the "rural" zip.
One road I deliver has a "rural" zip on one side and an "in town" on the other, thanks to the USPS zip code system.
By the zip, I drive into another centers delivery area and their driver drives into mine.
It is a complex situation that could be solved with simple logistic analysis.
Why we-( as in UPS)- allowed ourselves to structure our deliveries based on a 1950's concept of our competition is truly beyond me.
Basically, I am just a ground pounding grunt and my observations will go unnoticed.