Equipment Roundup Can Save Millions

Each year, the Postal Service spends millions of dollars to replace Mail Transport Equipment (MTE) that leaks out of its network. With wooden and plastic pallets ranging from $7 to $20 each, cardboard and plastic letter trays ranging from 65 cents to $2.75 per tray, and plastic flat tubs costing around $4 each, losses quickly add up.

Recovery efforts are proving fruitful. Last year, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, working with the Mail Transport Equipment office, recovered more than 21,000 pallets and other MTE worth close to $1.75 million.USPS has other initiatives to combat the problem, including the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Equipment Recovery Project.

Postal Inspectors have a number of investigations under way in several parts of the country involving plastic recyclers, pallet bounty hunters and mailers.

Employees can do their part to help return MTE. If you see postal equipment that is obviously outside the postal network, call the MTE hotline at 866-330-3404 to pass along information about the location, type and quantities of equipment. A Postal Service MTE group will respond to every hotline lead.

In addition to calling the hotline, employees can send information related to equipment recovery to hqmte@usps.gov. Customers can return large quantities of MTE or larger equipment by completing the MTE Return Request Form available on the Facility Access Shipment Tracking website.