Express mail
In most postal systems Express mail refers to an accelerated delivery service for which the customer pays a surcharge and receives faster delivery. Express mail is a service for domestic mail and is governed by a country's own Postal authority. Since 1998 the international accelerated delivery services are governed by the EMS Cooperative.
Express Mail Service
Express Mail Service (EMS) is an international express postal service offered by postal-administration members of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) which created the EMS Cooperative in 1998 within the framework of the UPU, a specialized agency of the United Nations, to promote the harmonization and development of postal services worldwide. Currently EMS is offered by 143 of the 191 UPU member countries' postal authorities[1] and an integral part of their normal postal services. Seven additional countries have arrangements to deliver EMS items. An independent auditor measures the express delivery performance of all international EMS operators and each member is awarded a Gold, Silver, or Bronze certificate depending on their yearly performance. These countries are recorded in the EMS Cooperative's Hall of Fame.[2]
Express mail in the United States
The - USPS (United States Postal Service) offers EMS but calls this service Express Mail International[3], previously called Global Express Mail[4]. This is often confused with their service called Express Mail, which is a specific classification of mail for domestic accelerated postal delivery within the US.
History
Special Delivery, a domestic accelerated delivery service, was introduced on 3 March 1885 initially with a fee of 10c paid by a Special Delivery stamp. It has been transformed into Express Mail that was introduced in 1977 after an experimental period that started in 1971[5], though Special Delivery was not terminated until June 8, 1997.[6]
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Modern USPS express mail
Express Mail is a money-back guaranteed overnight to 2-day service offering, tracking, proof of delivery, and insurance up to $100. Items shipped using this service can be delivered within the 48 contiguous United States and the District of Columbia within 1 to 2 business days.
One advantage of Express Mail is that USPS will deliver 365 days a year, including Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays at no additional charge to some locations. USPS competitors often charge for delivering on anything other than a business day. Unlike Priority Mail and First Class Mail, USPS does provide real-time tracking information online and by phone for Express Mail shipments.
A complaint about Express Mail is that USPS is notorious for delivering late.[7] Competitors guarantee overnight delivery by as early as 8:00AM. USPS does not guarantee the delivery time, and frequently requires more than one day to deliver.
EMS Cooperative members
Since its creation, 143 postal administrations have joined the EMS Cooperative, representing over 65% of EMS operators worldwide. In addition, the EMS Cooperative has negotiated EMS delivery contracts on behalf of seven countries: EMS delivery agents.
| EMS member | Operator name |
|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Afghan Post |
| Albania | Albania Post - EMS |
| Algeria | Algérie Post |
| Angola | EMS Angola |
| Anguilla | Anguilla Postal Service |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Antigua and Barbuda Post |
| Argentina | Correo Argentino |
| Armenia | Haypost - EMS Armenia |
| Aruba | EMS Aruba |
| Australia | Australia Post - Express Courier International |
| Azerbaijan | EMS Azerexpresspost |
| Bahamas | Bahamas Post Office |
| Barbados | Barbados Post - EMS |
| Belarus | EMS Belarus |
| Belgium | Taxipost s.a. |
| Belize | Belize Postal Service |
| Benin | Benin Post |
| Bermuda | International Data Express - Bermuda |
| Bhutan | Bhutan Post Express Mail Service |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Public Enterprise BH Post |
| Botswana | Botswana Post - EMS |
| Brazil | Brazil Post |
| Bulgaria | EMS Bulpost |
| Burkina Faso | Sonapost - Burkina Faso |
| Burundi | EMS Burundi |
| Cameroon | Cameroon Post |
| Canada | Xpresspost - Canada Post |
| Cape Verde | Correios de Cabo Verde |
| Cayman Islands | Cayman Islands EMS |
| Central African Republic | Central African EMS |
| Chad | Chad Postal Administration |
| Chile | Correos de Chile |
| China, People's Republic | China Post EMS |
| Colombia | EMS Internacional |
| Congo, Democratic Republic | EMS Congo/CD |
| Congo, Republic | Congo EMS |
| Costa Rica | EMS Costa Rica |
| Croatia | Croatian Post - EMS |
| Cuba* | Correos de Cuba |
| Cyprus | Cyprus Post/Datapost Service |
| Czech Rep. | Czech Post - EMS International |
| Djibouti | La Poste de Djibouti |
| Dominica | Dominica Post |
| Ecuador | Ecuador EMS |
| El Salvador | EMS El Salvador Post |
| Equatorial Guinea | Equatorial Guinea |
| Eritrea | EMS - Eritrean Postal Service |
| Estonia | EMS Estonia |
| Ethiopia | EMS - Ethiopian Postal Service |
| Fiji | Post Fiji |
| Finland | Finland Post - EMS |
| France | Chronopost |
| Gabon | EMS Delta+ |
| Georgia | Georgian International EMS |
| Ghana | Ghana EMS |
| Gibraltar . | EMS Datapost Gibraltar |
| Greece | Tachimetafores ELTA |
| Grenada | Grenada Postal Corporation |
| Guinea | Guinea Post |
| Guyana | Guyana Postal Corporation |
| Haiti | Haiti Post EMS |
| Hong Kong | Speedpost - Hongkong |
| Hungary | Magyar Posta |
| India | India Post |
| Indonesia | EMS - Indonesia Post |
| Iran | Pishtaz Post |
| Iraq | Iraq Post |
| Ireland | An Post |
| Israel | EMS Israel |
| Italy | Poste italiane |
| Jamaica | Jamaica Post |
| Japan | Japan Post EMS |
| Jordan | Jordan Post |
| Kazakhstan | Kazpost |
| Kenya | EMS Kenya |
| Korea, South | Korea Post |
| Kosovo* | Post of Kosova |
| Kyrgyzstan | Kyrgyzstan Post |
| Laos | Lao Express |
| Latvia | Latvia Post EMS |
| Lesotho | Lesotho Post |
| Lithuania | Lithuania Post |
| Macao | EMS Macau |
| Macedonia | Express Mail Service - Macedonia Post |
| Madagascar | EMS Mailaka |
| Malawi | EMS Malawi |
| Malaysia | EMS - Poslaju Malaysia |
| Maldives | Maldives Post |
| Malta | Malta Post Express International |
| Mauritania | Mauripost |
| Mauritius | EMS Speedpost Mauritius |
| Mexico | Mexico EMS |
| Moldova | EMS Moldova |
| Mongolia | Mongol Post |
| Morocco | EMS Chronopost International Maroc |
| Mozambique | EMS Mozambique |
| Namibia | Namibia Post Limited |
| Netherlands Antilles | Post Netherlands Antilles |
| New Zealand | New Zealand Post Limited |
| Nicaragua | Correos de Nicaragua |
| Niger | EMS Niger |
| Nigeria | Nigerian Postal Service |
| Pakistan | Pakistan Express Post |
| Panama | Panama Post |
| Papua New Guinea | Post PNG |
| Paraguay | EMS Internacional |
| Peru | Serpost - Express Mail Service |
| Philippines | Phil Post - International Express Mail Service |
| Poland | Poczta Polska |
| Portugal | CTT Expresso |
| Qatar | EMS - Mumtaz Post |
| Romania | Romanian Post EMS |
| Russian Federation | Russian Post - EMS |
| Rwanda | EMS Rwanda |
| Saint Christopher and Nevis | EMS Service |
| Saint Lucia | Saint Lucia Post |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines* | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
| Saudi Arabia | Saudi Post |
| Senegal | EMS Senegal |
| Singapore | Singapore Post Limited |
| Slovakia | Slposta |
| Slovenia | Pošta Slovenije d.o.o. |
| South Africa | South Africa EMS |
| Spain | Postal Exprés internacional (EMS) |
| Sri Lanka | EMS Speed Post - Sri Lanka |
| Sudan | Poste Rapide EMS |
| Sweden | Posten AB |
| Syria | Syrian Post |
| Tanzania | E.M.S. Tanzania |
| Thailand | Thailand Post EMS |
| Togo | EMS Togo |
| Trinidad and Tobago | TT Post |
| Tunisia | Rapid-Poste Tunisia |
| Turks and Caicos Islands | Turks and Caicos Post |
| Uganda | EMS Courier Services - Uganda Post |
| Ukraine | EMS Ukraine |
| United Arab Emirates | Mumtaz Post - EMS |
| United Kingdom | Parcelforce |
| United States of America | United States Postal Service |
| Uruguay | Correo Uruguayo |
| Uzbekistan | Express Mail Service Uzbekistan |
| Vanuatu | Vanuatu EMS |
| Viet Nam | Vietnam Express Mail Service Company |
| Yemen | Yemen Post |
| Zambia | EMS Zambia |
| Zimbabwe | EMS Zimpost |
( * ) Provisional member
EMS delivery agents
| EMS delivery agent | Operator name |
|---|---|
| Austria | Österreichische Post AG |
| Denmark | Post Danmark A/S |
| Germany | Deutsche Post AG |
| Netherlands | TNT Post |
| Norway | Posten Norge AS |
| Slovenia | Pošta Slovenije d.o.o. |
| Switzerland | Swiss Post International |
Other express mail providers
Many transportation logistics firms offer similar accelerated services. UPS, DHL and FedEx are the most popular alternatives. Those carriers offer even faster delivery with their early morning delivery services. Other transportation logistics providers include:
References
- ^ EMS membership (retrieved January 30, 2008)
- ^ EMS Hall of Fame (retrieved July 1, 2006)
- ^ Express Mail International International Mail Manual - Issue 34 (retrieved May 15, 2007)
- ^ USPS Global Express Mail International Mail Manual - Issue 33 (retrieved July 1, 2006)
- ^ History of the US Postal Service 1775-1993
- ^ 936. U.S. Postal Service--Summary
- ^ Senator Schumer: Express Mail is a great deal especially for small businesses – but the Postal Service has to give us the manpower we need to get it delivered on time
See also
External links
- Complaint about USPS Express Mail service Consumeraffairs.com (visited 9 July 2006)
- EMS, Express Mail Service, Cooperative website
- UPU, Universal Postal Union, EMS webpage
- USPS domestic Express Mail service
- What is EMS?