“Interconnecting postal network can provide endless opportunities,” says OIG

In a new report published today (3 August), the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the US Postal Service (USPS) has claimed: “Interconnecting the postal network can provide endless opportunities for new, smarter applications, especially in the areas of delivery, transportation and logistics, building management, and government services.” The report has argued that putting in place the “Internet of Postal Things (IoPT)” – which it describes as “instrumenting the postal infrastructure with low-cost sensors to enable them to collect, communicate, and act upon a broad variety of data” – could “help the Postal Service generate operational efficiencies, improve the customer experience, and develop new services and business models”.

The OIG said that “IoPT initiatives aimed at cost savings in fleet maintenance and building management could have priority” – which is an interesting suggestion, given that the Postal Innovation Act currently before the US Senate and Congress also highlights this as a key area.

The OIG reported added that “through pilots and partnerships with suppliers, local governments and customers, the Postal Service could experiment with new business concepts such as a ‘connected mailbox’ and new services to local communities”.

Finally, the report emphasised that “the development of an open platform where data are stored, managed, and shared, as well as strong privacy and security policy will be the key to the successful implementation of an IoPT”.

Click here to view a PDF of the full OIG report.