The capacity to buy almost everything online and ship it to your country or, even better, to your home, is great. Shipping to P.O. boxes is also a good alternative; however, some delivery companies avoid doing so. An affordable delivery company such as UPS is against shipping to P.O. boxes, but its reason is fairly unclear. Likewise, this may awake more questions for you, like what other limitations does UPS have? Or, why can’t UPS ship to P.O boxes? All of these questions are about to be answered.
UPS Overview
Did you know UPS was born from a $100 loan made by teenager entrepreneurs? Well, in 1907 Jim Casey and Claude Ryan started in a Seattle basement what was meant to become one of the largest delivery companies in the world. Back then, the original name of the business was United Parcel Service.
By 1985, UPS was the first delivery company to reach all the states in the United States and, no time after, it expanded its service to Europe. This led to the launching of UPS Airlines, which connected with the rest of the world’s regions.
Nowadays, UPS operates in more than 220 countries, has more than 540,000 employees, and delivers 24.7 million packages every day.
An Active Member Of Communities
UPS is a people-led company that strives to be more sustainable. Its efforts reflect in activities like carbon-neutral shipping and the UPS Foundation.
Carbon-neutral shipping methodology
This process is certified by Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS) and Natural Capital Partners. It consists of calculating the carbon emissions generated by UPS operations and offering an option that can compensate them.
More impressively, the company considers multiple emission sources to compensate like those derived from fuel combustion, indirect emission (associated with electricity purchases), and emissions generated by third parties serving UPS.
The UPS Foundation
This initiative gives back to communities through cash donations and volunteer support.
- Has generated more than 21 million volunteer hours since 2011.
- Has planted 17.9 million trees.
UPS Competitors
Some of UPS’s main competitors are DHL and FedEx, although UPS makes larger revenue than them. We’re talking about an $84.6 billion revenue in 2021!
Transportation
The company employs different transportation methods according to the type of packages to deliver and their routes.
- Package cars – Deliver cars are referred to as “package cars” by UPS.
- Bicycles – Mostly in Washington and Oregon. This delivery transportation is also used in Amsterdam and Germany.
- Cargo Airline – Flies to 800 destinations and is the 4th largest cargo airline in the world.
- Drones – Drone delivery is employed by the subsidiary UPS Flight Forward since 2019.
Prohibitions and limitations
UPS delivery service, although highly convenient, presents some limitations. For example, UPS has a list of prohibited articles that can’t be transported under any circumstances like:
- Articles of unusually high value
- Hazardous waste
- Weapons or explosives
- Packages that include marijuana
- Human parts or remains
- Vape products
- Shark fins
- Common fireworks
Also, as it has already been stated, UPS does not deliver to P.O. boxes, Army Post Offices, or Fleet Post Offices. In case any of these locations’ addresses are used to complete an order, UPS might make its effort to correct the address for an extra charge.
Lastly, UPS reserves the right to refuse its service upon determining that doing so is unsafe, operationally, or economically impracticable.
How To Prepare A Package For Shipment?
First of all, you must know if your package applies to the UPS delivery service. Remember that the items listed above do NOT apply.
- Use nylon tape or plastic to seal your package.
- In case you include multiple items, wrap them individually.
- Measure your package’s height, length, and width.
Keep in mind that it can be up to 150 pounds and 108 inches long. Above these limits, your package might require a freight delivery service.
- Get your package to UPS through scheduled pick-up (for an extra fee) or drop-off at the nearest UPS location.
Why Can’t UPS Ship To P.O. Boxes?
Not only UPS but also FedEx and every other delivery company that is not part of the U.S. postal system can’t ship to P.O. boxes. The only shipping carrier that can do so is USPS.
How To Ship To a P.O. Box With UPS?
Based on the last information, you may be able to ship to a P.O. box with UPS using the UPS SurePost service. This method consists of UPS shipping your package most of the way and then handling it to USPS, which is in charge of the final delivery to the P.O. box.
Conclusion
Although UPS can’t ship to P.O. boxes, it’s still a very versatile delivery carrier that can ship to thousands of locations in the world. The company also makes big efforts to be an active contributor to the global community, by being a carbon-neutral business. It also contributes to the environment through the UPS Foundation’s activities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the UPS freight delivery service?
A type of delivery service for real packages.
What is hazardous waste?
Materials that can threaten human health or the environment are considered hazardous waste. They exhibit traits like reactivity, toxicity, corrosivity, and/or ignitability.
