The Complete Guide to Centralized Mail Delivery Systems

Don't limit yourself to choosing traditional curbside mailboxes for your neighborhood or residential community. While the United States Postal Service (USPS) allows curbside mailboxes to be used for single-unit residences, an alternative solution is to use a centralized mail delivery system. Since their origins back in the mid- to late 1960s, centralized mail delivery systems have become increasingly common -- and for good reason. Unless you're familiar with them, though, you might be wondering whether a centralized mail delivery system is a smart choice for your neighborhood or residential community.

What Is a Centralized Mail Delivery System?

A centralized mail delivery system is a collection of multiple mailbox units in a single, centralized area. A typical centralized mail delivery system may contain anywhere from eight to 16 individually locked mailbox compartments. Therefore, depending on the size of your neighborhood or residential community, you may only need a few centralized mail delivery systems as opposed to dozens of curbside mailboxes. Each compartment offers a safe and secure area for a family to send and receive mail.

There are three primary types of centralized mail delivery systems, which include the following:

1. Cluster Box Units (CBUs): As shown in the image above, CBUs are free-standing pedestals featuring a collection of multiple mailbox compartments. CBUs are available in eight, 12, 13 or 16 compartments. Their defining characteristic, however, is that they are freestanding and mounted on a pedestal.
2. 4B Mailboxes: Unlike CBUs, 4B mailboxes are mounted into a wall.
3. 4C Mailboxes: The official successor to the 4B standard, 4C mailboxes are also wall mounted. However, they feature larger compartments and better security than 4B mailboxes. The USPS requires all multi-unit construction plans submitted after Oct. 6, 2006 to use 4C mailboxes.

The Benefits of Using a Centralized Mail Delivery System

Switching from curbside mailboxes to a centralized mail delivery system offers several benefits. First and foremost, it's typically cheaper to purchase and install just a few centralized mail delivery systems as opposed to dozens of curbside mailboxes. Centralized mail delivery also promotes a more socially active community. When centralized mail delivery systems are used, residents will likely socialize when collecting and dropping off mail.

For the USPS, centralized mail delivery systems have been shown to save money on mail delivery. According to the USPS, it costs roughly $224 per year to deliver mail to a single curbside mailbox. In comparison, it costs an average of $160 per year to deliver mail to a single mailbox in a centralized mail delivery system.

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