USPS looks at enhancing zip codes
Zip codes might be getting a makeover, according to a new report from the U.S. Postal Service. Companies using address validation software within their direct mail campaigns might soon begin to see geocodes, or latitude and longitude coordinates, as part of zip codes in the future.
"The Untold Story of the Zip Code" from the USPS inspector general revealed the USPS might begin enhancing the current zip code system by adding geocodes for better delivery precision and developing a more efficient dynamic carrier route. Today's zip code, or zone improvement plan, was developed in 1963 by the USPS as a way to organize sorting methods and demographic information. The system offered postal workers the ability to more efficiently map out their delivery routes.
However, within the next few years the zip code might not be enough due to the increase in frequency of same-day delivery. According to the report, geocodes linked with existing zip codes will allow software to more easily track parcels using the geographic information system (GIS) and assist in more targeted mailings. By combining the two methods, the USPS hopes to aid in disaster relief efforts while creating a more unified delivery system.