This project seeks to identify how to optimize the use of facilities and USPS’ core service platform to address community need and pair innovative facility reuse, integrated smart city technology and community resilience utilizing the City of Pittsburgh and Southwestern Pennsylvania as a laboratory for scaling solutions nationally.
The United States Postal Service (USPS) is so ubiquitous it is almost invisible. Controlling over 30,000 facilities with over 300,000 vehicles, it is the only entity that services every home in every neighborhood almost every day.
In 2016 USPS facilities hosted over 2.7 billion unique visitors. As a $70B dollar entity it would list in the top 50 of the Fortune 100 largest businesses. Despite that scale – USPS facilities are contracting and operations are radically modernizing in the face of evolving global commerce.
How and where can facilities and distribution infrastructure adapt and even be repurposed?
Because the USPS is obligated to service to all residents in all zip codes – facilities are strategically located where people live and the distribution network is unrivaled in reach and capability. Consequently, there is no better partner or platform to leverage in an effort to collect data at a neighborhood level and to strategically integrate technology to advance quality of life for all residents especially targeting interventions for the most at risk and vulnerable populations.