[pct-l] Bounce Box

[VirGo]

Yes, regional boxes can be bounced without cost, if unopened at the PO or if you call the PO where it currently is and ask them to forward it to the next PO.
Obviously, if you send it to anywhere else other than a PO, (a market, a motel, a trail angel house, etc) you will have to pay for shipping again, even if you didn't open it. IMHO, I think the postmasters see the priority tape smacked all over the box and treat as such... priority... with all if its intrinsic properties. 

Glad to have helped.

On Jan 30, 2013, at 5:56 PM, "Wally Neal" <wallyneal at cox.net> wrote:

> Great post, VirGo!  Can the “Regional” box be “bounced” without cost if you don’t “receive” it … just forward ahead?
>  
> From: Miguel Aguilar [mailto:pctvirgo at gmail.com] 
> Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2013 5:40 PM
> To: Stephen Clark
> Cc: Wally Neal; pct-l at backcountry.net
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Bounce Box
>  
> My suggestion would be to use a USPS Priority Mail REGIONAL Rate box.
>  
> The one I used throughout my hike of the PCT was specifically the Priority Mail Regional Rate Box-B1(12x10x5).
> It costed $7.70 to send out which included delivery confirmation/tracking. Obviously it's cheaper without confirmation/tracking.
>  
> Size-wise it is equivalent to the USPS Priority Mail MEDIUM FLAT Rate box which costs $12.35 to send out, not including 
> delivery confirmation/tracking. 
>  
> However, the receiving PO has to be within the jurisdiction of what the USPS deems as regional. I have no idea what the regional limts are, but I bounced my box several times from Idywyld to Snoqualmie Pass.
>  
> How to obtain the REGIONAL rate box:
>  
> The post office DOES NOT have these boxes available at post offices. You need to order them online and have them sent to your office/house. Ordering them is free and more info can be found here:
> https://www.usps.com/business/priority-mail-regional-rate.htm
>  
> OR ! I did see many of these boxes used by other hikers and discarded after their use in resupply towns, at POs, and trail angel households. So, best keep your eye out while at a motel with other hikers resupplying, at a PO on your resupply, or at a trail angel household. (There were several discarded at Kennedy Meadows:South)
>  
> I learned of this REGIONAL box while in the PO at Idylwyld when Hollywood saw I was using a Large Flat Rate Box as my bounce box and no longer needed his REGIONAL box. BOOM! Trail magic in the PO!
>  
> However, SENDER BEWARE! These REGIONAL boxes look just like regular flat rate boxes. On occasion, the postmaster would ring it up as the $12.35 medium flat rate box and I would have to kindly remind them that it's a REGIONAL flate rate box. After showing them the side of the box that says REGIONAL Rate Box B, followed by some digging in their computer, sure enough they would find it and say, "that's smart!" Yes, Hollywood is a smart man.
>  
> Good luck! and HYOH!
>  
> -VirGo