NYC Pilots Zumbox Paperless Postal System
Zumbox, the nation's first paperless postal system, launched in New York City this month, after Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced a pilot project that will send municipal paperless mail to all five boroughs of the city and explore further opportunities to cut down on the cost and environmental impact of printing and delivering "snail mail."
Bloomberg launched the program as part of a comprehensive set of initiatives to employ new technologies to make city government more accessible.
The Zumbox Web-based platform powers the world's first paperless postal system. For every U.S. street address, there is a corresponding Zumbox – a digital mailbox – which enables postal mail to be sent as digital files and received online with no paper and no scanning. This new category – paperless mail – represents the first practical alternative to traditional postal systems. When using Zumbox, municipal governments will save on printing, paper, and postage costs, reduce their environmental impact, and connect with residents through an entirely new and interactive communications channel.
Immediately after the announcement, New Yorkers accessing their Zumbox mailboxes found a series of letters from the Office of the Mayor, Department of Sanitation, the New York City Fire Department, and the Office of Long Term Planning and Sustainability.
Residents can view their mail by going to Zumbox.com and entering their home or business street address. New York City residents can look forward to receiving Public Service Announcements, news about local events and other information from the city.
"Every day, new technological innovations help make information flow faster, systems work better and our lives a little easier," said Mayor Bloomberg. "But often, when it comes to adopting new technology, governments lag behind the private sector and even the casual consumer because they are unwilling or unable to try something new and change the way things have always been done. That's small-minded thinking. In serving the public, government should constantly be looking for new and better ways to provide information and services. The city's pilot program with Zumbox will give us yet another means to get information to New Yorkers."
The Zumbox platform represents a one-of-a-kind communications channel for municipal governments. For the first time, mayors can send secure, electronic correspondence (paperless mail) to their residents using delivery criteria such as neighborhoods, ZIP codes, entire cities, or a specific list of street addresses. This can include letters, utility bills, public notices, newsletters, permits, videos, and much more. Zumbox is making its service available to municipal and state governments free of charge. There is no cost for consumers to receive paperless mail via Zumbox.
Zumbox is also offering a free trial for qualified non-profit organizations and local businesses that wish to use the Zumbox service to send paperless mail to their supporters, customers, or local neighborhoods.