US Postal Service Begins Testing Same-Day Delivery

The program, called Metro Post, will begin holiday deliveries in San Francisco

The US Postal Service is teaming up with retailers this holiday season to offer  same-day delivery. The program, known as Metro Post, will be a premium service for internet shoppers looking for the instant gratification of a store purchase.

The post office will begin the expedited service in San Francisco on Dec. 12 at a price similar to its competitors. If things run smoothly, the program is expected to quickly expand next year to other big cities including Boston, Chicago and New York. It follows similar efforts by eBay, Amazon.com, and most recently Wal-Mart, which charges a $10 flat rate for same-day delivery.

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According to postal regulatory filings, Metro Post is projected to generate between $10 million and $50 million in new revenue from deliveries in San Francisco alone, or up to $500 million, if expanded to 10 cities.

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