Letter to the Editor—Reduction of Letter Delays Between Post Offices

In a paper by Oliver and Samuel (Oliver, R. M., A. H. Samuel. 1961. Reducing letter delays in post offices. Research Report 11, Operations Research Center, University of California, Berkeley, Opns. Res.10 839–892 (1962).), methods were developed for the minimization of the delay of letters in their flow through a post office in the city of origin. It was shown that this delay is a sensitive function of the time of the dispatch by which they leave the office. We shall now consider briefly an introductory treatment designed to minimize the total letter delay from collection to delivery.