Are you sure about this? It's always been my understanding that the US Postal Service is not allowed to xray any package. That's why it is suggested to use the USPS.
@BudmanTX
@Herb & Suds
@Pa-Nature
Priority dos not always fly by air! Non air shipped packages are not subject to X-ray unless they are being delivered to area codes 202, 203, 204 and 205. These are Washington DC codes. I have been told they also divert these to a facility in NJ to be irradiated before delivery to Federal agencies and government branch's.....
Sadly yes, this is true. Homeland set these expanded
air shipping security rules a while back.
These only apply to the USPS as a federal branch of the Government.
FedEx, as a pvt company does not have to follow these rules. To put this to task would cost FedEx a small fortune. Being the smaller of the shippers, they haven't spent the bucks in anywhere but big cities and major flight op hubs.
UPS has been X-raying most packages for years!
Someone here, well respected. Attempted a cross country overnight of simple cuts. It was intercepted at the USPS postal center near the airport in question, by this method.
Tracking info was posted of the interception.
Being a third party "observer" in this. I was privy to info from the primary's.
I know about the X-ray's in distribution centers because, I had occasion to see them in action at one. I was notified of a damaged package containing a leaking liquid of unknown type.
They took the package and placed it in a heavy plastic bag and tell you to come pick it up there.
They don't know what the substance was (Birthdays gift of spices and hot sauces from New Iberia LA.), so they would not deliver it.
Once at the facility, they had trouble finding the held package.
I was escorted across the facility to a "holding" area near the actual X-ray dept. My package was in the secure intercepted area. I had to open and set out the contents in front of a postal inspector.
He was sorry about the broken hot sauce and resulting wrecked dry spice's also.
I took great notice of the goings on in the area. Asked a couple of benign questions about the if we were in danger from the "enclosed X-ray space" . Reply was no, and it's for outgoing overnight packages for security after 911. Basically put.
Later found that it's an automated system that flags packages from standing software parameters. Flagged items are inspected by dog, then by hand...
HERE IS A USPS LINK - Enter "X-ray' in the search!
http://faq.usps.com/eCustomer/iq/usps/request.do?create=kb:USPSFAQ&view()=c%5Bc_usps011510%5D&varset...
Basic search outcome:
"Some of the mail that is sent through the United States Postal Service will pass through an X-Ray machine. There are no specific guidelines as to what may or may not be x-rayed, though mail sent to or through larger cities is likely to pass through an X-Ray machine.
Note: Marking a mailpiece "Do Not X-Ray" will not forgo the X-Raying of a mailpiece, and may result in the item being considered suspicious
If you have additional questions about X-Raying of items, contact your local Post Office."
Here's the fun part --- They got the original software from UPS and have modified it from there!
I do NOT overnight ANYTHING related to our hobby!
Priority ground ONLY!