Newspaper: Priority mail not always faster

NEW YORK, May 4 (UPI) -- A New York newspaper said its experiments suggest the U.S. Postal Service's $4.95 priority mail is often no faster than mail sent with a 42-cent stamp.

The New York Daily News reported Monday that in eight of 10 instances during its April experiment, a letter sent with a 42-cent first-class stamp arrived at a location the same day as a letter sent in a flat-rate $4.95 priority envelope.

The newspaper said the letters were sent from New York to locations within the city and across the country.

Postal spokesman George Flood admitted that shelling out the extra cash for the priority envelope does not guarantee a faster delivery.

"They're similar," he said. "Delivery is going to be the same, especially when you're talking about shorter distances."

He said priority mail offers other benefits, including options for insurance and tracking.