So, I sent out a book last week from MN to CA. It arrived at the reciever's house two days later. One day before sending out the book, I requested another and it was marked accepted and mailed the same day. I haven't got my book yet (6 days later) and it was sent out of MD.  I understand it takes an average of 12 days to get a book, so I'm not worred but just wondering why is there such a time gap and why my book got out so much faster?

You know how on some days you catch all the red lights on the way home and on others you make the green?

Same with the books in media mail.  Sometimes you just get lucky.

Thanks for your answer!

Also sometimes they go on little vacation tours of the US.   I had one taking an awful long time to go from MD to CT. So I checked the DC, which I don't always use but I did on this one. Anyway they sent it to Illinois.  It took a week to get to Ill and then 2 wks to get from there to CT.  MD to CT is only about a 9hr drive. I could have dropped the book off and gone to visit my mother in MA.

A lot of times it depends on if the package goes through a regional distribution centers. The distribution centers are well known as media mail black holes. Especially the one in PA.

I had one that I media-mailed in the afternoon be received the next day. I was shocked .... but I live in southern CA and the book was to another location in southern CA. I've probably sent about 10 within CA, and the books seem to arrive like they were sent first class (within 2-3 days). Everywhere else, takes media-mail time to arrive.

Recently at our PO they have instituted  new policy, which I believe is nationwide.

We are supposed to put ALL in-state mail in with our Priority packages and they are to travel that way. Not to be sent to the Distribution Centers. To speed up mail that is local and should be being delivered in a more timely manner.

This includes Media Mail