&gt; but even fairly remote areas can be surprisingly profitable.<p>This is only true because they subcontract these rural deliveries to USPS [1]. Without USPS, who&#x27;s already required to go there anyways to deliver traditional mail, it isn&#x27;t profitable.<p>[1] <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.wsj.com&#x2F;articles&#x2F;u-s-mail-does-the-trick-for-fedex-ups-1407182247" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.wsj.com&#x2F;articles&#x2F;u-s-mail-does-the-trick-for-fede...</a>