Maybe the U.S. Postal Service should establish zone rates for letters. Charge one first class stamp for delivery within a state. Charge two first class stamps for delivery up to two states away. Charge three first class stamps for mail going anywhere else in the continental United States.
Probably not a bad idea but it should go by miles. It shouldn't cost more to mail something to Sharon than to Dayton.
But really they need to get efficient
Is it UPS or Fedex that try to never turn left to save money? No way at the post office. The two houses on the corner of my dead end street have addreses on the main road but boxes on my road. Every day the truck for the main route turns into my neighborhood, delivers to one house, turns around in my driveway, delivers to the second house, turns back onto the main road and continues on. Three or four hours later another truck delivers the rest of the neighborhood. Doesn't seem like much but consider how many times every day that happens across the USA.
It could be based on miles or perhaps on zip codes. UPS charges more the further a package travels.
Whatever the system, it has to be easy for the postal customer to figure out and use.