Česká pošta: A Brief History and Evolution

Česká pošta has a rich history that spans over 150 years. The company was founded in 1993, but its roots go back to the 19th century when the Czech postal service was established.

The first Czech postal service was created in 1850, making it one of the oldest postal services in Europe. This marked the beginning of a long journey that would take the company through various transformations and innovations.

The company's early years were marked by a significant expansion of its services, including the introduction of parcel delivery in 1870. This was a major breakthrough, allowing people to send packages across the country with ease.

By the early 20th century, Česká pošta had become a major player in the Czech postal market, with a wide range of services and a strong network of post offices.

The Czech postal service has a rich history dating back to 1526, when Czech king Ferdinand I established a postal route from Prague to Vienna. This initial postal service was reserved for the state administration.

One of the earliest milestones in the development of the Czech postal service was the introduction of the telephone in 1881. The state administration took over the operation of the telephone in the Czech lands in 1893.

Here's a brief timeline of key events in the history of the Czech postal service:

The history of the Czech postal service is a long and fascinating one. It all began in 1526 when Czech king Ferdinand I established a postal connection between Prague and Vienna.

The postal service was initially only for the state administration, and the Habsburg family had a significant influence on its operation. However, this changed in 1743 when the postal service was nationalized by Marie Theresa.

The first postal stamps were issued in 1850, and the introduction of rail-based postal services in the same year revolutionized the way mail was transported. By 1881, telephones had been introduced in the Czech lands, and the state took over the operation of the telephone service in 1893.

The modern Czech postal service, Česká pošta, was established on January 1, 1993, after the dissolution of Czechoslovakia. This marked a significant change in the way the postal service operated, and it has since become a self-managing state enterprise.

Here's a brief timeline of the key milestones in the history of the Czech postal service:

The Czech postal service has come a long way since its humble beginnings, and it continues to play an important role in the country's communication infrastructure.

Ddejny were a crucial part of the Czech postal service, responsible for delivering mail in specific areas. They were a technical branch, focused solely on mail delivery.

In April 2022, there were 266 ddejny. This number has been declining over time due to the centralization of services.

The decrease in ddejny is largely attributed to the decrease in mail delivery, particularly letter mail.

Intriguing read: Can I Mail My Ballot at the Post Office

In 2003, Otakar Hölzl, an expert in telecommunications at Prague's ČVUT, criticized the Czech Post for not meeting customer needs and being unable to introduce new services.

The Czech Post's handling of parcels was a major issue, with many customers unable to get their packages wrapped or have the sending text scanned.

A 2006 report by the Czech Telecommunications Office (ČTÚ) was highly critical of the Czech Post, listing dozens of types of deficiencies.

The report found that many basic services were available, but their quality was poor. Long waiting times and unannounced lunch breaks during peak hours were common complaints.

The Czech Post was also accused of not providing customers with adequate information and of unfairly refusing to deliver mail to certain areas.

Despite being ordered to provide weekend and holiday mail delivery in major cities, the Czech Post only partially complied in Prague.

Here's an interesting read: Dropping off Mail at Post Office

Česká pošta, s.p. is managed by the General Directorate, headed by the CEO.

The CEO, also known as the Director General, is the statutory body of Česká pošta, s.p. and manages its activities and acts on its behalf.

The CEO decides on all matters of Česká pošta, s.p., unless they are reserved by law to the competence of the founder.

The Supervisory Board has twelve members and supervises the activities of the CEO and the implementation of the business plans of Česká pošta, s.p.

Eight members of the Supervisory Board are appointed and dismissed by the founder, while four members are elected and dismissed by the employees of the enterprise.

The Supervisory Board establishes committees as its working bodies, which serve for preliminary and more detailed discussion of materials.

The members of these committees are elected and dismissed by the Supervisory Board.

The Directorate General has three divisions and eight separate Sections.

The Directorate General is responsible for seven Regions and nine Collector Transport Units (CTUs).

Here are the seven Regions:

Česká pošta provides a range of services beyond just delivering mail and packages. They contractually provide services to other business entities and authorities, such as ČSSZ for paying out old-age pensions and ČSOB for renting space for banking services.

The Czech Post also handles the costs of issuing postage stamps and puts them into circulation, including services for philatelists. They offer a hybrid mail service where clients can send documents and addresses digitally, and the post office will print and deliver them.

This hybrid mail service is particularly useful for large companies that send out a lot of correspondence, such as bank statements. And in 2006, the Czech Post expanded this service to include small clients, who can now send physical mail through a digital process.

Some of you might be wondering how the new delivery system will work.

Delivery times for regular mail packages are changing. From April onwards, some customers of Česká pošta will have to wait up to five days for delivery, whereas previously it was supposed to take no more than three days.

You might be thinking, "What about the mail carriers?" They will be responsible for delivering mail to five different areas, and the delivery time will depend on which area they are assigned to. If they are assigned to the area where the mail is meant to be delivered, it will be delivered the next day. If not, it might take longer.

Delays can be expected if the mail carriers are overwhelmed with priority mail or if it's a day when pensions are being paid out.

The Czech Post offers a wide range of services beyond just receiving, transporting, and delivering mail and unaddressed items.

They provide contractual services for other business entities or authorities, such as ČSSZ for payment of old-age pensions, ČSOB for renting space for banking services, and Sazka for receiving tickets, paying out winnings, and selling lottery tickets.

In addition to these services, the Czech Post also pays the costs of issuing postage stamps and puts them into circulation, including services for philatelists.

They operate a hybrid post office system, where clients can submit documents and addresses in both paper and digital formats. Large companies often use this service for sending large volumes of correspondence, such as account statements.

In 2006, the Czech Post expanded its hybrid post office service to include small clients, allowing them to send traditional mail using email or MMS.

The Czech Post also offers a service called Registrovaná elektronická pošta, which is an electronic equivalent of registered mail. This service guarantees the authenticity of communication, with the Czech Post acting as a trusted third party.

This service includes issuing an electronic receipt signed by the recipient, providing proof of delivery.

Česká pošta se specializuje na třídění a přepravu zásilek, aby je mohly jejich adresáti co nejdříve obdržet.

Zásilky jsou tříděny na sběrných přepravních uzlech (SPU), kde je určen nejvhodnější směr a optimální způsob dopravy.

Česká pošta používá dvě druhy přepravy poštovních zásilek: silniční a železniční.

Do a z některých evropských států jsou poštovní zásilky též přepravovány pozemní cestou (silniční).

Česká pošta využívá převážně letecké a některé námořní linky pro poštovní spojení se zbytkem světa.

V roce 1997 měla ČP 70 přepravních uzlů.

V roce 2022 Česká pošta provozuje 8 třídicích uzlů značených DSPU.

Část uzlů je automatizovaná, v části se třídí ručně.

V září 2022 byl zahájen provoz v novém logistickém centru České pošty v Mošnově.

V roce 2023 by mělo dojít ke zrušení třídicího uzlu Olomouc.

Zrušené třídící uzly jsou:

Rychlost základní služby se v České poště v posledních letech vyvíjela. Česká pošta zavedla od 1. února 2020 dvě kategorie listovních zásilek, prioritní a neprioritní.

Česká pošta plnila v letech 2016–2021 povinnost včasného dodání (D+1) nejméně 92 % prioritních poštovních zásilek, jak uvádí Český telekomunikační úřad ve svých výročních zprávách.

Díky přelomu zájmu zákazníků od prioritních k neprioritním zásilkám se počet zkušebních zásilek snížil o třetinu.

Česká pošta zavedla od 1. února 2020 dvě kategorie listovních zásilek, prioritní a neprioritní.

Běžné zásilky budou nově doručovány nejpozději do pěti dnů od odeslání, zatímco dosud by měly být doručeny nejpozději do tří dnů od odeslání.

Pokud potřebujete doručit zásilku rychleji, můžete použít elektronickou poštou nebo odeslat dopis prioritní zásilkou.

The Czech Post is planning to sell Balíkovna, a company that offers parcel and logistics services. It's expected to happen this year.

The company is struggling and falling behind its private competitors, which is why a sale is being considered.

The sale is part of the Czech Post's transformation process.

The Czech Post is currently looking for a consultant to help with the sale of Balíkovna. Interested parties can apply by Monday.

Školáci a Babičky are making a difference in the community.

In some Czech towns, thousands of people waited for days for their mail to arrive, including thousands of people in Českokrumlovska and Českobudějovicka.

High school students and grandmothers are stepping up to help.

Pošty, the Czech postal service, has faced a major crisis, with thousands of people waiting for mail in some areas.

In some cases, people waited almost four weeks for their mail to arrive.

In the Czech Republic, the postal service has been undergoing significant changes. As of the end of July, 250 delivery workers were let go by Česká pošta.

The reduction in workforce is related to the optimization of the delivery network due to a decrease in the number of packages being delivered.

Česká pošta has been working to adapt to changing customer needs and has introduced new services such as Czech POINT, which offers assisted public administration services at over 1000 post offices.

Prior to the layoffs, Česká pošta had been meeting its obligation to deliver priority mail within one working day, with a success rate of at least 92% in the years 2016-2021, according to the Czech Telecommunications Office.

Česká pošta faced a significant financial challenge last year, with a loss of around 1.25 billion korunas, which is a half billion more than the previous year.

This substantial loss was largely due to the company's poor financial performance.

The company's financial struggles have had a ripple effect on its operations, making it more vulnerable to security threats, as seen in the recent robbery at a post office in Tlučná.

České poště byla udělena poštovní licence dne 12. prosince 2017.

Tato licence má platnost od 1. ledna 2018 do 31. prosince 2022.

Držitel licence má povinnost zajistit na celém území České republiky všeobecnou dostupnost základních služeb.

Službou dodání poštovních zásilek do 2 kg musí držitel licence zajišťovat.

Stejně tak službou dodání poštovních balíků do 10 kg.

Povinností držitele licence je také zajištění služby dodání peněžní částky poštovním poukazem.

Cenné zásilky musí být také dodávány.

Bezúplatný dodání poštovních zásilek do 7 kg pro nevidomé osoby je také službou, kterou držitel licence musí zajišťovat.

Služby zajišťované na základě závazků vyplývajících z členství České republiky ve Světové poštovní unii jsou další povinností držitele licence.

Česká pošta testuje nový systém doručování dopisů, který je pomalejší, ale dražší.

Po únorovém zdražení dopisů začala Česká pošta testovat nový systém doručování dopisů. Obyčejný dopis putuje k adresátovi.

Zdražení dopisů bylo provedeno kvůli rostoucím nákladům na zaměstnance i energii.

Česká pošta loni prohloubila ztrátu o půl miliardy korun.

Nový systém doručování dopisů je testován v pilotním provozu.

Česká pošta letos již od 1. února zvýšila ceny svých základních služeb včetně posílání psaní.

Česká pošta prohloubila ztrátu loni o půl miliardy korun.

Loni prohloubila ztrátu o půl miliardy korun.

Česká pošta loni hospodařila se ztrátou kolem 1,25 miliardy korun.

To je o půl miliardy více než o rok dříve.

Motivem přepadu pošty v Tlučné byl zřejmě vyzvednutí zásilky.

Krátkostřelce zatkla policie.

Ztráta České pošty loni činila 756 milionů korun, což je snížení o jednu miliardu korun.

Provozní výnosy včetně příjmů z prodeje majetku vzrostly o 0,9 procenta.

Nově budou někteří zákazníci České pošty muset na obyčejný dopis čekat až pět dní.

Zatímco dosud by měly být běžné zásilky doručeny nejpozději do tří dnů od odeslání.

Česká pošta has faced significant challenges in maintaining quality and performance. In 2018, the company was short-staffed, with over 1,300 employees missing, which led to issues with delivery times and quality.

This shortage resulted in the failure to meet the legal requirement of delivering mail every working day in some areas. The consequences of this shortage were far-reaching, affecting not only the customers but also the overall reputation of Česká pošta.

In 2013, Česká pošta had a significant presence across the Czech territory. There were 3,408 organizational units in total, including Pošt Partnerů, Výdejních míst, and Poštoven.

These units consisted of 3,249 post offices, 14 post offices, 79 delivery points, and 16 dislocated counters. Additionally, there were 8,108 delivery areas for letters, with 3,511 of those being motorized delivery areas.

The number of people served by each service point was 2,983 at the end of 2013, down from 3,071 in 2012. This indicates a slight decrease in the population density of the service areas.

In the summer of 2018, the Czech Post was short over 1,300 employees, leading to problems with quality and service.

This shortage caused issues in some areas, including the failure to deliver mail on every working day, as required by law.

The lack of staff also led to other quality-related problems.

Senioři a starostové jsou nespokojení s pomalým doručováním dopisů.

The Czech postal service is facing criticism from seniors and local politicians who are unhappy with the slow delivery of mail.

In fact, older people in the Czech Republic are less likely to be digitally literate compared to their counterparts in other countries.

Only 36% of Czechs aged 75 and above have digitalized their communication, compared to 97% in Denmark, where postal services are delivered twice a week at most.

This slow delivery can be a major issue, especially if it continues to be delayed, says Tomáš Navrátil, the mayor of Opava and a senator.

He fears that people may eventually lose interest in using postal services altogether.

In recent years, Česká pošta has undergone significant changes to its sorting network. The number of sorting nodes has decreased dramatically, from 70 in 1997 to just 8 in 2022, which are now referred to as DSPU (Spu or Sběrné Přepravní Uzel).

These 8 sorting nodes are a far cry from the 70 nodes that existed in the past, and it's clear that the industry is undergoing a significant transformation. In 2022, Česká pošta began operating a new logistics center in Mošnov, located in the Ostrava Airport Multimodal Park.

However, not all sorting nodes have been shut down. Some have been automated, while others continue to be run manually. The automation of sorting nodes has likely improved efficiency, but it also raises concerns about job losses and the impact on local communities.

Here are some of the sorting nodes that have been shut down in recent years:

It's worth noting that the Olomouc sorting node is scheduled to be shut down in 2023, leaving only 7 nodes in operation. This trend of consolidation and automation is likely to continue in the coming years, as Česká pošta seeks to improve efficiency and reduce costs.

Česká pošta je vázána řadou právních předpisů, které definují rozsah jejích služeb a požadavky na jejich kvalitu.

Podle zákona č. 29/2000 Sb. je Česká pošta držitelem poštovní licence, kterou musí splňovat podmínky stanovené vyhláškou.

Kvalitu služeb musí Česká pošta splňovat také na základě nařízení vlády č. 178/2015 Sb., které stanoví minimální počet provozoven pro poskytování základních služeb.

Tento zákon také definuje poštovní tajemství, které je závazné pro pracovníky České pošty a její zaměstnance.

Česká pošta se řídí také úmluvami a ujednáními Světové poštovní unie a dvoustrannými dohodami s zahraničními poštovními správami.

Minimální počet provozoven, které musí Česká pošta mít pro zajištění základních služeb, činí 3 200.

In the Czech Republic, some post offices might get a second chance thanks to municipalities and towns. Česká pošta is offering them a chance to revive by providing financial support.

The state-owned company is closing over 300 post office branches due to financial reasons. However, some of these branches might be reopened with the help of local authorities.

This is a significant move as it could help maintain a vital service in rural areas where people rely heavily on postal services.

The management of Česká pošta has seen its fair share of changes over the years.

Jan Přibyl was the general director from 1992 until his resignation in June 2004, after being accused of a conflict of interest.

Karel Kratina took over as general director in 2008, but resigned just a few months later, citing the completion of preparations for the company's privatization.

Petr Sedláček became the new general director in October 2008, but his tenure was short-lived, as he resigned in December 2009 due to lack of political support.

Marcela Hrdá took over as general director in January 2010, with the main goal of preparing the company for competition on the market.

She was later replaced by Petr Zatloukal in February 2011, who resigned in March 2014.

Martin Elkán took over as general director in April 2014, initially as an interim director, and later as the permanent general director in June 2014.

Roman Knap became the general director in June 2018 and held the position until February 2023.

Miroslav Štěpán took over as the acting general director in March 2023, and was later confirmed as the regular general director in February 2024.

The Czech postal service, Česká pošta s. p., operates in a fully deregulated market, where other companies also provide mail delivery services.

In the past, Česká pošta was granted a monopoly on mail services, known as the poštovní výhrada, which required them to offer basic postal services nationwide at comparable conditions and quality.

This monopoly was a significant aspect of the postal market in the Czech Republic.

The antimonopolní úřad, or the Office for the Protection of Competition, is quite active in the Czech Republic. They have already taken action against the Česká pošta, the Czech postal service.

Their offices are located in the heart of Prague, at Politických vězňů street. I've heard the building is quite impressive, but I've never been there myself.

The ÚOHS is responsible for ensuring fair competition in the Czech market, and they take their job very seriously. It's great to see them standing up for consumers and businesses alike.

Their investigation into Česká pošta is ongoing, and we'll have to wait and see what the outcome is. But one thing is for sure, the ÚOHS is keeping a close eye on the postal service.

Česká pošta ruší tisíce poštovních schránek. Od roku 2018 ubylo skoro tři tisíce schránek, z 19 469 na 18 406.

Šéf pošty Miroslav Štěpán připustil chyby v manažerské sféře za kolapsem pošty v některých obcích na Českobudějovicku a Českokrumlovsku.

Po propouštění pošťáků nyní přijde řada na manažery České pošty, kterých bude muset odejít dvě až tři stovky.

Česká pošta is already taking steps to modernize its services. The company is investing in new technology to improve its delivery efficiency.

One example of this is the introduction of automated sorting machines, which can process mail at a much faster rate than human postal workers. This has already led to significant improvements in delivery times.

The company is also expanding its services to include more online options, making it easier for customers to manage their mail and packages. This includes a new online platform for tracking packages.

Česká pošta is also working to improve its environmental sustainability by increasing the use of electric vehicles in its delivery fleet. This is expected to reduce the company's carbon emissions and make its operations more eco-friendly.

The company is also exploring new business opportunities, such as partnering with other companies to offer new services.

The wait time for package delivery is changing at Česká pošta. From April, some customers will have to wait up to five days for standard mail delivery. This is a significant increase from the previous three-day delivery time.