USPS has a vast mail processing network consisting of multiple facilities with different functions, as shown in figure 2. In fiscal year 2011, according to USPS, it had a nationwide mail processing network that included 461 facilities, 154,325 full-time employees, and about 8,000 pieces of mail processing equipment. This network transports mail from where it is entered into USPS's network, sorts it for carriers to deliver, and distributes it to a location near its destination in accordance with specific delivery standards.