A data processing system, method and program are disclosed to optimize mail piece sorting and the mapping of mail down to the carrier walk sequence using real time statistical data. The invention makes use of techniques such as fast OCR devices at a sending location or deferred processing of OCR scanned mail, to accumulate volume statistics indicating the number of mail pieces being routed particular addressees at a destination postal region on a given day. The information for mail volumes being directed to a particular postal region are collected over data communications links prior to the receipt of the actual mail pieces. The efficiency of sorting is maximized at the destination postal region by organizing the sorting apparatus to remove the highest volume addressee's mail first. This requires the compilation of the real time volume statistics from all of the sending postal regions sending mail to the destination postal location. In this manner, the maximum number of letters on every pass through the sorting apparatus can be achieved at the destination location. This minimizes the total number of reading operations required in order to achieve a desired level of mail sorting separation. Because the mail volume statistics are available at the destination location prior to sorting, at each stage of the sorting operations, bin allocation can be customized to yield the highest final patron or addressee sort. In this manner, the time for every subsequent pass through the sorting apparatus is reduced. This enables sorting directly to the addressee level and the distribution of the mail down to carrier walk sequence.