Surely We Can Survive On Five Postal Deliveries A Week?
The Postmaster General announced this week that he expects the Postal Service annual deficit to reach a whopping $7 billion, and he continued to push for five-days-a-week delivery — which would save $3 billion a year. But Congress ain't too happy about that solution and continues to look for other ways to save cash.
The Postal Service has already tried to cut costs, including a hiring freeze since spring 2008, the elimination of 1,400 management jobs, early retirement for 150,000 workers, and the shuttering of six district offices. But the question remains: Now that almost all bills are paid online and even our grandmothers are on Twitter.... for $3 billion, do we really need one extra day of junk mail?
Increasing Postal Deficits Intensify Talks on Solution [New York Times]
(Photo: Maximillian Gleeson)
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Comments:
Hey, maybe they can jack the price of stamps some more, so I'll be even more inclined to NOT use their services!
It is so time for this, Offices should stay open on Saturday, but delivery? that's just silly.
As the wife of a postal employee let me beg you to go to a 5 day delivery week and close the post offices on Saturdays. An actual weekend with my husband would be fantastic and I expect it would increase morale throughout the system.
I only check my mail once a week unless I'm expecting something...
...because you're just going to drive your letter from NYC to Chicago yourself instead of paying $0.44 to mail it?
@jfielder23: And how much does it cost for you to send a letter from New York to California via UPS or FedEx? Even at $0.50, its still a bargain.
Canada has always had a 5-day delivery for mail, as far as I know. Don't hear any of them complaining about it.
@aftercancer: So does your average postal employee actually work 6 days (48 hours) per week? Or do you get a rotating day off (other than Sunday) or what?
Considering how out of date the USPS concept is, I think once a week would be fine for everyone.
I love the idea of no junk mail on Saturday.... but the concept of a weekend with only what Netflix has delivered through the work week fills me with fear and dread.
What's that? Jess the Cat?
Postman Pat rocks!
No no it's cool they're offering flat rate boxes same price to Cali as it is to NJ. Because you know that was a financially prudent idea for a hemorrhaging company.
@YouDidWhatNow?: who the hell sends letters?
and if it's important you have to do it first class mail with signature confirmation and yada yada in the end you spend almost 6 bucks.
Send it FedEx ground ny to chicago for a small letter package is like 10 dollars and it'll actually get there in 2 days.
YES, WE CAN.
Hold on...what? You get mail on Saturdays? [/canadian incredulousness] @youdidwhatnow - yup, we're good with it. Then again, I'm in my mid-twenties and can remember when nothing but drug stores were open on Sundays. We like our weekends off.
Who gets anything so time sensitive through the mail that it can't wait two days? And what does congress care?
@aftercancer: I would only agree to closing the post office on weekends as long as it stays open and available until 9 or 10 pm on weekdays. I would never be able to get to the post office otherwise. besides, isn't the post office only open till 12 or 2 on saturdays?
@OminousG: Actually, most of the twits got laid off. And the rest are in Wall Street.
Also, sometimes, you just HAVE to send a physical letter. And most people have started using fax and email when they can do. I dont think raising the price to .50 will kill off a lot.
[Catastrophe Girl: If you are reading, you can add this one to the cards: "Blame Wall Street", in case you havent already.]
@OminousG: Speak for yourself. I have my Netflix, my book deliveries, and unsolicited coupons I cannot do without.
@OminousG: Hahaha
I found the mispelled word more appropriate from my perspective on Twitters value.
I didn't even realize the USPS delivered mail on Saturday until a few years ago when I started getting movies in the mail (Blockbuster TA and now Netflix). Cutting back to 5 days seems like a logical and prudent thing to do, but part of me is still thinking "don't mess with my Netflix shipments!"
@k8supergrover: Another Canadian here - I don't understand the mail-on-Saturdays thing. Why would you need mail on Saturdays?
Then again, I was living in the UK when they went down to mail delivery once a day from TWICE A DAY, and there was a similar uproar there. Why would you need mail delivery twice in one day?!?!
yes, but you also have to factor in the multitudes of people who mail stuff in the Flat rate boxes, but the postage is actually cheaper if it wasn't in one... It works both ways....
Yeah I'm fine only getting mail 5 days a week.
How about they sell the cars and buy electric cars and get a deal with the power companies for power at a lower rate?
Cut delivery, sure. But PLEASE keep your offices open at least one weekend day. How are people supposed to pick up "signature required" mail when the post office is only open during the hours when everyone is at work? Not everyone lives close enough to work that they can stop by their local post office on their lunch break, nor do most people have the luxury of being able to receive personal mail at work.
I really don't have a problem with 5 days a week itself, what bothers me is the potential slippery slope. Cutting a day does nothing to improve efficiency or revenue per volume of mail. It does nothing to fix the underlying problems.
@MostlyHarmless:
May I suggest the radically new concepts of internet streaming, and the local library?
@Skankingmike: Well, my nieces and nephews insist on having freaking birthdays every year, and for some reason those little bastards won't accept Paypal...
Ok, I didn't RTFA, but I read before where Tuesday was the proposed dropped delivery day, because it was the lowest volume day. So all the commenters talking out Saturdays may be barking up the wrong tree.
Oh, and I have to throw it in...we want the same people handling health care?
@Smashville: If I only checked my mail once a week the mailbox would fall off the house from the weight of all the superfluous flyers and junk mail I get every day.
With all the junk mail I get FROM the postal service I'm shocked they aren't the the black....
I haven't mailed a letter in over a year. and I work for the government, the one organization thats guaranteed to be behind the times.
What example do you have that requires a letter to be physically mailed via USPS?
@OminousG: Streaming quality sucks, and I cant pop it in my friends 52' big screen tv with subtitles and seamless skip and scan. Not to mention the limited selection. Also, I use the library liberally.
@littlemisslondon: Saturday is the only day a person who works 9-5 can get to the post office to send presents, cards, bills, or pick up a package that could not be delivered during the week. Saturday might be the Post Office's busiest day.
@Skankingmike: I actually think this is a smart move. Considering this piggybacks such a large system, it's practically the equivalent of a text message to a cell phone carrier.
And it certainly makes things convenient for me and won my business. I'm redesigning my company's sample packaging to fit in these boxes. Convenient for me, more of UPS and FedEx's business for them.
@aftercancer: If the PO closed on Saturday, I would never use it. the hours would have to be replaced with evening hours.
And to-the-door delivery?
How quaint.
(Actually, I will only buy a house in an area still served by delivery to my door. This whole superbox thing needs to die!)
@Smashville: I should add that I am in an apartment complex with the lock/key box situated a block from my actual residence...probably wouldn't be a good practice with a real mailbox.
@s25843: how is shipping something that is 75 pounds the same price as 5? It's a stupid old concept that relies on cheap gas.
@s25843: You mean like how Monoprice is shipping me a 5 dollar cable in a 5 dollar flat rate box when it could have gone in a smaller box for 2-something?
I work in mail, I know the weight of the cable and I know how much it should have cost.
I'm on a rural route, mail box is waaayyyy out there on the paved road. I check it once a week, sometimes two if I have to go to town twice.