USPS Threatens Post Office Closures, Price Hikes Published

Newsweek ^ | 8/10/26

[Libloather]

The United States Postal Service (USPS) could close thousands of post offices, reduce service levels and raise prices if Congress does not approve legislation to address the agency's financial problems, Postmaster General David Steiner recently warned.

In remarks delivered to the USPS Board of Governors on Friday, Steiner said Congress faces an either-or choice: provide the Postal Service with legislative changes and federal funding to support its public-service obligations or leave USPS to pursue more aggressive measures to reach financial break-even on its own.

"We have peak season coming up, so we would not take any action until after the New Year, but if we can’t get agreement on a legislative package this year, our plans would certainly have to entail changes that will impact service like taking a look at our service levels and closing thousands of unprofitable post offices, as well as raising prices," Steiner said.

His comments come as USPS remains under severe financial pressure despite improving quarterly results, with billions of dollars in annual losses, declining mail volumes and mounting retirement-related obligations straining its cash position. USPS is an independent agency of the executive branch and generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, instead relying on the sale of postage, shipping services and other products.

Newsweek has contacted House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune for comment via email.

Steiner said the Postal Service's existing model places contradictory demands on the agency.

---

TOPICS: Business/Economy; Conspiracy; History; Local News
KEYWORDS: closures; mail; postalservice; prices; usps

[Libloather]

I'm getting USPS fatigue.

[albie]

If a USPS closes, does anyone notice?

[Rlsau1]

Get business plans from FEDEX & UPS then implement them.

[vaskypilot]

Fine. Stop Saturday delivery. Close some branches.

[roving]

It’s been years since I bought a stamp.

[Omnivore-Dan]

A government agency that charges ridiculous amounts to mail a letter or package and pisses away the money, threatens to charge even more so it can piss away more. It should probably be dissolved. Mostly only junk mail anyway these days with electronic ways to communicate, make payments, etc.

[qwerty1234]

I could live without the USPS, all I get is junk mail anyway - but what they should do is stop daily mail delivery, especially in smaller towns.

Combine the PO’s from 2-3 close towns, deliver mail 2-3 times per week in each town and let the carriers work the other towns on the alternate days - could probably get rid of 40-60% of the carriers this way.

and I for one will be OK getting my junk mail 2 or 3 times a week instead of 6.

[qwerty1234]

>>>if Congress does not approve legislation to address the agency’s financial problems

>>>USPS is an independent agency of the executive branch and generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, instead relying on the sale of postage, shipping services and other products.

Doesn’t sound all the ‘independent’ to me, if they need congress to ‘fix the problem’ (i.e. bail them out), but is supposedly and ‘independent agency’.

[Mouton]

I don’t think the problem lies with the operating budget rather the huge deficits come from the retirement costs. I don’t see a quick, or any, fix for that or for any of the unfunded obligation being run up each second. $40T debt growing exponentially each minute with no end except default in sight.

[ronniesgal]

yes! every rinky dink town in USA does not need its own zip code. The Postmasters of said rinky dinky POs don’t need a huge salary.

[Larry Lucido]

[Vermont Lt]

There are tons of post offices that hardly see a walk in customer. They stay open as make-work programs for small town post mistresses. We have one in our town. About a mile from a high traffic location with easier access.

[Vermont Lt]

My Dad was a lifelong postal service worker. I have an affinity for the USPS.

That said, I have been doing all mailing business on line for years. I grab their boxes in bulk and print out the labels at home. Easy Peasy. (Actually, much easier than Fed Ex or UPS.)

I order stamps on line as well.

I go into a local office only to put the boxes on the counter.

I understand the need for smaller offices in very rural locations. But consolidating offices seems like a natural move; Cut the staff, maintenance, and real estate expenses. Close down on Saturday.

This is stuff folks would not really notice, and it would make the organization more efficient. We don’t need to eliminate the place. Just make it easier to operate.

[Texas Eagle]

Sell the whole damn operation to FedEx or UPS. No, wait. Not UPS. They’re a Union operation.

[Vaduz]

Breakdown by Postal Job TitleEarnings vary based on your specific role within the United States Postal Service (USPS):Postal Service Clerks: $61,630 per year ($29.87/hour). They handle over-the-counter customer service, sell stamps, and sort mail at post offices.Mail Carriers: $57,490 per year ($29.11/hour). They deliver and collect mail along specific routes.Mail Sorters & Processors: $56,530 per year ($28.11/hour). They operate the machinery that sorts mail at central facilities.Postmasters & Mail Superintendents: $88,670 per year ($42.63/hour). They manage entire post office operations.

[Jim Noble]

I worked as a letter carrier during the transition from the Post Office Department to the US Postal Service.

It was always a bad idea, but like all “public-private partnerships” so popular in the 1960s and 1970s, it was meant to elide the difference between public services and the more efficient private sector.

It’s taken more than 50 years to reach a culmination, but the fundamental incompatibility between government service and business is now being reached all over, most notably in medicine.

We live in interesting times.

[Vermont Lt]

That postal workers retirement plan funds the non-military retirement plans for the government. The postal service is required to fully fund their retirement from day 1; other agencies did not have to. The system is entangled in ways that make separating them difficult.

Theoretically, if you moved the USPS out of the government retirement program the system would be insolvent overnight. If you stopped fully funding the retirement program for the postal service…the rest of the system would be insolvent overnight.

There is no “quick” or “easy” solution. The vast numbers of people on Uncle Sugar’s teat is astounding. It’s grown into a monster.

[Cowgirl of Justice]

Does anyone remember when MILLIONS of taxpayer dollars were spent sending postal workers to the Olympics? So much money is wasted, the cost to send mail and packages is skyrocketing and the time it takes for a simple letter to go 50 miles is ridiculous.

[Made In The USA]

I wouldn’t notice. We check our mail maybe once a week, and toss 90% of it immediately.

[OVERTIME]

I believe that USP delivery should be three asys a week. M-W-F, or T-Th-Sa. I never send or receive mail that couldnt have spent an extra day in transit.

Myself, I like the USPS. Our mail girl is a peach. But our needs for it have changed.