Don't let your imagination run away with you.
Peak was barely over 600,000 ~ but thanks to modern mechanization, automation, computerization, improved work methods and robotics USPS was able to achieve advanced productivity rates.
When I first worked there they had about 500,000 employees and 35 billion pieces of mail. When I left just a few years back they had about 600,000 employees and over 200 billion pieces of mail.
Their geographic coverage area (for delivery) had doubled.
AMTRAK, in contrast, has gotten smaller and smaller ~ it's a hollow shell of the rail passenger system that preceded it. It's annual costs and income aren't in the same league as USPS, and it does not pay for itself out of fares but requires a substantial government subsidy. USPS pays for itself out of postage for mail service.
The USPS Is hardly a disgrace.
BTW, next time they're going to toss your mail to your neighbors dog. Same result, but you won't know it for a while. Making that call now eh!
“BTW, next time they’re going to toss your mail to your neighbors dog. Same result, but you won’t know it for a while. “
Not a chance! We have our mail delivered by a guy in a jeep who weighs at least 300 lb. My dog went and got in his truck the other day and gave him a great big lick on the face! Actually, he’s the only USPS employee that seems to be a nice guy. He has a smile on his face and actually can muster up a hello if he sees you.
I guess you have your numbers and I have the one’s that i’ve seen, but the fact remains that with electronic communication, mail volume is down substantially and will go down a lot further in the not too distant future. I have read that the USPS is planning to “release” 210,000 “employees” within the next couple of years by early outs or involuntary retirements. Problem is that with the current benes, they will just go on paying for the same workers essentially the same compensation even though they are no longer coming to work (that is until the money finally runs out, which it will). Despite the Constitutional requirement for a government run PO, it will never be self-sustaining because it runs for the primary benefit of it’s workforce, not it’s customers.