Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Postmaster General: Mail days may need to be cut
breitbart ^ | Jan 28, 2009 | RANDOLPH E. SCHMID

Posted on 01/28/2009 1:15:29 PM PST by Joiseydude

WASHINGTON (AP) - Massive deficits could force the post office to cut out one day of mail delivery, the postmaster general told Congress on Wednesday, in asking lawmakers to lift the requirement that the agency deliver mail six days a week. If the change happens, that doesn't necessarily mean an end to Saturday mail delivery. Previous post office studies have looked at the possibility of skipping some other day when mail flow is light, such as Tuesday.

Faced with dwindling mail volume and rising costs, the post office was $2.8 billion in the red last year. "If current trends continue, we could experience a net loss of $6 billion or more this fiscal year," Potter said in testimony for a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs subcommittee.

(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: obamasfault; postal; usps
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-48 next last
To: Richard Kimball

Three day delivery makes sense. You could still overnight things if absolutely necessary, but most of us can wait an extra day for that preapproved credit card application.


21 posted on 01/28/2009 1:35:47 PM PST by mockingbyrd
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Richard Kimball; LottieDah; Joiseydude
Junk mail pays for the postal system, so I doubt you'll see less of it. Three day delivery makes sense, cover half the area MWF, the other half on TTS.

But lots of holidays fall on Monday. I don't see why daily deliveries to PO boxes or businesses addresses with lots of mailboxes next to each other should be cut. It's delivery to residential and rural addresses that cost so much.

22 posted on 01/28/2009 1:37:26 PM PST by Paleo Conservative
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: max americana

I think cutting service on Saturday is a mistake.

They should add Sunday service if you ask me.


23 posted on 01/28/2009 1:37:48 PM PST by stevestras
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Joiseydude

Fine with me. Better yet, cut all junk mail altogether, and deliver not sales letters three days per week. Let the mailmen sort one day, deliver next, etc. Save lots ‘o dough.


24 posted on 01/28/2009 1:39:18 PM PST by Ron Jeremy (sonic)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: mockingbyrd
Three day delivery makes sense. You could still overnight things if absolutely necessary, but most of us can wait an extra day for that preapproved credit card application.

But there are lots of businesses that won't like this. I bet credit card payment centers could justify receiving daily or even more frequent mail deliveries.

25 posted on 01/28/2009 1:39:35 PM PST by Paleo Conservative
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: divine_moment_of_facts
From what I understand there will be a freeze on any and all pay raises, both COLA for craft and merit for management, in fiscal year '10.

As for cutting pay, good luck in getting the Unions to buy that!

26 posted on 01/28/2009 1:39:58 PM PST by PISANO
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: LottieDah
"Does cutting back on mail delivery days mean we will get more or less junk mail?"

Don't laugh...they will probably raise postal rates again to make sure this goes through. (Who cares if this makes any sense?? When has anything the USPS does made any sense?)

27 posted on 01/28/2009 1:41:54 PM PST by redhead (Don't look at ME! I voted for Sarah!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: redhead

Addendum to the above: I don’t get three pieces of first class mail a month, anyway. I won’t be missing their lack of service.


28 posted on 01/28/2009 1:43:47 PM PST by redhead (Don't look at ME! I voted for Sarah!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: Joiseydude

Large businesses reevaluate their organizations on a regular basis to cut unnecessary and wasteful processes so as to increase efficiency and remain competitive. Large govt type bureauocracies like the school systems (and I suspect the postal service) never do this and thus have tremendously bloated and inefficient organizations. When cuts are necessary they always seem to make sure that it results in a cutback of service to the taxpayer. This is unacceptable. My solution would be to tell the head of the Postal service that he is required to cut cost by 10% a year with absolutely NO cuts in consumer service. If he failed he would be out of a job and receive NO Pension.


29 posted on 01/28/2009 1:59:03 PM PST by Hacklehead (Liberalism is the art of taking what works, breaking it, and then blaming conservatives.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Joiseydude

So, that last increase in postal rates means we’ll be getting less service. Charge more, get less. There’s a racket.


30 posted on 01/28/2009 2:01:45 PM PST by ReneeLynn (Socialism, it's the new black.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Joiseydude

I still can’t figure out how it costs 41 cents to mail a flimsy letter that weighs nothing and that can travel with millions of other pieces of flimsy paper going in the same direction. Seems a private company could accomplish the same task for mere pennies on the dollar.


31 posted on 01/28/2009 2:07:24 PM PST by Azzurri
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: divine_moment_of_facts
"They should cut their salaries first.. More overpaid Government employees."

The joke is that the postal service pays bonuses to the postmasters and supervisors for cutting back on their budget expenditures. If they save the government money, they get rewarded. The sad part is, that it doesn't matter if service to the public suffers. This past Christmas season, the office I frequent was short of help, only because the postmaster chose to cut the hours of the clerks that are usually on duty. They were only allowed to work 32 hours a week or less. Everyday, from the hours of noon to around 2 p.m. or so, the line for this office was extremely slow, because the only one working was the postmaster. People were lined up out the door.

One day I had packages that needed to be shipped out, but since I'm retired and don't have to be anyplace special, I let everybody else go ahead of me. I basically ended up handling the crowd control for her. It was easy to do having worked over 20 years with convicted felons. Service suffered last season, and people were continually complaining to the other clerks that they had tried to be waited on during their lunch hour, but ended up leaving because the line hadn't moved, and they had to get back to work. That day, I finally got my packages shipped about an hour after I had arrived. I learned from then on, only to go to that post office once the postmaster has gone off duty.

32 posted on 01/28/2009 2:10:44 PM PST by mass55th (Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyway...John Wayne)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Joiseydude
Sounds like an opportunity for UPS and FedEx to fill the void. That will further kill the USPS revenues.
33 posted on 01/28/2009 2:11:25 PM PST by Myrddin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Joiseydude

Talk about THE poster child for Government waste and rudeness.


34 posted on 01/28/2009 2:17:42 PM PST by We Dare Defend Our Rights
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Joiseydude

Obama’s fault


35 posted on 01/28/2009 2:18:37 PM PST by rod1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Joiseydude

Do away with the postal service and let private industry take it over. Guaranteed it would be run smoother and cheaper.


36 posted on 01/28/2009 2:19:48 PM PST by kenmcg (cOMMBYAH)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Joiseydude

Just raise the rates. What’s with all the fuss?


37 posted on 01/28/2009 2:35:55 PM PST by sazerac
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kenmcg
Do away with the postal service and let private industry take it over.

Sorry, it is in the Constitution, Article I, Section 8. Universal service including the far reaches of Alaska is an understood requirement.

38 posted on 01/28/2009 2:36:00 PM PST by magooey (The Mandate of Heaven resides in the hearts of men)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: Viet Vet in Augusta GA
Okay with me...should have been done 30 or 40 years ago.

Have never understood, why you need Saturday delivery.

39 posted on 01/28/2009 2:48:51 PM PST by org.whodat (Conservatives don't vote for Bailouts for Super-Rich Bankers! Republicans do!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Joiseydude

Cut employees, compensation and benefits. Everyone else is, you sacrifice for a change.


40 posted on 01/28/2009 3:32:15 PM PST by A_Former_Democrat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-48 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson