Postal Service looks for new ways to cut losses

[The Straight Story]

Postal Service looks for new ways to cut losses
By Randolph E. Schmid, Associated Press March 23, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. Postal Service has already suggested dropping a day of mail delivery to save money. Now, with economic gloom everywhere, it's turning to early retirements, management cutbacks and office closings.

Not so long ago, the picture was far different. The USPS finished fiscal 2005 with a $1.4 billion surplus.

Postal officials were already struggling with a sharp decline in first-class mail as letters and many bills moved to the Internet. Then the flagging economy devastated advertising mail, which had become the agency's largest volume. At the same time, the number of delivery points - homes and offices where it must bring mail, was continuing to increase.

The Postal Service lost $2.8 billion last year and is facing even larger losses this year, despite a rate increase - to 44 cents for first-class mail - scheduled to take effect May 11.

http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=42317&dcn=todaysnews

[Belial]

1. I know of 3 Small towns that have more than one

Post Office building.. the were all supposed to move to the new one.. but the kept the old ones running too to make it more convenient.

[liberal N proud]

2. Maybe they could cut some of the stupid shit like this:

Many post offices now have an automated package center, you weigh the package, purchase postage and drop it in a bin. Great idea Right?

Except there is a catch. My wife stopped in the post office in the next community post office because it was on her way to a destination.

She weighed the box, put the postage on it and dropped it in the bin and left.

A few days later, the box was on our doorstep. They shipped it from the post office in one community to another, put it on the delivery truck and dropped it off at our house.

WHY? Because it was not handed to a US Postal Employee directly. It had enough postage on it and was marked correctly, They just did not get to ask what was inside.

What is wrong with this picture? The package was basically transported through the system and delivered at no cost to us and then delivered again through the system to the intended address once we hand carried it to the window in the post office.

Double the work on their part for the cost.

[Frustratedlady]

3. They also have the window clerks doing stupid stuff that doesn't need to be done.

For instance, they measure their own boxes. Duh!

One day, my box was 1/4" over the limit and it was to California. So, the shipping was going to be out of sight. I had to take it home and repack it to get it down under the limit. I realize you have to draw the line somewhere, but round it off, for God's sake. We wasted more time than it was worth.

They also have to repeat the long spiel of what's in the box...fragile, perishable, etc., do you need stamps, money orders, etc.,...do you want insurance, confirmation, etc. For those of us who are there almost everyday, give them a break. I finally wrote to the postmaster and told him it was a waste of their time and my time to recite/listen to these each day. The girls said they say those words in their sleep. It's nuts.