USPS rate increase effective today...

jlbsquared

new rates

cardinarky

This really makes me feel BAD!!!
I remember putting $.03 stamps on letters, and sending $.01 postcards.
I remember when there was NO TOPPS!
I forgot, I'm gonna go take my second of several daily naps now.

mercurynut

I just got back from the piost office because I forgot about the increase and needed a couple of stamps to pay my bills.

stevek

It has been estimated that private companies could deliver the mail for around 1/4 the cost of what the post office charges. Government inefficiency at its finest.

lawnmowerman

<< <i>This really makes me feel BAD!!!
I remember putting $.03 stamps on letters, and sending $.01 postcards.
I remember when there was NO TOPPS!
I forgot, I'm gonna go take my second of several daily naps now. >>

Nothing wrong with taking some naps!


Matt

bhl2359

<< <i>It has been estimated that private companies could deliver the mail for around 1/4 the cost of what the post office charges. Government inefficiency at its finest. >>



You think a private company is going to deliver a letter from Miami to Anchorage, Alaska for 10 cents?

I don't think so.

A761506

Actually, the post office is one of the best run government operations, they are extremely profitable (and amazingly efficient). They don't even need the increase, it's only being done because of some bill that passed requiring them to have something like $3B saved in a secondary account. The increases are pretty hefty too, 5% across the board.

stevek

<<< You think a private company is going to deliver a letter from Miami to Anchorage, Alaska for 10 cents? >>>

That's one argument for this continued governmental bureaucracy. People in Alaska, because of the oil revenue and other reasons, pay very low taxes. If the cost had to rise to a buck an envelope or higher in Alaska and Hawaii, then so be it... those states have plenty of money. Privatize the mail so the rest of us can pay 10 cents or so like it should be - but it ain't gonna happen so it's no sense discussing it further.

WinPitcher

The US post office is second to none the world over.


Steve

Robby

Stevek....................The Post Office is considered a Quasi-Semi indepentent Government Agency ! They get no Federal Funding or tax dollars to run the P.O. , and are expected to run it like a business ! Unlike a business thou , there hands are tied behind there backs with the Postal Board of Governors setting the amount of increases ! As A76 pointed out , the Post Office was dumped with a $3 Billion payment in expenses with a bill passed in Congress ! They made the Post Office pick up the Military retireree's and service -man that entered the P.O. TO WORK , pay for there military time pension's ! THE ferderal governtment should be paying that , not the P.O. ! Privatizing the mail delivery would not bring cheaper rates ! One only has to look at the break up of Ma Bell's monopoly , to realize that our phone bills did not go down ! You pay for what you get ! Universal mail delivery is what the P.O. IS ABOUT , delivering to every home in America ! Priviatize it , and you have a hundred different companies taking the cream of the mail delivery service , and refusing to delivery to the non- profitable area's ! Believe it or not , the Post Office has some of the cheapest mail rates compared to alot of other countries ! And yes , I work for the P.O. as a mailman ( 32 years ) and I realize we are not perfect , but most of us are caring about our postal patrons and try to give them the best mail service we possible can !!!!!!! ........Robbie

Jersey

I recently auctioned off a microscope on eBay and wanted to send it the most economical way (it's heavy). By far, the USPS had the best deal, comparing the price of priority mail to UPS, etc. My hat's off to the post office!

Carew29

Stupid question--- If the U.S.P.S is so profitable, why are they raising the prices?

LWMM

<< <i>Stupid question--- If the U.S.P.S is so profitable, why are they raising the prices? >>






<< <i>Actually, the post office is one of the best run government operations, they are extremely profitable (and amazingly efficient). They don't even need the increase, it's only being done because of some bill that passed requiring them to have something like $3B saved in a secondary account. The increases are pretty hefty too, 5% across the board. >>

stevek

<<< The US post office is second to none the world over. >>>

I don't know how they compare with other post offices so I'll take your word for it.

Note that I never stated that the United States Postal Service wasn't good - they are good - just overpriced. But some interesting points brought out as to why.

eyebone

My favourite postal employee is/was Cliff Claven.....man, what a womanizer that guy was in his postal uniform.

Eyebone

stevek

<<< Privatizing the mail delivery would not bring cheaper rates ! One only has to look at the break up of Ma Bell's monopoly , to realize that our phone bills did not go down ! >>>

Whether or not privatizing the mail would bring cheaper rates could be debated. But phone bills not going down with the ATT breakup? That is a totally ignorant statement and completely incorrect.

yawie99

I don't see how one can complain about the USPS's rates. Yeah, postal insurance is overpriced, but the fact that for less than 50 cents I can stick an envelope in a mailbox and have it successfully delivered to a destination hundreds or even thousands of miles away within a few days is pretty amazing, really. I have no connection with the US Postal Service but it seems like one of the most unfairly maligned institutions in America. I think they do a great job - far superior to UPS and FedEx, based on my own experiences.

SoFLPhillyFan

As a Federal employee I would urge everyone to contact the President, your Senators and Congressmen if you have a problem with USPS rates or other laws. This was a mandate that could not be avoided by the USPS. The USPS, even though a semi-governmental agency is still governed by the executive and legislative branches. They are quick to mention that the increase was not needed.

"The Governors of the U.S. Postal Service voted November 14 to accept the Postal Rate Commission's recommendation to increase most rates and fees by approximately 5.4 percent.

This price increase – the first since 2002 – is needed to fulfill a federal law passed in 2003 that requires the Postal Service to place $3.1 billion in an escrow account by October 1, 2006. Without this federal mandate, it would not have been necessary to raise prices in 2006. Among the adjustments, the 1 ounce single-piece rate for First-Class Mail will increase from 37 cents to 39 cents, and the postcard rate will increase by one cent, to 24 cents.

The Board of Governors set Sunday, January 8, 2006, as the effective date for the new rates and fees."

stevek

<<< I think they do a great job - far superior to UPS and FedEx >>>

The post office has a monopoly on regular mail so no comparison can be made. UPS and FedEx only do packages and those "letter" packages. UPS and FedEx do a far superior job to the post office on packages and it's not even close. Most businesses use UPS and FedEx for their package delivery service - there is a reason.

theczar

agree with most of the posts here. if you privatize it some guy living 20 miles off the beaten path would pay outrageous sums for his mail. some may say that is what he gets for living there, but that is not the arguement.

i asked a letter carrier once about why do we hear of people "going postal". he told there a lot of stressful parts of the job, and high demands which are measured by productivity. you have a quota each shift that has to get done in a certain time period.

i don't know what the IRS allows for mileage. it used to be around 31 cents. so if a letter cost 41 cents to mail any trip that took me two miles to get it there would be a waste. I use UPS, but they do charge more than the USPS.

TheCARDKid

Here's the History of Postal Rates

It does get unfairly maligned alot. But I'm glad they have at least limited competition from the UPS's and FEDEX's of the world.

divecchia

Thanks for the postal history...

Donato

Fabfrank

USPS is worth every penny. I'm still amazed at the success rate of delivery. No I am not a postal employee. When dealing with people in other countries, they constantly say "Our postal sevice is not like your postal service". And no, those services aren't better
I recently purchased some collector statues from Brazil. 6 statues in total. The seller would not send them all together because he said that packages "usually get lost" in the Brazilian postal system. He began delivering 2 at a time. Received the first package 2 months after deal was paid for (June 05). Received 2nd package 2 months later (late Aug .05). 3rd package was mailed in Sept. and is now "lost" (or stolen in Brazilian). Tracking #'s are a joke and insurance is an even worse joke.
My experience is probably not the norm, but the postal workers in my area are all friendly, helpful, and go the extra mile for their customers (not just for me)

Carew29

I guess Wells Fargo is cutting back from the U.S.P.S. as they are now offering free Statements via e-mail.