USPS- No home mail delivery on Saturdays

dennis07

Link

stown

Fixed link

Good to see them finally take an initiative cutting costs. Heck, they only lost $16,000,000,000 (Sixteen Billion Dollars and No/100) last year.

grote15

Really this is long overdue. If you are in debt you can't just keep spending like everything is ok.

Boopotts

<< <i>Really this is long overdue. If you are in debt you can't just keep spending like everything is ok. >>



And with that preamble, we now move into our highly anticipated series of lame and predictable Federal government jokes. Hope you enjoy!

gameusedhoop

Already see this coming, upset carriers swamped on Mondays, after awhile the Union will push for renegotiation of the contract, they begin an unofficial work slowdown until more carriers are hired to keep everyone happy. It'll just go from bad to worse.

Dpeck100

It doesn't matter what political side you are on.

No one can spend 48% more then they make for long when it is funded by debt and especially debt at low interest rates.

It is just simple math.

grote15

<< <i>

<< <i>Really this is long overdue. If you are in debt you can't just keep spending like everything is ok. >>



And with that preamble, we now move into our highly anticipated series of lame and predictable Federal government jokes. Hope you enjoy! >>



How many postal service workers does it take to change a lightbulb, Guy?

YogiBerraFan

I read about that last night. It would be good news for me. It will be nice to spend the weekend out with my family and not worry about what is or isn't in my mailbox. Especially on summer days with extreme heat or winter days where the temperature stays below freezing.

72skywalker

<< <i>

<< <i>

<< <i>Really this is long overdue. If you are in debt you can't just keep spending like everything is ok. >>



And with that preamble, we now move into our highly anticipated series of lame and predictable Federal government jokes. Hope you enjoy! >>



How many postal service workers does it take to change a lightbulb, Guy? >>



Only 1 but it takes them 2 weeks to do it.

Alfonz24

<< <i>Really this is long overdue. If you are in debt you can't just keep spending like everything is ok. >>



Common sense and government are two things you will never see in the same room.

Dboneesq

<< <i>How many postal service workers does it take to change a lightbulb, Guy? >>


The Lobby of the Post Office in Tim's town:

sportscardtheory

How a business can make SO much money and still somehow lose money is beyond me. It seems like they should be making a billion dollars a day with their prices and insane amount of customers. How is it even POSSIBLE that they are losing money???

scotgreb

The change does not apply to packages -- although not sure where they draw the line.

FWIW my local P.O. is outstanding.

edited to add:

sportscardtheory - IMO they lose money because they are all things to all people -- it's a public service. If they only delivered to large markets I expect they would be very profitable.

Dboneesq

<< <i>FWIW my local P.O. is outstanding. >>


Mine as well. All the people at the window and my carrier are great!

jeffcbay

Since most of us purchase our cards online and have them delivered to us using the USPS, AND most of those cards come in a padded mailer (or larger), AND padded mailers are considered "packages", AND the USPS will continue to deliver "only packages" on Saturdays, THEN we will still receive our cards on Saturdays.

If not receiving my normal junk mail on Saturdays will help the USPS crawl out of the hole they're in, then I'm all for it.

CNote

<< <i>How a business can make SO much money and still somehow lose money is beyond me. It seems like they should be making a billion dollars a day with their prices and insane amount of customers. How is it even POSSIBLE that they are losing money??? >>



It's called a union that has gotten everything they want- low healthcare costs (while those have skyrocketed), increased vacation (to pay more people to cover for them), and postage increases haven't made up for the increase in fuel. Not to mention, the OT some of the carriers get with how slow they do their route. I could be wrong on that last part, but I don't think I am. My mother in law works in BMC near Seattle and the stories I hear....man, makes the averaging working Joe look like he;s overworked!

jeffcbay

It's called the fact that we can send something over 5000 miles for less than 50 cents... and we still complain about it.

Aric

PENSION REFORM! PENSION REFORM!

It's long overdue and the post office will be the first of many. You can't work for 20 years and then receive a pension for 30. The math just doesn't work out.

miklia

<< <i>

<< <i>How a business can make SO much money and still somehow lose money is beyond me. It seems like they should be making a billion dollars a day with their prices and insane amount of customers. How is it even POSSIBLE that they are losing money??? >>



It's called a union that has gotten everything they want- low healthcare costs (while those have skyrocketed), increased vacation (to pay more people to cover for them), and postage increases haven't made up for the increase in fuel. Not to mention, the OT some of the carriers get with how slow they do their route. I could be wrong on that last part, but I don't think I am. My mother in law works in BMC near Seattle and the stories I hear....man, makes the averaging working Joe look like he;s overworked! >>



At the risk of derailing this into a political thread, the above isn't quite accurate. The PO is now forced to cover for healthcare costs decades into the future in a way that no private sector company currently does, and these changes were passed explicitly in order to create the current crisis, thus 'requiring' a shrinking of the post office in the name of balancing budgets, in turn opening the door for higher prices and additional private sector competition. If, as a politician, you wanted to shrink the post office dramatically without passing laws to do it (which would thus make you the bad guy), you would just pass a bill that dramatically increases the liabilities on the balance sheet based upon nothing more than future projections. Although I think that it's a transparently dishonest move, it was certainly a brilliant political one. To wit, the 16 billion loss would have been maybe 2 billion had these measures not been put in place. Still not great, but you can see the difference.

itzagoner

does anyone besides me see the correlation in this proposal to cut out Saturdays right before the beginning of college football season?

ChiefsFan1st

unless I am missing something, this doesnt make sense. If the Post Office is still
gonna deliver packages on saturday the employees are still gonna have to work
and the vehicles are still gonna have to run. Even if the carrier gets to skip a few
boxes, they still have to drive or walk by them. I couldnt get the link to open so
their may be something Im missing.

Aric

Now that I have read more about this, I don't think the post office has any authority to say they are not going to deliver on Saturday. It has to get congressional approval. Therefore, I think this move by the Post Office is to get public outcry so that Congress WILL have to act because of public pressure. What do you guys think?

YogiBerraFan

<< <i>Since most of us purchase our cards online and have them delivered to us using the USPS, AND most of those cards come in a padded mailer (or larger), AND padded mailers are considered "packages", AND the USPS will continue to deliver "only packages" on Saturdays, THEN we will still receive our cards on Saturdays.

If not receiving my normal junk mail on Saturdays will help the USPS crawl out of the hole they're in, then I'm all for it. >>



Are you sure padded mailers would be considered packages if mail delivery stops on Saturdays? Most of them are sent First Class and they may be kept with the regular mail. I don't know the answer to this question, just wondering if you are sure.

Boopotts

<< <i>

<< <i>

<< <i>Really this is long overdue. If you are in debt you can't just keep spending like everything is ok. >>



And with that preamble, we now move into our highly anticipated series of lame and predictable Federal government jokes. Hope you enjoy! >>



How many postal service workers does it take to change a lightbulb, Guy? >>



Two: One to change the bulb, and one to make sure the new bulb satisfies the energy-efficiency standards put in place by the socialists.

CEOBIDMC

Here's the best part; packages will still be delivered and the post office will be open; one less day to get useless junk mail and they save 2 billion dollars. Hell they would be profitable if they didnt have to put aside 5 billion dollars a year for a retirement fund (an unreasonable amount)

MiniDuff

Years ago, one of my best employees and someone who was "promotable" left to become a letter carrier. He was/is a gung ho guy who runs through walls. I did not see the fit and spoke to him at length. In the end, his brother is a cop, father in santitation, etc., so public union jobs are in their blood.

I can't tell you how much grief he caused and endured for doing his job. His words" "Jim, I have an hour and a halfs work a day, maybe 2 on a Tuesday and I am supposed to make it last 8" I wont get into all of the creative ways he passes a day, but to this day, he has the same amount of work. I am sure this is not an isolated story.

ssollars

<< <i>

<< <i>

<< <i>How a business can make SO much money and still somehow lose money is beyond me. It seems like they should be making a billion dollars a day with their prices and insane amount of customers. How is it even POSSIBLE that they are losing money??? >>



It's called a union that has gotten everything they want- low healthcare costs (while those have skyrocketed), increased vacation (to pay more people to cover for them), and postage increases haven't made up for the increase in fuel. Not to mention, the OT some of the carriers get with how slow they do their route. I could be wrong on that last part, but I don't think I am. My mother in law works in BMC near Seattle and the stories I hear....man, makes the averaging working Joe look like he;s overworked! >>



At the risk of derailing this into a political thread, the above isn't quite accurate. The PO is now forced to cover for healthcare costs decades into the future in a way that no private sector company currently does, and these changes were passed explicitly in order to create the current crisis, thus 'requiring' a shrinking of the post office in the name of balancing budgets, in turn opening the door for higher prices and additional private sector competition. If, as a politician, you wanted to shrink the post office dramatically without passing laws to do it (which would thus make you the bad guy), you would just pass a bill that dramatically increases the liabilities on the balance sheet based upon nothing more than future projections. Although I think that it's a transparently dishonest move, it was certainly a brilliant political one. To wit, the 16 billion loss would have been maybe 2 billion had these measures not been put in place. Still not great, but you can see the difference. >>



Well said! It's a shame that most of the American people probably don't know about that legislation passed in 2006

Downtown1974

Nothing that Ben Bernanke and his printing press can't fix.

thedutymon

<< <i>

<< <i>Really this is long overdue. If you are in debt you can't just keep spending like everything is ok. >>



And with that preamble, we now move into our highly anticipated series of lame and predictable Federal government jokes. Hope you enjoy! >>




Actually having Been a Federal employee once for 6 years, IMHO the the Posts Office's biggest issue is they are the only ones in Government and in the Private Industry as far as that goes, that pays a Realistic Pension and Future Health benefits amount for their employees that is close to what those costs are and will actully be. Anywhere else we are going to end up paying the difference!

Tha answer is to start to having the employees pay more of their almost Free Retirements, and making these rediculous Caddilac plans that these employees get, more expensive and make the employees pay a higher percentage. I was in a Life Threatening Critical Motorcyle accident when I worked for the Dept of Justice and after an emergency 13 hour surgery with the best surgeon in all of Denver and 9 days in Critical condition, and another 3 weeks in the hospital, my cost out of pocket $10......That's right......$10. The final bill was in excess of $300K.

My insurance now with a Quasi State Goverment agency, I would be out of pocket at least 3-4K, and that would be wether the accident was 5K or 300K total costs.

Neil

NickM

Those future projections are of the life expectancy of their workforce and recent retirees.

Every business and government agency that offers retirement benefits should be planning ahead in that fashion.

Nick

jeffcbay

<< <i>Are you sure padded mailers would be considered packages if mail delivery stops on Saturdays? Most of them are sent First Class and they may be kept with the regular mail. I don't know the answer to this question, just wondering if you are sure. >>



Any padded mailer is listed as a package and the postage is charged as a package, therefore it should be treated and delivered as a package. The Saturday package delivery shouldn't only cover Priority deliveries.

Downtown1974

<< <i>PENSION REFORM! PENSION REFORM!

It's long overdue and the post office will be the first of many. You can't work for 20 years and then receive a pension for 30. The math just doesn't work out. >>



Aric, what does a postal employee get after 20 years? Maybe they are eligible or vested in the retirement system, but I find it hard to believe that they are retiring with a full boat after 20 years. I'd be surprised if they received even half of their salary after 20 years of service.

mcolney1

<< <i>Nothing that Ben Bernanke and his printing press can't fix. >>



The Fed doesn't print money nor does Mr. Bernanke. The B of Engraving and Printing is charged with creating paper currency. The Fed regulates the amount of currency in circulation by buying and selling securities and manipulating interest rates. It is fun to say the Fed just prints money to solve our problems, but that just isn't true.

As far as the Post Office - I can send a letter from Seattle to Anchorage first class and it gets there for less then fifty cents in just a few day. UPS or Fed Ex. charges 10x as much or more. The PO is a great bargain, but the question is...should we subsidize it or turn everything over to private industry.

OT example: Washington just privatized liquor sales and the price of booze has gone up 10-15 percent. So much for private industry and competition saving us money.

handyman

If you read the comments under this article on yahoo. Everyone is for them not doing mail on sat. I bet most on here love sat mail days.
I do

Downtown1974

<< <i>

<< <i>Nothing that Ben Bernanke and his printing press can't fix. >>



The Fed doesn't print money nor does Mr. Bernanke. The B of Engraving and Printing is charged with creating paper currency. The Fed regulates the amount of currency in circulation by buying and selling securities and manipulating interest rates. It is fun to say the Fed just prints money to solve our problems, but that just isn't true.

As far as the Post Office - I can send a letter from Seattle to Anchorage first class and it gets there for less then fifty cents in just a few day. UPS or Fed Ex. charges 10x as much or more. The PO is a great bargain, but the question is...should we subsidize it or turn everything over to private industry.

OT example: Washington just privatized liquor sales and the price of booze has gone up 10-15 percent. So much for private industry and competition saving us money. >>



Ok...nothing another round of quantitative easing can't fix.

I kid, I have no support for QE.

CollectorAtWork

If the Post Office wants to save money, they should just deliver mail to rural areas once a week. They should also implement distance based postage rates, so that they further the mail goes, the more expensive it costs, even for stamped letters. Those are the biggest money losers for the post office. It reminds me of taking the subway in New York, at least when I lived there. You could use one token and go as far as the subway line would take you. However, for most other cities, the further you go, the more expensive your ticket cost.

grote15

<< <i>If the Post Office wants to save money, they should just deliver mail to rural areas once a week. They should also implement distance based postage rates, so that they further the mail goes, the more expensive it costs, even for stamped letters. Those are the biggest money losers for the post office. It reminds me of taking the subway in New York, at least when I lived there. You could use one token and go as far as the subway line would take you. However, for most other cities, the further you go, the more expensive your ticket cost. >>



I'm sure that proposal would go over real well with our rural collectors, LOL..

calaban7

<< <i>PENSION REFORM! PENSION REFORM!

It's long overdue and the post office will be the first of many. You can't work for 20 years and then receive a pension for 30. The math just doesn't work out. >>



In the life we live in , there are things we can talk about and there are things that others do not want you to talk about . This is one of those things . In the Land Of Make Believe , the good times go on , and on , and on , and those twirling the baton , that see the parade is getting rained on , scream foul . Then its time to send in the clowns to shakedown those that have to fund the parade , so that the parade continues . As Lewis Carroll wrote in Alice In Wonderland --- " They all must be winners , they all must have prizes ."

For those that realize that the "Legacy " cost IS THE PRIMARY ISSUE is something that a person , guided by truth or reality , can easily see. As stated earlier , there are others that don't want you to see it .

I hope they work it out .----- Sonny

Brick

Why not simply raise postal rates to the level needed to make a profit? Why not then tax the competition to an extent they cannot compete? Why not allocate a portion of tax revenues for the USPS? How about special regulations for bulk mailers so complicated it is impossible to follow them all? Think of the millions brought in from fines for non compliance. If this fails simply put the Mafia in charge of mail delivery. Problem solved.

thedutymon

<< <i>
In the life we live in , there are things we can talk about and there are things that others do not want you to talk about . This is one of those things . In the Land Of Make Believe , the good times go on , and on , and on , and those twirling the baton , that see the parade is getting rained on , scream foul . Then its time to send in the clowns to shakedown those that have to fund the parade , so that the parade continues . As Lewis Carroll wrote in Alice In Wonderland --- " They all must be winners , they all must have prizes ."

For those that realize that the "Legacy " cost IS THE PRIMARY ISSUE is something that a person , guided by truth or reality , can easily see. As stated earlier , there are others that don't want you to see it .

I hope they work it out .----- Sonny >>



Evening,

Kudos to somebody who "Gets It"!!!

Have a Great Evening Sonny!!

Neil

ChiefsFan1st

<< <i>

<< <i>If the Post Office wants to save money, they should just deliver mail to rural areas once a week. They should also implement distance based postage rates, so that they further the mail goes, the more expensive it costs, even for stamped letters. Those are the biggest money losers for the post office. It reminds me of taking the subway in New York, at least when I lived there. You could use one token and go as far as the subway line would take you. However, for most other cities, the further you go, the more expensive your ticket cost. >>



I'm sure that proposal would go over real well with our rural collectors, LOL.. >>



Im about 2 hours from a large city and I think thats a great idea!! That is just as
long as every buisness in america knows that when they mail me a bill, could take a
week or 2 for me to get a bill and another week or 2 for me to get it mailed back to them!!
Im sure most buisness would be ok with that!!

Estil

This classic early 1980s Apple II commercial says it all right here:

"If you have any money left over, congraulations! You're doing better than the government is!" --Alan Greenspan

JMDVM

Get a post office box and you will be able to pick your mail up there Mon-Sat

1985fan

The big problem with the USPS is two-fold;

First, in 2006, in a lame duck session, Congress passed the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006. It requires the USPS to pay in to cover future retirement covering 75 years! In fact:

POSTAL SERVICE RETIREMENT AND HEALTH BENEFITS FUNDING
The United States Postal Service shall pay into such Fund–

$5,400,000,000, not later than September 30, 2007;
$5,400,000,000, not later than September 30, 2008;
$5,400,000,000, not later than September 30, 2009;
$5,500,000,000, not later than September 30, 2010;
$5,500,000,000, not later than September 30, 2011;
$5,600,000,000, not later than September 30, 2012;
$5,600,000,000, not later than September 30, 2013;
$5,700,000,000, not later than September 30, 2014;
$5,700,000,000, not later than September 30, 2015; and
$5,800,000,000, not later than September 30, 2016.

Not later than September 30, 2017, and by September 30 of each succeeding year, the United States Postal Service shall pay into such Fund the sum of the net present value computed under paragraph (1); and
any annual installment computed under paragraph (2)(B).

This was a blatant attempt by Republicans to push forward with their ideal of privatizing mail delivery, and they are well on their way.

Second, and most important, is that first class mail delivery is vastly underpriced, and the USPS is limited by law to raising postage no faster than the rate of inflation, which is running less than 2% per year. The UK, in comparison (a much smaller country both physically and in population), charges nearly a dollar for first class mail delivery.

Until the 2006 law is revoked, the USPS is going to be in trouble.

pomobileclk

In the above post with all those zeros, THAT'S BILLIONS.

No business can start almost 6 Billion Dollars in the hole a year and come out ahead. The PO is being forced into pre-paying retirement benefits for people not even born yet and employees being hired 40 years from now.

Robby

<< <i>The big problem with the USPS is two-fold;

First, in 2006, in a lame duck session, Congress passed the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006. It requires the USPS to pay in to cover future retirement covering 75 years! In fact:

POSTAL SERVICE RETIREMENT AND HEALTH BENEFITS FUNDING
The United States Postal Service shall pay into such Fund–

$5,400,000,000, not later than September 30, 2007;
$5,400,000,000, not later than September 30, 2008;
$5,400,000,000, not later than September 30, 2009;
$5,500,000,000, not later than September 30, 2010;
$5,500,000,000, not later than September 30, 2011;
$5,600,000,000, not later than September 30, 2012;
$5,600,000,000, not later than September 30, 2013;
$5,700,000,000, not later than September 30, 2014;
$5,700,000,000, not later than September 30, 2015; and
$5,800,000,000, not later than September 30, 2016.

Not later than September 30, 2017, and by September 30 of each succeeding year, the United States Postal Service shall pay into such Fund the sum of the net present value computed under paragraph (1); and
any annual installment computed under paragraph (2)(B).

This was a blatant attempt by Republicans to push forward with their ideal of privatizing mail delivery, and they are well on their way.

Second, and most important, is that first class mail delivery is vastly underpriced, and the USPS is limited by law to raising postage no faster than the rate of inflation, which is running less than 2% per year. The UK, in comparison (a much smaller country both physically and in population), charges nearly a dollar for first class mail delivery.

Until the 2006 law is revoked, the USPS is going to be in trouble. >>



And there you have the underlying reason why the Postal Service is going under ! No other Government Agency or Private has to prefund health benefits !

Tabe

<< <i>Why not simply raise postal rates to the level needed to make a profit? >>


When I did the math on this about a year ago, maybe a little longer, the increase needed was something like 3 cents.

Tabe

Archaninator

.

handyman

What about a Tip Jar???
Could imporve the overall atomosphere of the place.
I know I know. I just solved a Billion dollar problem. Thank me some other time down the road.

georgebailey2

<< <i>

At the risk of derailing this into a political thread, the above isn't quite accurate. The PO is now forced to cover for healthcare costs decades into the future in a way that IS NOW MORE SIMILAR TO THE WAY THAT A private sector company currently does, and these changes were passed explicitly in order to create the current crisis, thus 'requiring' a shrinking of the post office in the name of balancing budgets, in turn opening the door for higher prices and additional private sector competition. If, as a politician, you wanted to shrink the post office dramatically without passing laws to do it (which would thus make you the bad guy), you would just pass a bill that dramatically increases the liabilities on the balance sheet based upon nothing more than future projections. Although I think that it's a transparently dishonest move, it was certainly a brilliant political one. To wit, the 16 billion loss would have been maybe 2 billion had these measures not been put in place. Still not great, but you can see the difference. >>



The capitalized portion above is a fix (I couldn't figure out how to bold it).

I would suggest that every does some research on the subject. According to a CNBC article, the "pre-funding" required by 2006 law will get the UNFUNDED long-term benefits down to $33B by the end of this decade. From what I can tell, GM's US DOMESTIC unfunded liabilities are currently around $25.4B, with the cumulative amount of the Russell 1000 summing $435B.

thedutymon

<< <i> According to a CNBC article, the "pre-funding" required by 2006 law will get the UNFUNDED long-term benefits down to $33B by the end of this decade. From what I can tell, GM's US DOMESTIC unfunded liabilities are currently around $25.4B, with the cumulative amount of the Russell 1000 summing $435B. >>



Exactly....and then how it works is wether its USPS or a private company, the US Taxpayer is left holding the bag because of Federal Insurance on Pension and Retirement funds.

So you and I are left holding the Bag. Just as an example, The California State, County, City, and Local Government Unfunded Retirement liability Dollar amount as of TODAY is somewhere around 20-30 Billion, just Imagine and Cringe when you add 20 years to that equation!!!

Neil