News about disappearing collection boxes is everywhere these days. Even BBC News ran a story on the decline of the blue collection box in the United States.
The Postal Service argues that picking up mail from collection boxes is expensive. Removing underused boxes is a cost savings move and a reasonable response to the economic crisis. The Postal Service is removing boxes with less than 25 stamped mail pieces per day.
Critics wonder if there is adequate analysis to support the 25-piece minimum and whether one reason for removing collection boxes — in addition to the minimal cost savings — is that the Postal Service does not want to be criticized for poor service. Fewer boxes mean fewer opportunities to miss a collection or to pick up mail too early.
Is the Postal Service thinking too narrowly and missing some of the value of collection boxes? The ubiquitous presence of the boxes is free advertising for the ailing agency. How much would a private sector company pay to be allowed to put a collection box anywhere it wanted to in the country? Millions? Billions?
What do you think? Is removing collection boxes a reasonable cost-cutting move or a strategic mistake that the Postal Service will later regret?
This topic is hosted by the OIG’s Risk Analysis Research Center (RARC).
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Whee! I’m not at home right now (I’m at uni), and I just tried to mail a letter, which apparently is SEVERELY frowned upon by the USPS, except of course either from home or from a post office (I’m on foot and the closest post office is a mile away). I foolishly thought “well, I have to go to the public library, and they’ll have one out front.” Nope. Silly me…
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What do you think all of the ole’ blue boxes have morphed into???? You know, the one’s where the paying customer did 25% of the work that the post office
has to do when they don’t drop mail in a box.
A. High Speed rail track
B. River barges?
C. Electric Car Charging Stations (Just the Protective Steel Bollards adjacent to them)
D. Ship Anchors
E. Counterweight for a draw bridge.
I simply find it hysterical that someone brings a single first class letter into the window so they’ll
assure themselves the letter is on it’s way!!!!
Talk about confidence in a delivery system!!!!!
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well it looks like they’re trying to cut costs, the economy isn’t that great.
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Do you seriously think that the USPS owes anyone an apology for removing the old blue collection boxes? You’ve got to be kidding. When mass numbers of people opted to use Email instead of the USPS, decisions had to be made. Wake up people. Times change and you made your choice.
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