Last Thursday the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) issued its advisory opinion on the U. S. Postal Service’s proposal to switch to five-day delivery. Following a year-long analysis, the PRC voiced concerns with the request, questioning the potential savings, the impact on service, and the effect on communities, especially in rural areas. However, the Commission was unable to reach a consensus and did not issue an opinion to endorse or reject the proposal to cut Saturday delivery.
The Postal Service responded with a statement from the Postmaster General, reiterating that five-day delivery is a core element of the Postal Service’s strategy for the future. The statement also said the Postal Service will continue to press its case before Congress, which has the authority to change delivery requirements.
Do you think the Postal Service has a case for five-day delivery? Although 5-day delivery is a key element of the Postal Service’s future plans, there are many other options under consideration at this point in time. In your mind, what do you think are the most important options? Give your comments below.
Note: The U.S. Governement Accountability office just released its own report on 5-day delivery.
This topic is hosted by the OIG’s Risk Analysis Research Center (RARC).
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You know what gets me Lenny? Everyone seems to think email is so great. They’ll say it doesn’t cost anything. It’s cheaper than paying 44 cents. Granted I like my email too, but how long before we start getting charged for an account once the government gives us an email address as you suggest. Also what about the cost of computers, internet service, antivirus programs, etc…? When all the additional costs are added in just to be able to receive email, it’s expensive. I think the cost of a stamp is a bargain.
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Sorry about that. Not Lenny, but Ben.
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I read a good part of the PRC’s report, and I would be in favor of 5 day delivery if a few issues would be addressed. But I feel that eliminating collections on a Saturday would be a big issue. If you drop a letter off in a blue collection box and just missed the cutoff time, that letter won’t leave the office until Monday afternoon- or Tuesday afternoon on a holiday weekend. That is too long of a stretch that will do more harm than good, only accelerating the migration to online billpay.
To address the issue with rural residents, maybe a form of a no fee PO box at the nearest office could be offered in lieu of rural delivery. Not only would many of them be able to get their critical mail on Saturdays, but the PS could be saving a good amount of money by not delivering to those houses on the other 6 days. Street delivery is obviously must more expensive than putitng mail in a PO Box, and most rural residents have a small level 11 type office much closer to them than the office from where they are getting their mail deliverd from. I’m suprised this hasn’t been given any thought as a way to save money on delivery expenses.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Looks like a lot of rural carriers on here didn’t like what I said.
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I’m a rural carrier in a small town and although the union is telling me to fight the 5 day delivery I can see the cost savings in cutting Saturday delivery. I started out in a large office and one of the biggest problems we have is getting and keeping subs to carry the routes when we have or need a day off. The quit rate on new subs is very high. Not only because most come in thinking it’s an easy job and find out it’s not, but we lose many others when they figure out they are expected to be available 6 days a week but usually only work Saturdays, and oh yeah no benefits and you will have to do this for many years (I waited 7 years and have known people to wait much longer) and the years you put in don’t count for squat.
I agree with Lenny that they should have the collection boxes serviced on Saturdays, they offices are supposed to be open and mail processing is supposed to continue so why wouldn’t they. As for important packages being delivered to the rural areas, anyone can get a PO box if they have the need of one. I believe having the rural packages delivered to the PO on a Saturday should be done and the customers could be notified that they have a package, then they would have the option of picking it up before Monday’s delivery.
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This has been going on for years about 5 day delivery just do it already the union never has answers for the carriers about it we know they have all laid out just waiting for the word eliminate saturday yes it would hurt us carriers but somethings got to change.
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As a rural customer I would rather see them not deliver my mail on Saturday then to shut down our post office. We’ll all adjust, I’ll just have to make sure I order my medicine sooner.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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If the American people only knew the amount of people on the payroll of the USPS that don’t touch the mail. Layers upon layers upon layers of managers and support jobs. It is beyond ridiculous. If they are not gonna cut the fat now then when?? I bet they could eliminate 50,000 positions without affecting service and save 8 to 10 billion. Congress should force USPS to cut the fat. Then and only then talk about eliminating service.
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There is no need to deliver mail 6 days a week. The volume just isn’t there. Most city businesses have already cut back to 4 days a week. Either leaving early on Fridays or not coming in at all, yet here we (USPS) sit. Waiting for Congress to make up their minds. Yes, we would lose a lot of carriers, but I can see tremendous savings. Something needs to be done and when I talk to people, they all seem to be for it.
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If 5 day would be good then 3 day would be great. Mon-Wed-Fri. delivery would suffice. Who would know the difference?
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We need to go to 5 day.
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I am all for going to Monday to Friday delivery if it makes the USPS stronger financially. Let’s face it, the USPS is losing money hand over fist and it may just take a move such as this to make the Postal Service solvent.
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I also think eliminating Saturday delivery is a smart move, not only saving us money, but conserving fuel in these times of high gas prices. I know how much fuel I use and when I think of all the other rural routes across the nation, that is an awful lot of fuel being used for usually minimal amount of mail.
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The reason why unions do not want five day delivery is because they would have less people paying union dues
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This is the United States postal SERVICE.
Reducing service, in a SERVICE INDUSTRY is a suicidal “business model.”
If you want to call us a “BUSINESS”, who’s goal is to make a profit. then say so!
But what does a business do to generate more business? Do they reduce service? Do they close up shop for another day? No, they don’t. They do the opposite. They make themselves more user-friendly. They put their products on sale.
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I will attention here!
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Medications, Netflix, Blockbuster and any packages that are delivered depend on speed. That speed is reduced with any disruption in service. Even if by another day. Throw Holidays in there, especially when talking about all the Monday ones, and no deliveries on Saturday are a real problem for a lot of people. Everyone talks about the letter they and bill they can wait an extra day on but what about those others I have mentioned. Look at the big picture. Also, the Postal Service is becoming more dependent on those packages and the speed with which they are delivered. To cut Saturday deliveries will only force some of these companies to find alternate means to get their packages delivered quicker. Companies like Fedex Ground who deliver on Saturdays will benefit from any change in Post Office policies. And the Postal Service will loose every more revenue causing a downward spiral. Service is part of the name of this institution and while they may need to get leaner elsewhere it should not be at the expense of the service they provide their customers.
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Eliminate all Saturday service, retail and delivery. Offer civil service employees a realistic early retirement option.Pay all new employees Walmart wages and give them very little benefits.good luck getting anything valuable thru the mail. You get what you pay for.
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Elimination of Saturday delivery is inevitable. On average, I deliver 3 trays of letters and a little over 1 tray of flats on Saturdays. The mail volume will continue to decrease as the older generation dies off and the “new digital generation” takes over. Ask your teenager if they ever mailed a letter or if they ever plan too…..
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Of course we will see 5 Day delivery. Manye not right away. But the mail volume isn’t projected to increase, and if it keep dropping, there will be no excuse NOT to go to 5 Days. Its funny in a pathetic sort of way……..all of the politicians screaming for “smaller government”, and “The Post Office should be run like a business”, but every time the PO wants to change something, or streamline service, the politicians have to put in their 2 cents, and the whole matter goes into gridlock.
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“Pay for Performance has destroyed the USPS.
Instead of rewarding customer service, PFP rewards the slashing of numbers. (Must beat “SPLY”-same period last year).
It results in a business attitude by management that is the exact opposite of any real for-profit business.
Supervisors are LITERALLY giddy on a light mail volume day.(They’ll “make their numbers!”).
Likewise, they are miserable when mail volume is heavy. (Need to pay OT, late leaving).
Here’s a good analogy. Notice how ridiculous this sounds. We’ll use a restaurant, “Jonny’s Pizza” for comparison.
A) “Hey Jonny, how’s business today?”
“It’s a DISASTER! The place is full! There’s a line out the door! I’LL HAVE TO PAY OVERTIME TODAY!!!”
B) “Hey Jonny, how’s it going today?”
“GREAT! Look! The place is empty! I CAN SEND EVERYONE HOME EARLY TODAY! No overime. UNDERTIME!!! I’ll beat “Same Period Last Year” today for sure!”
See how ridiculous the USPS “Business Model” is?
So with pizza sales down should Jonny raise rates and close down on Saturday? Or should Jonny run a “Buy 2-get one free” sale and expand his store hours?
People, this isn’t that hard to figure out.
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you people have no idea and some of you carriers that post your comments should be fired, the facts are the post office is forced to pay pre payments that are unjust and that is the reason for the losses , you people that say three day s a week is fine me you need to re think your thinking here why it not you that matters the moms and pops that use the mail system is only 8 to 10 percent of revanue , it is the big bussinesses like walmart amazon and a lot of other that pay the bill at the usps. they want there mail to be delerered in a timely matter which incudes saturdays alot of th big retailers want there mail to hit on saturdays ,most of you people have no idea about the big picture !!!!!!!
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