New at the USPS

[frkelly74]

They are going to be closing down some of the facilities it sounds like so maybe it will be a little slower to send things around for a while. I guess that depends on whether the powers that be come up with more money for the Postal Service. They are still running those adds for If It Fits It Ships though. I do not think that that is where the problem is however. I think that the quantity of small first class items has declined to the point that if it weren't for credit card applications and other junk mail there would really be no reason for The Postal Service. Today we got one add for National Geographic and that was all the mail. Many days there is only junk and ads. So I think that the rate on Junk should be about Five times the normal first class rate for postage, Charge them more instead of giving them cheaper postage.

Also our Post office has begun to scan in Clik-N-Ship packages, which I don't know why they hadn't been doing this before now. For a few years I have been taking in packages and when I look them up the first entry where they show up as having been received has been Grand Rapids which is the hub and is about 45 mi away from here. Now they show up immediately in Allegan where I drop them off. I really don't know why it hasn't been this way all along. And I don't know why it didn't occur to me that it wasn't really right. now there should be a record of where the package has been from hand over to final destination. I love Clik-N-Ship

[cheese1566]

I see now advertisments for "forever stamps" for Flat Rate shipping items, just like their populra "forever stamps". Buy now and never have to pay more when they hike the rates...

makes you wonder when they will rise again.

[sundog]

Several years ago I, like many others, was still paying bills by mail. Get a bill, pay a bill --- by mail. How many of us still do that? I do not. Bill pay is one of the dandiest inventions EVER! Times how many millions of people doing the samest thing? Too bad for the post office. There's not a great demand for buggy whips like there used to be either. Guns, however, seem to be in demand. And ammo. And components. Doesn't take an idiot to figure that out...

[Ickisrulz]

Several years ago I, like many others, was still paying bills by mail. Get a bill, pay a bill --- by mail. How many of us still do that? I do not. Bill pay is one of the dandiest inventions EVER! Times how many millions of people doing the samest thing? Too bad for the post office. There's not a great demand for buggy whips like there used to be either. Guns, however, seem to be in demand. And ammo. And components. Doesn't take an idiot to figure that out...

Buggy whips..."Other People's Money" reference?

[HollowPoint]

It makes me a little concerned for all the folks who still get their pension checks, welfare checks or other important papers through the mail.

Incoming checks and payments can never arrive fast enough. Now to add to that anxiety, the possibility of even slower delivery times or even worse; the Post Office going belly-up while those important papers are in transit.

HollowPoint

[462]

There are a number of reasons why the post office is in such financial dire straits, but none of them were envisioned when the Constitution was written.

Congress, er, the taxpayers will provide the necessary funds, but Congress needs to step aside, stop its micromanagement, and let the post office operate and institute business plans that change with the times. In other words, the post office needs to operte as if it were a private business. Bureaucratic control only leads to mis-management and waste.

[metweezer]

The government doesn't have a good track record for running anything (Amtrak, the Post Office, etc). So what is the answer? Private industry? Would anybody want to try and run the postal system efficiently? I just can't see the day that a mailbox will be a thing of the past. Perhaps a drastic price increase would help. 2 and 3 cent increases hasn't worked. How about a 25 or 35 cent increase?

[ss40_70]

didnt the goverment manage to bankrupt a ***** house in nevada awhile back ...

[Heavy lead]

The post office is antiquated, simple, an idea whose time has passed. It's business staple of everyday mail, from bills, catalogues, payments and such is as old as a horse and buggy.
I'm not badmouthing the institution, in fact (I shouldn't do this, as I know Mr. Murphy is a watching, but oh well) I've never had a lost parcel.
Now, with that said, many companies go out of business when their product is no longer needed. The USPS is a perfect example.
Blockbuster
Netflix (will be gone soon)
Girlie magazines
Gun magazines (periodicals, not cartridge holders)
newspapers
too many others to list.

[Heavy lead]

didnt the goverment manage to bankrupt a ***** house in nevada awhile back ...

They should've moved it to DC.
Would've worked out fine.

[462]

"didnt the goverment manage to bankrupt a ***** house in nevada awhile back ..."

Now, that is funny. And, yes they did.

"They should've moved it to DC.
Would've worked out fine."

I respectfully disagree. The Mustang Ranch would have been out of business within a day, as the Congress and the White House are the city's best whores.

[Heavy lead]

"didnt the goverment manage to bankrupt a ***** house in nevada awhile back ..."

Now, that is funny. And, yes they did.

"They should've moved it to DC.
Would've worked out fine."

I respectfully disagree. The Mustang Ranch would have been out of business within a day, as the Congress and the White House are the city's best whores.

But of course, you must be right, they have all those free interns.:smile:

[nicholst55]

It makes me a little concerned for all the folks who still get their pension checks, welfare checks or other important papers through the mail.

Incoming checks and payments can never arrive fast enough. Now to add to that anxiety, the possibility of even slower delivery times or even worse; the Post Office going belly-up while those important papers are in transit.

HollowPoint

AFAIK, all federal government pensions have been paid by direct deposit ONLY for some time.

[Fishman]

The post office is antiquated, simple, an idea whose time has passed. It's business staple of everyday mail, from bills, catalogues, payments and such is as old as a horse and buggy.
I'm not badmouthing the institution, in fact (I shouldn't do this, as I know Mr. Murphy is a watching, but oh well) I've never had a lost parcel.
Now, with that said, many companies go out of business when their product is no longer needed. The USPS is a perfect example.
Blockbuster
Netflix (will be gone soon)
Girlie magazines
Gun magazines (periodicals, not cartridge holders)
newspapers
too many others to list.

Netflix gone soon!? Doubt it very seriously. Everyone I know who has it loves it. Satellite TV maybe, but streaming programs over the Internet will be around for a while.

Of course this newfangled internets thingee might go away soon.

[deltaenterprizes]

It makes me a little concerned for all the folks who still get their pension checks, welfare checks or other important papers through the mail.

Incoming checks and payments can never arrive fast enough. Now to add to that anxiety, the possibility of even slower delivery times or even worse; the Post Office going belly-up while those important papers are in transit.

HollowPoint

All Social Security payments will be electronic within a year or so.

[Heavy lead]

Netflix gone soon!? Doubt it very seriously. Everyone I know who has it loves it. Satellite TV maybe, but streaming programs over the Internet will be around for a while.

Of course this newfangled internets thingee might go away soon.

Like Netflix too, but they are already struggling, they are where Blockbuster was 3 years ago, unless they cut some deals to brand themselves with a reliable delivery system they are on the backside heading down.
I doubt they can as they will be an unecessary middle man soon.

[TreeKiller]

(quote)
The government doesn't have a good track record for running anything (Amtrak, the Post Office, etc). So what is the answer? Private industry? Would anybody want to try and run the postal system efficiently?

The Post Office is a somewhat privet company. Only they have to get approval from the Government Postal rate commission to raise the cost of postage. If you live in Nevada 100 miles from a large town do you think a private company would deliver mail to you 6 or 5 days a week.

Retired City Carrier 34 years
Keep the cards and letters coming I want to still receive my retirement!!!:drinks:

[frkelly74]

So even the Government is going away from using the USPS? Harder to Physically steal, easier to hack. I am more worried about electronic theft than physical theft myself.

[3006guns]

They should've moved it to DC.
Would've worked out fine.

LOL! That just made my morning........thank you!

As for the Post Office being dismantled completely, I just don't see it. I'm not "desperately" trying to hold on to old ideas either...I just think there will be a continuing need for physical letter/parcel delivery. My SS is deposited electronically and my wife pays most (not all) of our bills online, but there's something reassuring about having a piece of paper in your hands for reference. Let's say some company calls(or emails) you and says you missed a payment on something. If my computer is down or my electronic records are scrambled I still have a paper backup at my disposal.

I actually had that happen once in regards to a car payment. I had proof of payment in hand and the rep on the phone asked if I could scan and email it to her. I asked her if she assumed EVERYONE had a computer with a scanner and she was speechless. I told her I'd be happy to make a copy and MAIL it to them though. But you'd better not take action until it gets there lady.............

On second thought, maybe I AM being old fashioned.......but I like having something in hand rather than stare at a monitor.

[Mumblypeg]

didnt the goverment manage to bankrupt a ***** house in nevada awhile back ...

What? How'd they do that? Eat up all the profits? Somebody got screwed out of a job...:bigsmyl2:

[metweezer]

No post office? Does this mean the end of stamp collecting? What will the Philatelists do? I for one have been collecting commemorative stamps since the Columbian Exposition of the 1890's. Postal stamps go back even further. :holysheep

[Heavy lead]

There will be a post office no doubt, but also no doubt it will not be what it was.
Streamlined, aka, many less employees.

[GLL]

1) Make ALL letters, fliers, and catalogs FIRST CLASS ! No more "JUNK" mail ... PERIOD!
Some weeks I get 20-30 pieces of junk mail and not a single first class letter !

2) Increase the price of FIRST CLASS letters/fliers to a flat $1.00 and catalogs at some significantly increased FIRST CLASS rate!

3) Deliver mail just two or three times a week !

4) Reduce the number of Post Office sites in the moderate-large cities but DOUBLE the number of OPEN windows ! A city of 100,000 population does not need SIX Post Offices !!!!!

5) Make sure the workers at those windows can speak basic English!

6) Retain Flat-Rate package service but add a larger size box (but make it for light weight bulky items only... say 25 pounds max)!

Jerry

[wills]

Revise the postage structure so advertising subsidizes first class mail instead of the other way around as it is now. Of course the bulk mail industry will never allow this.

[cbrick]

If the U.S. Government were put in charge of the Sahara desert they would be out of sand in 6 months.

Rick

[sundog]

Revise the postage structure so advertising subsidizes first class mail instead of the other way around as it is now. Of course the bulk mail industry will never allow this.

...especially NRA and AARP. Wow, I used NRA and AARP in the same sentence. Whoddathunkit?

I have the perfect solution to their problem - outsource the whole operation to India.

[ilcop22]

I'm really holding out hope for the postal service. I know my meager contributions don't add up to much, but I try to use them exclusively. As a gun dealer, online sales are a big source of sales these days. FedEx and UPS are far too expensive and complicated for the small gun dealer like myself to stay competitive. For instance, you have to take firearms to their warehouse facilities to ship. Closest one to me is a 30 minute drive. What I can ship insured via USPS for $10.95 plus insurance, would cost me $40-50 via UPS or Fedex - and I have to buy my own packaging to ship through them. Unfortunately bureaucrats are politicians, and politicians are either people who don't understand the real world or failed in it and went to politics. It's like the old joke goes: Those who can't teach, teach gym. Well, those who can't succeed enter politics!

[ErikO]

If the USPS had their pentions paid out by the GAO like every other Government Office, there would be zero issues. Good luck getting that passed in the House at this point. Guess Fed Ex and UPS are also 'sponsors' of our Fine Congressional Staff.

But yeah, just cut these damend Entitlements that don't impact OUR fine taxpayer funded congressional leaders. Then there is less mail going to take long in tomorrow's Post Office. I mean, fewer folks qualified for Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid means fewer envolpes, right?

And the budgeting method used by Congress is a bigger issue than the lack of wage earners hitting close to 23%, both the 10% that get benefits as well as the additional 12% that no longer qualify for benefits and aren't working.

Yeah, those fine job creators like GE are doing gangbuster hirings, aren't they? maybe they should loose their government contracts if they can't grow jobs here or at least stop hemmoraging them.

Oops, ya'll have another armed liberal here. ;)

[Echo]

The USPS LOVES bulk mail, because they make money on it! It arrives at the Post Office already sorted by zip code, cutting a TON of labor out of the picture....

Or so I've heard...

[geargnasher]

If the U.S. Government were put in charge of the Sahara desert they would be out of sand in 6 months.

Rick

:drinks:[smilie=l::guntootsmiley::2 drunk buddies:

Gear

[firefly1957]

Congress is the post offices biggest enemy they take business away by not allowing firearms shipments, and shipments of safely transported items such as powder,primers, and ammo how much is UPS raking in with those hazard shipping fees that the post office can not collect by law!The U.S.P.S. should be the safest most secure method to ship it is a shame it is not with the tracking available now it is time to change the rules and allow the above or to go completely to private mail service we will not have both in the long run. Last I heard there have been no big problems with those items at UPS why keep the USPS out of the money?

[X-man]

Guys,

Count yourselves lucky. I would absolutely love to be able to avail of USPS services full time. As a Canadian, I can tell you that Canada Post sucks by a factor of 1000X compared to the USPS. We pay double and triple the costs for twice as slow service.

There is no reduced rate for small packages or parcels. If you have an odd shaped small item that doesn't fit through their letter guide, you must send it as a parcel, with a starting cost of $13.00. No book rates. doesn't matter if it just weight 1/2 oz. It costs the same as if you were shipping 10lbs of lead. Tracking system is a joke and never updated. Takes several months, assuming they will pay off on their insurance, if they lose or break a package.

This is but the tip of the trainwreck that is Canada Post. Sure makes USPS look better doesn't it? :)

[montana_charlie]

We had an article in the local paper about proposed changes in the USPS. Closing small post offices and reducing delivery days are the biggest factors being envisioned.
Both of the Montana Senators and our single House member are ganging up on the Postal Service over it's plans for rural areas in this state.

USPS likes to say that when they close post office 'A', it's customers will only need to drive an extra ten miles to reach the next one.
The Congressmen pointed out that in some cases office 'B', ten miles down the road, is ALSO slated for closure.

Then, there is an office in the southern part of the state that they want to close. Those customers will then need to drive 56 miles ... into Wyoming ... to reach the nearest post office.

And, in another attempt to show the difference between rural post offices and urban ones ...
If an office gets closed in a city, the customer can reach the next by driving a few more blocks. The rural customer in Montana may have a surviving office within ten miles, but it might be on the other side of a mountain pass ... and therefore unreachable in the winter.

Me ... I'm not whining. At least, not yet. But things might turn ugly for some people.

CM

[cbrick]

CM, this isn't even new, just finally started hitting the news. They closed my PO 2-3 years ago and turned what was a 10-12 minute round trip walk into a 30 minute round trip drive.

Rick

[Baron von Trollwhack]

Quite a bit has been missed here. I do appreciate those paying creditors electronically. Since billers save about 3.75$ per month mailing and processing per billing account and get the money from you pronto, it keeps my cost down longer and of course you give them more profit. No rebates, eh? Sorry. Had to buy a printer to make your own receipt? How much a page?

The Postal service was paying its own way not that long ago.

Remember, it used to be a bastion of WW II vets and they worked hard. Then times changed to it an EEO employer/union workforce and VOILA ! Here we are today. Sort of a mini UAW guy getting 145K per annum, pay & benefits, to stick wheels on volts, 34 hours a week, only its mail, and citizens get stuck now.

Congress and goobermint both shifted some of their costs for service to us also. We subsidize, they shovel out the mail garbage, without limit. Work rules out the kazoo now, most designed without regard to "GIT 'ER DONE".

But then, ALL of goobermint used to be quite a bit better. I think here of auntie Zeituni cashing in on us, oh ! and uncle obama, Post office does not have anything over them !

BvT

[montana_charlie]

The Postal service was paying its own way not that long ago.

Remember, it used to be a bastion of WW II vets and they worked hard. Then times changed to it an EEO employer/union workforce and VOILA ! Here we are today.
A lot of truth in that, but I have said it before and didn't want to harp on it.

[bowfin]

So what is a viable alternative to the United States Postal Service when sending CARE packages to the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan?

[L1A1Rocker]

The post office is antiquated, simple, an idea whose time has passed.

You may be correct. But, the runing/maintaining of the postal system (and roads to that affect) are mandated by the constitution. To do away with the postal system would require an amendment.

[JesterGrin_1]

You know I think that maybe in the next 10 to 20 years there will be only one shipper left. Either they will consolidate or the bad ones will perish.

[shdwlkr]

In NY state where I still have some family they are looking at all rural post offices being closed. In one case the post office will be over 50 miles for some folks to go to. Do you really think they will deliver mail that far in the winter in the hills that get sort of plowed roads in the winter?
Wonder if it is just another way to get people to move into the urban areas where they will be like rats in a barrel if the government so chooses to close an urban area down.