Would you mind if the USPS stopped working on Saturdays?

[moshquerade]

And if they do, will there be layoffs? The Government needs to get rid of some bloat in their work force.

Postal Service seeks end to Saturday delivery requirement

January 28, 2009

Top U.S. Postal Service officials Wednesday afternoon are expected to ask legislators to remove the Saturday delivery requirement.

Sources say Postmaster General John Potter will make that request in his opening statement to a Senate subcommittee.

The Postal Service isn?t looking to immediately drop Saturday delivery; it will likely study the issue first. And it could take a lesser action, such as temporarily suspending Saturday delivery during periods of low mail volume.

A 1980 report found that ending Saturday delivery would save about $1 billion annually. That?s about $2.5 billion in inflation-adjusted dollars, and experts say that estimate still might be low because of today?s higher fuel costs and the larger delivery network.

Potter ? who will testify alongside Dan Blair, chairman of the Postal Regulatory Commission ?also is expected to field questions about the Postal Service?s deteriorating fiscal condition. It lost $2.8 billion last year, and mail volumes continue to decline.
Senators likely will ask about rumors circulating among postal workers and supervisors that the Postal Service will have trouble meeting its payroll this year.

One of the biggest problems is a postal reform law passed by Congress two years ago that requires the Postal Service to fully fund its retiree health care accounts within 10 years. That means the Postal Service owes $7.7 billion this fiscal year toward health benefits. Most of the money, $5.4 billion, goes into a trust fund that?s used to pay future benefits; the other $2.3 billion pays the Postal Service?s contribution toward insurance premiums for current retirees.

The Postal Service asked Congress in November to suspend that requirement. It wants to waive the $2.3 billion contribution and pay this year?s health care premiums out of the trust fund ? a short-term savings, but one that leaves potential risk for future retirees.
Rep. John McHugh, R-N.Y., introduced a bill, HR 22, that would give the Postal Service that option. It was referred to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which oversees the Postal Service, but the committee has taken no action on the bill.

http://www.federaltimes.com/index.php?S=3922342

 

[Deeko]

Yes.

 

[daniel1113]

I wouldn't mind if they stopped working, period, and allowed the private sector to take over all postal services.

Otherwise, Saturday delivery should remain.

 

[zoiks]

yes

 

[DaveSimmons]

Makes sense, people need to send mail on Saturdays but receiving it is just something nice to have.

at no Netfilx delivery on Saturday though.

 

[nace186]

Yes.

 

[zoiks]

Originally posted by: daniel1113
I wouldn't mind if they stopped working, period, and allowed the private sector to take over all postal services.

This I would mind. You'd end up paying exorbitant prices for normal mail.

 

[Ns1]

I don't mind if they stop doing saturday delivery as long as the post offices remain open on saturday

 

[Brainonska511]

Originally posted by: daniel1113
I wouldn't mind if they stopped working, period, and allowed the private sector to take over all postal services.

Otherwise, Saturday delivery should remain.

Why? The USPS does a great job and it's far cheaper than UPS or FedEx. If the private sector took over, people in rural areas would be charged an arm and a leg to get mail.

 

[compuwiz1]

Hell yes, I would mind!

 

[daniel1113]

Originally posted by: Brainonska511

Originally posted by: daniel1113
I wouldn't mind if they stopped working, period, and allowed the private sector to take over all postal services.

Otherwise, Saturday delivery should remain.

Why? The USPS does a great job and it's far cheaper than UPS or FedEx. If the private sector took over, people in rural areas would be charged an arm and a leg to get mail.

No, it's not cheaper. The costs are just absorbed by government funding, aka taxes.

EDIT: Not to mention, USPS has a monopoly of sorts on the private mail sector, so you can't really directly compare costs with other companies.

 

[Vette73]

No. Since it would lowwer cost and try to keep prices in check.

They could still leave the PO open on Sat for 1/2 a day. That way you can still send mail.

 

[ZetaEpyon]

Originally posted by: Ns1
I don't mind if they stop doing saturday delivery as long as the post offices remain open on saturday

I agree with this. I forget to check the mailbox half the time on Saturday anyway.

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: daniel1113

Originally posted by: Brainonska511

Originally posted by: daniel1113
I wouldn't mind if they stopped working, period, and allowed the private sector to take over all postal services.

Otherwise, Saturday delivery should remain.

Why? The USPS does a great job and it's far cheaper than UPS or FedEx. If the private sector took over, people in rural areas would be charged an arm and a leg to get mail.

No, it's not cheaper. The costs are just absorbed by government funding, aka taxes.

Stop posting.


"Do not receive tax dollars for operations. We are a self-supporting agency, using the revenue from the sale of postage and products to pay expenses."

http://www.usps.com/communicat...wsroom/postalfacts.htm

 

[yinan]

I would not mind if they shut down completely. If the costs for mailing stuff were more expensive, then less junk would get sent out. I get 99% of everything I need delivered electronically.

 

[Ns1]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975

Originally posted by: daniel1113

Originally posted by: Brainonska511

Originally posted by: daniel1113
I wouldn't mind if they stopped working, period, and allowed the private sector to take over all postal services.

Otherwise, Saturday delivery should remain.

Why? The USPS does a great job and it's far cheaper than UPS or FedEx. If the private sector took over, people in rural areas would be charged an arm and a leg to get mail.

No, it's not cheaper. The costs are just absorbed by government funding, aka taxes.

Stop posting.


"Do not receive tax dollars for operations. We are a self-supporting agency, using the revenue from the sale of postage and products to pay expenses."

http://www.usps.com/communicat...wsroom/postalfacts.htm

owned

 

[So]

Hey, why not just deliver the mail two days a week! It would save billions of dollars!

 

[daniel1113]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975

Originally posted by: daniel1113

Originally posted by: Brainonska511

Originally posted by: daniel1113
I wouldn't mind if they stopped working, period, and allowed the private sector to take over all postal services.

Otherwise, Saturday delivery should remain.

Why? The USPS does a great job and it's far cheaper than UPS or FedEx. If the private sector took over, people in rural areas would be charged an arm and a leg to get mail.

No, it's not cheaper. The costs are just absorbed by government funding, aka taxes.

Stop posting.


"Do not receive tax dollars for operations. We are a self-supporting agency, using the revenue from the sale of postage and products to pay expenses."

http://www.usps.com/communicat...wsroom/postalfacts.htm

That's partially true. While they do not receive funding directly like most government agencies, they receive all kinds of appropriations and special funding to make up for various programs that they run, like reduced rates and whatnot.

 

[pstylesss]

I wouldn't mind as long as the post office stayed open.

 

[skyking]

Originally posted by: daniel1113

Originally posted by: Brainonska511

Originally posted by: daniel1113
I wouldn't mind if they stopped working, period, and allowed the private sector to take over all postal services.

Otherwise, Saturday delivery should remain.

Why? The USPS does a great job and it's far cheaper than UPS or FedEx. If the private sector took over, people in rural areas would be charged an arm and a leg to get mail.

No, it's not cheaper. The costs are just absorbed by government funding, aka taxes.

EDIT: Not to mention, USPS has a monopoly of sorts on the private mail sector, so you can't really directly compare costs with other companies.

The Postal Reorganization Act of 1970 mandated that the USPS be revenue neutral.
It is not funded by taxes.

 

[daniel1113]

Originally posted by: skyking

Originally posted by: daniel1113

Originally posted by: Brainonska511

Originally posted by: daniel1113
I wouldn't mind if they stopped working, period, and allowed the private sector to take over all postal services.

Otherwise, Saturday delivery should remain.

Why? The USPS does a great job and it's far cheaper than UPS or FedEx. If the private sector took over, people in rural areas would be charged an arm and a leg to get mail.

No, it's not cheaper. The costs are just absorbed by government funding, aka taxes.

EDIT: Not to mention, USPS has a monopoly of sorts on the private mail sector, so you can't really directly compare costs with other companies.

The Postal Reorganization Act of 1970 mandated that the USPS be revenue neutral.
It is not funded by taxes.

Read above. At least as far back as 2005, they received millions each year in government funds. I haven't read anything more recent than that.

 

[queenrobot]

It wouldn't really bother me. I don't check my mail on Saturdays anyway.

 

[TridenT]

Originally posted by: Deeko
Yes.

 

[Xavier434]

Originally posted by: Deeko
Yes.

Forget about the government bloat for a moment. Think about how much business will be delayed as a result. That's a lot of money. I realize businesses have other options than the USPS for many things, but I can guarantee you that there will be a lot of delays still and a lot of money lost as a result.

 

[darkxshade]

Yes I would mind. Would I blame them? No

If they're going to do it(stop Saturday deliveries), I hope they will at least still keep the post office open. The one thing I liked about USPS is that I could pick up packages at the local post office at my leisure instead of hurrying there after work before they closed.