Have y'all heard about the post office wanting to cut a mail delivery day.

[Rhonda in TX]

I heard it on the news last night, the radio this morning, and found this news story online.

 

So, what do you think? I wonder how it's going to impact the business world to have a weekday where mail is not delivered.

[jonesloonybin]

I heard about this yesterday on Yahoo. I am not sure how I feel. I am wondering how much this is really going to impact the average person. The biggest thing for me will be Netflix. Most of the things we order on-line come thru UPS.

 

It was shocking. It really brings home how bad the economy is becoming.

[lionfamily1999]

My cousin-in-law works for the PO. She'd rather work less days and still work. I'd rather have less delivery and the PO maintain their work force.

[elegantlion]

We just started Netflix! Ugh, that will affect our viewing schedule. :glare:

 

I'm not sure how I feel about the idea. I think they'll still have to deliver something. What about overnight packages, priority mail? those just get shoved aside another day? I don't see consumers and businesses being too keen on that idea.

[Plucky]

At first I was really annoyed at this news, but I don't really need mail 6 days a week. Companies may rely more heavily on Fedex and UPS though and USPS could lose even more business.

[lynn]

Will it really be that bad to have one less mail day? We usually only get an advertisement or two on Wednesdays and Saturday. Will it really make that big of an impact? Most bill paying and invoicing is done online which I am sure contributed to their deficit.

[3lilreds in NC]

It wouldn't end the world to have one less mail delivery day, but I really look forward to getting mail 6 days per week. I will miss it, even if it's only ads.

[TraceyS/FL]

I can't go read it right now, but if they were going to cut a day of delivery wouldn't Saturday make more sense than a business day?

 

I don't get a lot of mail - so it won't bother me....

[Carrie12345]

I don't think it'll have a big impact on the average person. Businesses are another story.

[LaxMom]

They are shooting themselves in the foot. Business will move even more to other carriers and this is the only part of the government that actually makes money. It may be a short term gain but it will be a long term loss.

 

I think most businesses are not open on Saturday, and those that are (retail, restaurants) wouldn't be too put out by M-F mail delivery.

 

As the only self-funded department of government, I tend to cut the PS a lot of slack. And, from an economic standpoint, it is not unreasonable to cut services to match demand.

[Rhonda in TX]

I can't go read it right now, but if they were going to cut a day of delivery wouldn't Saturday make more sense than a business day?

 

I don't get a lot of mail - so it won't bother me....

 

That's their lightest mail day.

[Julie in CA]

Six day delivery was really one of the few things that distinguished USPS from it's competitors. Seems like a stupid business move to me. For myself, I don't necessarily care other than what it says about government's ability to create & maintain jobs. I'd better not say more.

[Rhonda in TX]

I think most businesses are not open on Saturday, and those that are (retail, restaurants) wouldn't be too put out by M-F mail delivery.

 

As the only self-funded department of government, I tend to cut the PS a lot of slack. And, from an economic standpoint, it is not unreasonable to cut services to match demand.

 

Not Saturday. Tuesday is their lightest mail delivery day.

[LibraryLover]

I don't see a problem with no US PO Sat mail.

[LibraryLover]

Not Saturday. Tuesday is their lightest mail delivery day.

 

 

Interesting. Tuesday it is. Ok. :)

[lionfamily1999]

Six day delivery was really one of the few things that distinguished USPS from it's competitors. Seems like a stupid business move to me. For myself, I don't necessarily care other than what it says about government's ability to create & maintain jobs. I'd better not say more.

Maybe for parcels, but as for regular old mail, bill paying, letter writing, greeting cards, etc. the P.O. cornered the market. People complain about the cost of stamps, but I couldn't imagine paying UPS or FEDEX prices for mailing a simple envelope.

[JFSinIL]

I think Saturday is out because two days in a row of no mail is not a good idea.

[LaxMom]

I think Saturday is out because two days in a row of no mail is not a good idea.

How come? I mean, I get cutting their lowest volume day (and if that's Tuesday...) but why would it be not a good idea to not get mail for two days? Netflix aside, of course. ;)

[hsmom]

Now our PO closes at 9:30am on saturdays so for us it would not be too much of a change. Now taking a weekday from us, would seem like we did not get mail or PO stuff shipping etc. 3 days a week. Since there is no mail on sunday, then with our saturdays so short that most don't want to get up early to catch the post office bright and early on saturday, and then if they take another day from us. It would just suck. With a lack of a better word right now.

 

Our PO has crazy hours here. They open at 8:30am close at 11:30-12:30 everyday for lunch and closed by 4:30pm M-F Sat is Open at 8:30am -Closed 9:30am.

[Soph the vet]

I think it's OK to cut back a day. At least they are thinking "outside the box" compared to the rest of the government and actually cutting something instead of just asking for more money to make the current system work.

[dawn of ns]

Those of us north of the border don't have delivery on Saturday and Sunday. Not a big deal.

[5kidsforME]

How come? I mean, I get cutting their lowest volume day (and if that's Tuesday...) but why would it be not a good idea to not get mail for two days? Netflix aside, of course. ;)

 

My fil is a mail carrier. He says Mondays are the heavyest days. So I imagine add another day off and Mondays would be very very heavy. I know after holidays (such as a monday off) mail is extremely heavy.

[Apiphobic]

A little off-topic: how many of you live in a town/city where post offices are closed on Saturdays? I've always lived in places that had limited hours but the post office was still open on Saturdays. I've recently learned that the post office here is closed on Saturdays. :001_huh:

[lionfamily1999]

The posted hours of our P.O. are very different from their actual hours. They are open when they care to be and very often closed when the sign says they should be open :glare:

[G5052]

As of January 1st, our county libraries are now closed on Sundays, and the dump/recycling centers have cut back the days and hours that they're open. I local CC where I work now has only classes that are two days a week or less with a lot of hybrid web/classroom classes.

 

Locally many of the small post offices are already closed on Saturdays and many have reduced their window hours to 10-3.

[Rhonda in TX]

I think it's OK to cut back a day. At least they are thinking "outside the box" compared to the rest of the government and actually cutting something instead of just asking for more money to make the current system work.

 

And a good point.

[lionfamily1999]

It's funny, I'd heard many people complain that we (the American people) were not asked to sacrifice for the war in Iraq. Now, we're being asked to sacrifice a day of mail service, to keep fellow Americans at work. What's hilarious are the number of people that really truly believe that this is too much to ask of us. Choosing between a score of additional people on unemployment and one less day of service, I choose one less day of service.

[Annie G]

We get Netflix but that's about all since we have all of our bills automatically paid. So no mail on Tuesday wouldn't bother us except maybe when there is a federal holiday on Monday and we'd miss mail three days in a row if Tuesday was the 'cut day' they are discussing. But that would also happen if they cut Saturday delivery, so Tuesday probably makes more sense since that is their light day.

 

I'm surprised it's taken this long to seriously consider cutting a day of mail delivery.

[JennifersLost]

We don't get mail here on Saturday. It's no big deal.

 

I was shocked at first when we moved here, but then I got used to it. I do most of my important communication through email anyway; the only thing I get in the mail is bills and boxes when I order stuff.

 

I think our obsession with being "on and available" all the time is part of the reason we're all so stressed and over-wrought sometimes. I get the Canadian equivalent of Netflix, by the way, and we still get plenty of movies, even if they're not delivered on Saturday.

 

I say let's take our weekends back. I hope this whole downturn has the bright side of letting us get our priorities in order. We don't need to work as hard or consume nearly as much as we do right now.

[Angel]

Maybe they should cut their adsvertising budget. Don't we ALL know about the P.O.

[yinne]

Funny thing is that I have family in rural Nebraska and they have never had mail delivery every day. It has been every other day for years, unless it has changed recently. If you happen to be in town on a off day, you can pick it up at the PO, otherwise they will deliver it the next day.

 

Yvonne in NE

[Aggie]

Maybe they should cut their adsvertising budget. Don't we ALL know about the P.O.

 

True! As a small tangent, it really irked me when they funded Lance Armstrong. Unless, and I don't know the particulars, it actually made a profit for them. But to use gov't funds for a bike race? I'm sure there are many other incidents where gov't funds are used for sports, but still.... The USPS has no reasonable competition for mailing letters, so I wasn't able to boycott them because I disagreed with their practice, ya know?

 

As for cutting out a day of postal service....it's probably long overdue.

[Mommyof4ks]

We already have trouble with keeping people around here to deliver, so it is not uncommon to miss a day or two a week of mail delivery. We did not get any yesterday, but today we will probably get yesterdays and hopefully they will catch up by Sat. There is a reason that all bills come electronically and checks are auto deposited at our house. LOL! People ask if we got this or that, and usually the answer is no for a week *sigh*.

[LizzyBee]

I wonder how it's going to impact the business world to have a weekday where mail is not delivered.

 

Fedex and UPS will get a boost, and the post office will be in even worse shape.

[bettyandbob]

The USPS entirely funds itself (it doesn't get tax dollars). I was taken aback when I saw the news this morning, but I could live without a day of mail.

 

Have you ever lived or stayed for an extended period in a place with more expensive, less efficient mail service?

[elegantlion]

Maybe they should cut their adsvertising budget. Don't we ALL know about the P.O.

:iagree::lol:, Hum, I think so.

[cathmom]

I have never understood why they advertise.

[Colleen]

Regardless of the fact that Tuesday is their lightest day, cutting weekday delivery would be self-defeating. It would drive more businesses to move away from the USPS in lieu of other carriers. Saturday I could see, if indeed it would translate into a meaningful reduction in costs. But a weekday? Bad, bad idea.

[HiddenJewel]

I grew up with only week day delivery service so it isn't a big deal to me.

 

Dh says they should privatize mail delivery.

Edited January 29, 2009 by HiddenJewel

[lionfamily1999]

Do you really think it's going to effect their business? Really?

[Colleen]

Do you really think it's going to effect their business? Really?

 

Yes, I really do. Really. That's why I said what I said.:)

[lionfamily1999]

The majority of their business is in envelope sized mail. UPS and FEDEX are not going to take that away from them, not even if they're closed on Tuesdays. They've already lost the vast majority of their parcel deliveries to them, all that's left are envelopes.

[kalanamak]

Not something I like, but would do it without grumbling if it saved significant amounts of money.

[Mommyof4ks]

Not something I like, but would do it without grumbling if it saved significant amounts of money.

 

I can deal with that too if they quit raising rates every six months.

[Renthead Mommy]

Would they be closing everything on Tuesday, or just no delievery? I can see cutting delievery one day a week. That would save tons of money in gas and man power alone. But will they still be manning a desk on Tuesdays? And sorters on Tuesday?

 

Even if they do completely close on Tuesday, I don't think it will hurt them too much. I'm not going to start mailing birthday cards via UPS. I already buy my stamps at the grocery store. People print out mailing lables on line already. Unless I need something weighed, I don't have to walk into the building.

[Renthead Mommy]

Our mail can only come USPS. It has to be mailed to the military postal service. Nothing can come UPS or FedEX.

 

The biggest problem we have now is companies that have contracts with only UPS and won't ship ANYTHING via USPS, or don't want to be bothered filling out the very simple customs form. If it's something we really need, and they won't ship USPS, I have to either have it shipped to my mom and then have her pay to ship it to me, or have it shipped to APObox.com, where I have to pay for additional shipping, plus the $5 handling fee (sometimes worth it to not have to deal with my mother dealing with it! LOL!)

 

But as the post office makes it more and more difficult for companies, that just makes it more and more difficult for us to get things. And because 'everything' is online, somethimes, simple things you would thing you'd be able to get at the BX, just aren't there. They stop stocking them because "you can get them online!" :banghead:

[Tracey in TX]

We mail items out less than once per week. All bills are electronic. I discard ALL advertising. Correspondence is done via internet. The change wouldn't exclusively be due to the economy. UPS and FedEx are more reliable than USPS. Internet and electronic bills/networking has brought us into a new era. I see it as a natural progression. Not much different than the gradual transition from pony express to international mail via airliners.

 

I began to dislike the USPS when I learned that the federal government was required to next day air their documents via USPS, not their counterparts. Even if it were costlier. Don't know if this is still the case.

 

It's time to grow with the times. Maybe decreasing delivery days to MWF would be a good, healthy start.

[CAMom]

Hmmmm.....I'm all for cutting things as we all try to recover from the economic mess.

 

I do wonder though...how will this affect us? For people who still snail mail their bills, especially? With no mail on another day of the week (or, possibly two days on a holiday week), how many peoples' bills will arrive late causing late fees galore?

 

Say someone gets paid on the last day of the month and their bill is due on the 5th. So, they mail their bill on the first and it doesn't get to it's destination until the 7th, 8th, 9th or later? Now, they're paying a $25 late fee on their stupid credit card! I've had my bill get delayed in the mail by one stinkin' day, get charged the fee and have the cc company refuse to reverse it.

 

Are people supposed to write a check (knowing it's not technically "good" yet) earlier just to get the thing in the mail thus actually committing a crime?

 

Mail takes forever to certain regions as it is. With one (or two) less days, it will take that much longer. I live in So. CA and my mom lives just north of the Oregon border on the Washington Coast. It already takes 6 days for something to get from me to her.

 

Just thinking out loud as I process the news.:)

[jejily]

Call me cynical, but I don't think the USPS would save much money cutting a delivery day. Aren't the mail carriers unionized? Will their union really accept a cut in hours if it means a cut in pay or lay offs? If there's no cut in pay or reduction of personnel, I don't see how this will help.

 

Assuming that they really (I mean, in reality, not in theory) would save a significant amount of money by cutting one delivery day, I think it would be self-defeating if they cut Tuesday. I do understand their rationale -- it's their lightest day -- but as others have pointed out, it will make them even less competitive with UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc. The potential loss in revenues would offset the savings of the shorter work week, and they'd be back in the same position they are now.

 

*shrug*

 

I really wouldn't care about going to a 5-day delivery week, but if it happens, I really hope it is Saturday's mail that is cut.

[Vida Winter]

I already don't get mail delivery at all (we live out of the delivery area) and our PO is not open on Saturdays. If we had a day less delivery I doubt if anyone in my town would care. Most people (us included) have a PO box they check a few times a week. <shrug>. I am learning not to expect much from our government.

 

On the other hand, I adore UPS and Fedex.