USPS nixes Saturday mail delivery Aug 1st

[Don]

People that rent from Netflix are gonna be pissed. The DVDs don't qualify as packages so won't be delivered until Monday.

http://www.theverge.com/2013/2/6/395913 ... l-delivery

Come August 1st, the United States Postal Service will no longer offer Saturday mail delivery. It's a cost-saving move that's been discussed for the past few years as the agency has struggled with massive losses — it was in $15.9 billion in the red last year — and it is now becoming a reality, according to multiple reports. News agencies report that the USPS will announce the change later today, and it's expected that it will save $2 billion per year. All mail activity on Saturdays will not cease, however: the quasi-governmental agency will continue to ship and deliver packages on Saturday (that remains a profitable part of its business), post offices will remain open, and P.O. Boxes will still receive mail.

The USPS has unsuccessfully appealed to congress in the past to approve ditching Saturday mail delivery, and today's announcement will reportedly be made without congressional approval. While mail volume has been dropping precipitously over the years as email and other digital forms of communication have taken hold — 167.9 billion pieces of mail were sent in 2011, 45.1 billion less than 2006 — the primary cause of the agency's financial woes has been mandatory retiree health care benefits. According to early copies of the USPS' announcement, the American public is behind cutting Saturday mail delivery — snail mail just isn't as important in people's minds anymore with so many alternatives out there.

[StevePerryHair]

It'll be interesting to see if they lose business from companies like Netflix. They could contract out to another carrier. A lot of other businesses could bail too really. Wonder if its worth the savings, if they lose the bigger customers? I would suppose they studied that though, and know.

[Don]

It'll be interesting to see if they lose business from companies like Netflix. They could contract out to another carrier. A lot of other businesses could bail too really. Wonder if its worth the savings, if they lose the bigger customers? I would suppose they studied that though, and know.

They've looked at everything from what I understand, even doubling stamp prices all at once.
Congress has required USPS to make payments of $5.4 – $5.8 billion into the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund, each year, from 2007 to 2016 in order to pre-fund 75 years of estimated costs. This is the only way to do it.
The Post Office hasn't received tax money since 1971 so it isn't like they've been bleeding us dry to run their business.

I've heard folks talk about eliminating the agency entirely. They seem to forget about all those UPS and FedEx packages that get passed off to the USPS for final delivery because it’s cheaper to have the post office do it. Businesses would have to eat those costs if USPS was totally removed from the equation.

[Memorex]

Who needs mail delivery on Sat anyway? I mean, people need to take the weekend off. It can wait. Unless of course it can't. In these days of emails and online forms, anything important can be handled outside of the mail anyway.

[Don]

Who needs mail delivery on Sat anyway? I mean, people need to take the weekend off. It can wait. Unless of course it can't. In these days of emails and online forms, anything important can be handled outside of the mail anyway.

Like they said, packages will still be delivered, Post offices will still be open for business and PO boxes will still be stuffed. Just 90% of the regular route carrier's traffic will be eliminated that day.

[StevePerryHair]

It'll be interesting to see if they lose business from companies like Netflix. They could contract out to another carrier. A lot of other businesses could bail too really. Wonder if its worth the savings, if they lose the bigger customers? I would suppose they studied that though, and know.

They've looked at everything from what I understand, even doubling stamp prices all at once.
Congress has required USPS to make payments of $5.4 – $5.8 billion into the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund, each year, from 2007 to 2016 in order to pre-fund 75 years of estimated costs. This is the only way to do it.
The Post Office hasn't received tax money since 1971 so it isn't like they've been bleeding us dry to run their business.

I've heard folks talk about eliminating the agency entirely. They seem to forget about all those UPS and FedEx packages that get passed off to the USPS for final delivery because it’s cheaper to have the post office do it. Businesses would have to eat those costs if USPS was totally removed from the equation.

Nobody does it as cheaply as they do, thats for sure. We ship a lot of packages each month. As a small business, it would hurt us to have to use another service. I hope this helps and they can stay afloat.

[tater1977]

Our local newspaper did that also.
Went from Mon - Fri editions, with a large Sunday edition.
Last January, to a no Monday edition.

Think it was more people not wanting to change habits..
but over the last year have become use to it.

Newspaper remains the same, but think they are doing
better financially...

Think it will be just getting use to another change with no
Sat delieverys. People wil grump for a while, then accept
it maybe...

Hopefully the USPS will be in better financial shape then.

[The Sushi Hunter]

Just imagine how much resources the USPS would save by just not sending all that bulk shitmail to everyone. At least 10 to 15 pounds of shear bulk shitmail is delivered to my home each and every friggin month throughout the year, and that's just to my home alone. Just imagine how much of this useless shit the USPS moves overall every month. And to boot, the mailhouses that have all that bulk mail pushed through the USPS have a special "bulk" rate, which is pennies on the dollar compared to how much it costs you or I to send something of the equivalent weight and size.

If the USPS wanted to do something in the right direction, instead of raise postage rates on the general public or cutting Saturday delivery services, they should increase the rates that they are charging for this bulk shitmail or refuse to send the worthless shit. They'd save a small fortune if they did that. Either the mailing houses would pay more to have their shit delivered, or they would stop having so much of it sent out, which either way, would save the USPS in resources.

I actually never realized how much this shit they send until we took a trip to Japan for a month and I had someone going over to my house to collect my mail everyday while we were gone. Usually we just shitcan the fucking shit every day as it is delivered to us. Coming back, our house sitter greeted us with a box containing about 20 pounds of mail, 10 to 15 pounds of it was bulk shitmail that was collected for a month while we were away. WTF!!! How much would that of costed to ship if it were sent by you or me through the USPS? It took me a friggin hour sending all that shit through my Oliver North.

[Andrew]

Australia has NEVER had Saturday deliveries....nor are any post offices open anytime over the weekend. People need a chill!

[steveo777]

A friend who was on unemployment used to always get his checks on Saturday.

This makes zero difference in my world.

[Hollywood]

This is pretty simple economics. This will save the USPS some money, but not enough to right the ship. The basic problems is small towns. In a large city the cost of delivering a first class letter is under $0.10. Then the problem; a first class letter in small towns with small routes, long drives, and infrastructure may cost $40.00 each. Though the customer only paid $0.44. The USPS is prohibited from charging based on cost.

[steveo777]

This is pretty simple economics. This will save the USPS some money, but not enough to right the ship. The basic problems is small towns. In a large city the cost of delivering a first class letter is under $0.10. Then the problem; a first class letter in small towns with small routes, long drives, and infrastructure may cost $40.00 each. Though the customer only paid $0.44. The USPS is prohibited from charging based on cost.

How many years has the USPS been on the brink of bankruptcy, or at least operating in the red? It's a volume problem, IMO. Before computers and email people sent many more letters and cards. Now my Mom and Dad get e-cards or emails. We communicate on social media sites like Facebook. USPS should have invented email and social media sites. We send pictures to each other by our phones, email, etc. The USPS were not visionaries. They are going the way of Eastman-Kodak and the Dodo.

[yulog]

Australia has NEVER had Saturday deliveries....nor are any post offices open anytime over the weekend. People need a chill!

From most of the replies and what i have seen on the internet and talking to people , hardly anyone seems to be put off by this , 90% of what people get nowadays is junk mail. It just leaves one less day of having to go to the box and make sure stuff is shredded.

[Deb]

Australia has NEVER had Saturday deliveries....nor are any post offices open anytime over the weekend. People need a chill!

Neither have we.......in Canada.

[The Sushi Hunter]

So what are the rates to mail a letter in Australia and in Canada? In America, it's now .46 USD.

[yulog]

I think Australia is roughly 3- 4xs what we pay

[Hollywood]

This is pretty simple economics. This will save the USPS some money, but not enough to right the ship. The basic problems is small towns. In a large city the cost of delivering a first class letter is under $0.10. Then the problem; a first class letter in small towns with small routes, long drives, and infrastructure may cost $40.00 each. Though the customer only paid $0.44. The USPS is prohibited from charging based on cost.

How many years has the USPS been on the brink of bankruptcy, or at least operating in the red? It's a volume problem, IMO. Before computers and email people sent many more letters and cards. Now my Mom and Dad get e-cards or emails. We communicate on social media sites like Facebook. USPS should have invented email and social media sites. We send pictures to each other by our phones, email, etc. The USPS were not visionaries. They are going the way of Eastman-Kodak and the Dodo.

USPS has higher volume now than ever. Due to Internet commerce it has shifted from more letters to packages though.

[The Sushi Hunter]

USPS has higher volume now than ever. Due to Internet commerce it has shifted from more letters to packages though.

The company I work for only uses UPS for domestic shipping. UPS is far better than the USPS in regards to shipping cost, speed of delivery, and convenience. USPS is all f'd up, especially when it comes to bringing the packages down to the post office and waiting in line to send it. I'd rather pay a little more for the convenience of having UPS come to the office and pick it up. I always use UPS for my own personal use for all the same reasons.

[Hollywood]

USPS has higher volume now than ever. Due to Internet commerce it has shifted from more letters to packages though.

The company I work for only uses UPS for domestic shipping. UPS is far better than the USPS in regards to shipping cost, speed of delivery, and convenience. USPS is all f'd up, especially when it comes to bringing the packages down to the post office and waiting in line to send it. I'd rather pay a little more for the convenience of having UPS come to the office and pick it up. I always use UPS for my own personal use for all the same reasons.

Totally agree. FedEx and UPS are head and shoulders above USPS in service and efficiency. Even if you have to go to a FedEx or UPS store you get better and faster service.

[Don]

FedEx delivers to about 3 million addresses a day (worldwide)
UPS delivers to about 6 million addresses a day (worldwide)
Both of them use USPS for "the last mile" on their economy shipping plans.
USPS delivers to over 100 million addresses a day. If they and their planes disappear, FedEx and UPS rates would double or even triple overnight.

[StevePerryHair]

USPS has higher volume now than ever. Due to Internet commerce it has shifted from more letters to packages though.

The company I work for only uses UPS for domestic shipping. UPS is far better than the USPS in regards to shipping cost, speed of delivery, and convenience. USPS is all f'd up, especially when it comes to bringing the packages down to the post office and waiting in line to send it. I'd rather pay a little more for the convenience of having UPS come to the office and pick it up. I always use UPS for my own personal use for all the same reasons.

USPS picks packages up at the door too. They've been doing this for at least a couple of years, I'm guessing to compete. It's still cheaper for us to have USPS come to our front door when we have packages, than UPS.

[StevePerryHair]

FedEx delivers to about 3 million addresses a day (worldwide)
UPS delivers to about 6 million addresses a day (worldwide)
Both of them use USPS for "the last mile" on their economy shipping plans.
USPS delivers to over 100 million addresses a day. If they and their planes disappear, FedEx and UPS rates would double or even triple overnight.

I kind of feel like the USPS keeps UPS and FedEx prices in check. It seems to me, if the USPS is gone, the private shipping companies won't have to stay competitive. Maybe I'm wrong. Who knows.

[Don]

FedEx delivers to about 3 million addresses a day (worldwide)
UPS delivers to about 6 million addresses a day (worldwide)
Both of them use USPS for "the last mile" on their economy shipping plans.
USPS delivers to over 100 million addresses a day. If they and their planes disappear, FedEx and UPS rates would double or even triple overnight.

I kind of feel like the USPS keeps UPS and FedEx prices in check. It seems to me, if the USPS is gone, the private shipping companies won't have to stay competitive. Maybe I'm wrong. Who knows.

They both have multi-million dollar contracts with USPS. They definitely don't want the Post office to go away.

[yulog]

Ups charges almost double for the same service as the USPS, i have double checked on several packages in the past yr alone.

[steveo777]

Who is the largest government employer?
It used to be USPS.

How do their employment numbers compare to Fed Ex and UPS?

I think there might be an efficency issue here. I know some people who work for USPS and they are good employees, but I've also seen some really lazy and slow USPS workers. Government job mentality must prevail in those people who take frequent breaks and only seem interested in doing the bare minimum. I think the USPS could do as much or more with a much smaller number of employees if those people were held to a certain standard of performance. There is a reason Fed Ex and UPS continue to thrive and the USPS is failing.

You privatize it and put a great business man in charge of it and in time it would become a profitable publicly traded company.

[Deb]

So what are the rates to mail a letter in Australia and in Canada? In America, it's now .46 USD.

Within Canada = .63 CAD
USA = 1.10 CAD
International = 1.85 CAD