Please, Call Congress

[pomtzu]

Ending Saturday delivery would save nothing.

That's pretty difficult to believe. I'm sure that working Saturday's for postal employees isn't done simply out of the goodness of their hearts. And gas, etc to run the trucks - is that free???.....and what about manning the post offices??? Maybe I view "would save nothing" differently tho.

[Lady's Human]

Again, the loss of business to competition would more than offset any savings from ending Saturday delivery. If they end delivery, the post offices will still be open, mail will still be being processed 7 days/week, and there would be additional overtime costs due to a higher volume of mail on Mondays. Delivery, which is all they're talking about eliminating, is only the piece the public sees, the tip of the iceberg.

Why are stores open 24/7 now? They have to have a stock staff working in the store anyway, so they might as well gain a little revenue from employees they would have to have there anyway. Cutting their hours doesn't save them money, it just shifts the customers to the competition. Same idea with the post office cutting delivery. The clerks and processing personnel still have to process mail. It really doesn't save as much as you think.

Businesses which are in trouble don't under logical conditions cut service and raise prices and survive, but this is precisely what the postal service is proposing.

[pomtzu]

Yikes LH - with postage rates what they are in some instances, the USPS should be knee-deep in $$$$$

I received an Express Mail flat rate envelope in my mailbox today. It shipped from Washington state to Delaware, 2 day delivery, not insured, to the tune of $18.95. I think that is somewhat pricey.

[Lady's Human]

My sincere thanks to those who contacted their Senators.

S. 1789 passed this afternoon, heavily amended. While it still isn't a long term fix, it will provide some short term relief.