USPS Deserves to go down

[Cujet]

When I was a young man in 1980, I got pick-pocketed in NYC, while on a date. The NY toll cop on the drive home issued me an IOU, and a "ticket" for driving without a license. I paid the toll via "mail" and sent NY "proof" of my valid CT license, via "mail". I received a NY letter saying all was OK.

Fast forward 2 years.

NY's new computer system would not "talk" with Connecticut's and the letters they sent never made it to CT! So my license was suspended and I could not get it re-instated. So, more letters, lawyers, money and time was invested. I became a "scoff law" and still drove. Yet, I had to hide from cops to avoid jail for driving w/suspended license.

My point, the mail has been unreliable for way too long. Consequences can be dire. And, dealing with both the post office and the DMV is often an exercise in massive frustration.

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

I saw a big shot of the USPS on cable business news last week. He said if the congress people would get out of their way (where have I heard that before), he thinks they could turn it around.

I say, give them the chance.

 

[javacontour]

Originally Posted By: GROUCHO MARX
I saw a big shot of the USPS on cable business news last week. He said if the congress people would get out of their way (where have I heard that before), he thinks they could turn it around.

I say, give them the chance.


Of course, he defines getting out of their way as in still having a government protected monopoly and any other benefits they still get from the government, but not the oversight.

 

[Al]

Originally Posted By: Cujet
Failed business model
Failed to change with the times
Government run
Excessive pensions/retirement/healthcare expenses/promises
What could be better than a huge influx of taxpayer cash to "fix" the problems!

And the really other neat thing is the more a government institution fails the more money and more incompetant people get thrown at it. In the real world people get replaced but here they get supplemented.

Its just like when a Traffic Controller (Incompetent Gov Worker) fell asleep...I told my wife the solution would be to supplement him with another incompetent Gov. Worker...And...I of course called it correctly. And of course we are talking the TSA..that says it all.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: andrewg
But they do it POORLY. Lost TWO pieces of MY MAIL in 6 months. That's POOR SERVICE in my book and worth paying more to have it done correctly.
No offense....just my opinion.


True, it should be better.

But UPS and FedEx is worse. I get 2 out of 10 item lost in the last 1 year because they just stole it, leave it on my door front and let someone stole it, as well as 3 out of 10 "address do not exist".

The financial problem of postal service needs to be dealt with, but it is a service that every nation on earth deserve and has, and it subsidized a lot of the services that commercial activities relies on.

Pablo would be out of business if USPS goes away, many others that bashes USPS would probably get jacked by UPS/FedEx for $5 mail and one delivery per week.

Imagine 50 states have their own postal rate and stamps, and when you lost your package you have to track through 10 states to see where was it last seen.

Having USPS selling properties to gain cash is stupid. Many retail businesses (like Mervyn's) decided to split into real estate holding company and retailer, having the real estate holding charge high rent that bankrupted the retailer, and in the end no one gets anything (other than the private investment fund that sold both of them off). This kind of deal is a borrow against the future scam, you get some cash now at a historic low property value, then pay high rent for eternity but cannot charge higher postal rate in downtown because of the property rate. Only a real estate flipper wanting a quick buck would support that.

 

[Al]

All this is a moot point. The Post Office will never go away, never get better and they will never change (unless it changes for the worst). We are stuck with it.
[/thread]

 

[andrewg]

Originally Posted By: Al
All this is a moot point. The Post Office will never go away, never get better and they will never change (unless it changes for the worst). We are stuck with it.
[/thread]

That's the most likely outcome. Oh well.
Next time I will insure my parcels for $100's of dollars and make THEM pay when they screw up my mail. If enough people did that I'll bet they would improve.

 

[mechanicx]

Some people say that the real reason the Post Office is losing money because it is being required by Congress to fully fund its future retirement benefits while other agencies and I think the private sector isn't required to http://www.postalnewsblog.com/2011/02/10...s-losing-money/. It's as if some want the post office to look worse and have a privatize everything mentality or agenda. Also there's some requirement where the Post Office has to defer more profitable shipping to UPS and Fedex and take their less profitable shipments, a lot of gov agency are required to use Fedex instead of the PO etc.

I don't have any problem with the Post Office and have always gotten good, convenient service at a good price. One person claiming the Post Office lost a package or two(who knows what really happened to it) is not indicative of the Post Office as a whole.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: mechanicx
Some people say that the real reason the Post Office is losing money because it is being required by Congress to fully fund its future retirement benefits while other agencies and I think the private sector isn't required to http://www.postalnewsblog.com/2011/02/10...s-losing-money/. It's as if some want the post office to look worse and have a privatize everything mentality or agenda. Also there's some requirement where the Post Office has to defer more profitable shipping to UPS and Fedex and take their less profitable shipments, a lot of gov agency are required to use Fedex instead of the PO etc.

I don't have any problem with the Post Office and have always gotten good, convenient service at a good price. One person claiming the Post Office lost a package or two(who knows what really happened to it) is not indicative of the Post Office as a whole.


Such good points.

I work in a federal agency, and we can't mail USPS,
we ship fedex.

Also, people need to realize that the PO employees pay LESS and get MORE than other federal employees. I pay about $200/month for a HDHP. Friends in the private sector pay less for more complete coverage. But point is that when I pay $200, the postal rate is probably half that...

That's a big problem, and it seems to me that if they're using the federal set-up, they should pay the same into it, especially if the PO is loosing money.

 

[PandaBear]

One of the reason USPS is not a recommended shipper for higher cost item is the lack of tracking. Delivery confirmation is not tracking. It doesn't means package will not be lost with tracking (i.e. just dropped off at the front), but for important items the tracking helps.

Not sure how much would it cost to really incorporate tracking and how many shipper wants to pay for that.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2

Such good points.

I work in a federal agency, and we can't mail USPS,
we ship fedex.


I though top secret documents must be hand delivered by hand cuffed agents, with one time pad strength encryption.

 

[mechanicx]

Originally Posted By: PandaBear
Originally Posted By: JHZR2

I work in a federal agency, and we can't mail USPS,
we ship fedex.


I though top secret documents must be hand delivered by hand cuffed agents, with one time pad strength encryption.

They send everything by requirement Fedex. Lots of documents get sent that are not classified. The Post Office has certified mail that is if anything more secure than Fedex. The Post Office is more secure in my opinion having postal inspectors. Probably some lobbyist made sure Fedex would get all that business.

 

[Cutehumor]

Originally Posted By: LS2JSTS
Originally Posted By: Cutehumor
what will happen to the USPS folks who get a pension and healthcare through the postal workers union if the USPS file for bankruptcy? taxpayers have to pick up the tab?


Yes.

Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation





Thanks. my dad is a retired USPS worker from 1992.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: PandaBear
One of the reason USPS is not a recommended shipper for higher cost item is the lack of tracking. Delivery confirmation is not tracking. It doesn't means package will not be lost with tracking (i.e. just dropped off at the front), but for important items the tracking helps.

Not sure how much would it cost to really incorporate tracking and how many shipper wants to pay for that.


When I worked in a coins and precious metals shop, one time I had to ship about 500k in rhodium out to a metals company. The best way to do it given insurance, tracking, etc., was registered US mail. That is tracked by every person who touched it. We used to mail sealed 5 gallon pails of 90% silver UPS, but anything more valuable had to go the more trustworthy route.

 

[andrewg]

Originally Posted By: mechanicx
Some people say that the real reason the Post Office is losing money because it is being required by Congress to fully fund its future retirement benefits while other agencies and I think the private sector isn't required to http://www.postalnewsblog.com/2011/02/10...s-losing-money/. It's as if some want the post office to look worse and have a privatize everything mentality or agenda. Also there's some requirement where the Post Office has to defer more profitable shipping to UPS and Fedex and take their less profitable shipments, a lot of gov agency are required to use Fedex instead of the PO etc.

I don't have any problem with the Post Office and have always gotten good, convenient service at a good price. One person claiming the Post Office lost a package or two(who knows what really happened to it) is not indicative of the Post Office as a whole.

Yeah...I guess I'm just an anomoly. It's nice to be dismissed for my 'claims'.

 

[mormit]

I have never had a problem with the post office. I've seen shipments bodged up by the other guys though.

Do consider the USPS is only in the red because of an unattainable mandate to fund future health care benefits that was imposed by Congress.

Also consider there are plenty of privately held and publicly listed companies that are allowed to loose money longer than the USPS has. Just pointing out a blatant inconsistency.

 

[Benzadmiral]

My annoyance with the Post Office is merely that their employees, around here anyway, are rude, and indifferent when they're not unpleasant. (Of course, so are a lot of the customers.)

The station within the university *next* to mine has two very sharp and friendly people, and I go there to buy stamps and ship anything that's going Post Office, not the station near my house or elsewhere.

Otherwise, I've never really had trouble with the Post Office losing anything. "Post Awful" is an exaggeration in my experience.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Benzadmiral
My annoyance with the Post Office is merely that their employees, around here anyway, are rude, and indifferent when they're not unpleasant. (Of course, so are a lot of the customers.)

The station within the university *next* to mine has two very sharp and friendly people, and I go there to buy stamps and ship anything that's going Post Office, not the station near my house or elsewhere.

Otherwise, I've never really had trouble with the Post Office losing anything. "Post Awful" is an exaggeration in my experience.


I agree, the people are hit or miss by location.

 

[andrewg]

I've been to three different offices in the region I live....and every single one is a joke to behold. Not saying that somewhere out there is a well run Post Office filled with great employees....but I've not found one in these parts. One of them has an older asian lady at the counter that basically barks at you like the soup nazi guy in Seinfeld. Nasty, rude, and just all around terrible. Maybe she's always mad though because they never give her any help (line is often out the door). Another one I go to the fella is about 98 years old and has the personality of a dried up ritz cracker. Slow, rude, and unfriendly.
I don't know....just not had good luck with them. Perhaps UPS and Fedex are just as bad.

 

[JHZR2]

They are in my opinion. And the line has been out the door at UPS too. The difference? At UPS they call it "efficiency" (as in don't hire extra folks and your coat will be lower for what ends up being a consistent number of sheeple), and keeping costs down (which are higher than USPS to begin with, and probably if you amortized the USPS loss evenly across the total number of pieces of mail, would still be so).