USPS Deserves to go down

[kb01]

I think it would be pretty easy to save the USPS, it would just be incredibly unpopular:

1) Eliminate most rural routes and/or apply a rural surcharge to mail deliveries.
2) Base 1st class postage off of the true cost of mail. Hawaii to Florida should cost more than intra-city mail.
3) Eliminate USPS pensions and convert over to a 401k match.
4) Eliminate USPS subsidies to employee health insurance.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
I don't think any biz should be let off the hook for their retirement obligations. That should be criminal. Those former employees were promised those bennies and deserve them.


But threatening for a renegotiation with bankruptcy is not. Remember the old saying "if you owe the bank 100M it is the bank's problem"? The same goes for bankruptcy and renegotiation.

This is one dirty option private businesses have and public services do not.

 

[CivicFan]

Originally Posted By: kb01
I think it would be pretty easy to save the USPS, it would just be incredibly unpopular:

1) Eliminate most rural routes and/or apply a rural surcharge to mail deliveries.
2) Base 1st class postage off of the true cost of mail. Hawaii to Florida should cost more than intra-city mail.
3) Eliminate USPS pensions and convert over to a 401k match.
4) Eliminate USPS subsidies to employee health insurance.


I think if they institute mandatory donations of kidneys to be sold on the black market in China, they can become very profitable real quick.

 

[Al]

Originally Posted By: Al
Mr BankruptPostal Service...meet Mr. Bankrupt Federal Flood Insurance Program.

"A House subcommittee on Wednesday approved a long-awaited reauthorization of the troubled National Flood Insurance Program, paving the way for a five-year plan that overhauls the bankrupt federal program, due to expire Sept. 30.

Also FEMA was supposed to run out of money by the end of the week and now they "Might" have enough for the rest of the year
Beyond unreal.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: PandaBear
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
I don't think any biz should be let off the hook for their retirement obligations. That should be criminal. Those former employees were promised those bennies and deserve them.


But threatening for a renegotiation with bankruptcy is not. Remember the old saying "if you owe the bank 100M it is the bank's problem"? The same goes for bankruptcy and renegotiation.

This is one dirty option private businesses have and public services do not.


I thought this was called creating shareholder value??!?

Bethlehem steel anyone?

 

[stockrex]

flood insurance is being abused by people who keep rebuilding in the flood plains, making the same mistake over and over again, come on.

 

[Cutehumor]

Originally Posted By: CivicFan
Originally Posted By: kb01
I think it would be pretty easy to save the USPS, it would just be incredibly unpopular:

1) Eliminate most rural routes and/or apply a rural surcharge to mail deliveries.
2) Base 1st class postage off of the true cost of mail. Hawaii to Florida should cost more than intra-city mail.
3) Eliminate USPS pensions and convert over to a 401k match.
4) Eliminate USPS subsidies to employee health insurance.


I think if they institute mandatory donations of kidneys to be sold on the black market in China, they can become very profitable real quick.


+1 So they can lose all their money in the stock market like my 401k!

 

[tonycarguy]

Originally Posted By: kb01
I think it would be pretty easy to save the USPS, it would just be incredibly unpopular:

2) Base 1st class postage off of the true cost of mail. Hawaii to Florida should cost more than intra-city mail.


This would complicate things too much. People would have to go online or to the post office to figure out how much a 1st class letter would cost to send? Too much trouble for much of the public

 

[opus1]

Originally Posted By: tonycarguy
Originally Posted By: kb01
I think it would be pretty easy to save the USPS, it would just be incredibly unpopular:

2) Base 1st class postage off of the true cost of mail. Hawaii to Florida should cost more than intra-city mail.


This would complicate things too much. People would have to go online or to the post office to figure out how much a 1st class letter would cost to send? Too much trouble for much of the public

Agreed.

 

[opus1]

I actually have very little complaint with USPS. That's not to say I've never had any problems, but overall, they do a fine job for me, and I've even gotten some pieces of mail that honestly never should have reached me. One in particular addressed to the right city, but the wrong state (NJ and I lived in IN at the time) and a ZIP code of 00000. And not only did the darn thing get to me, it got there in what I'd consider normal time!

I've had problems with UPS. And let's not forget, even though it's been pointed out already, UPS, FedEx, et. al. cherry pick their delivery targets and in fact, I believe FedEx uses the USPS for some home delivery services.

I do think "junk" mail should pay more of its own way, though. That would help cut down on the volume and eliminate some of the deficit.

 

[pottymouth]

I like the USPS and really have no issues with their service. Every complaint that I have read here can be applied to UPS tenfold.

Considering that they handle 700 million parcels a day, even if they only lose/mishandle 1/100 of one percent, that's still 70,000 people who will not get their letter or package each day. It's simply a function of the sheer volume.

I'm OK with consolidating branches and eliminating Saturday deliveries. It won't be enough to save the ship, but it would be a great start.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: opus1
Originally Posted By: tonycarguy
Originally Posted By: kb01
I think it would be pretty easy to save the USPS, it would just be incredibly unpopular:

2) Base 1st class postage off of the true cost of mail. Hawaii to Florida should cost more than intra-city mail.


This would complicate things too much. People would have to go online or to the post office to figure out how much a 1st class letter would cost to send? Too much trouble for much of the public

Agreed.


If they come out with a 2nd class mail and is flat way, wouldn't that solve the problem?

Take 7-10 days for a letter to reach the other side of the nation if you want to save money, and pay more if you want it there in 3 days.

 

[mechanicx]

Originally Posted By: opus1
I actually have very little complaint with USPS. That's not to say I've never had any problems, but overall, they do a fine job for me, and I've even gotten some pieces of mail that honestly never should have reached me. One in particular addressed to the right city, but the wrong state (NJ and I lived in IN at the time) and a ZIP code of 00000. And not only did the darn thing get to me, it got there in what I'd consider normal time!

I've had problems with UPS. And let's not forget, even though it's been pointed out already, UPS, FedEx, et. al. cherry pick their delivery targets and in fact, I believe FedEx uses the USPS for some home delivery services.

I do think "junk" mail should pay more of its own way, though. That would help cut down on the volume and eliminate some of the deficit.


I use to always think it was kind of amazing even years ago how the USPS could take mail with a poorly hand-written and maybe not even totally correct address on a letter and it would always get to its destination all for around 30 cents. My brother worked for a short while back in the 80's at a company in Dallas that manufactured the mail sorting machines.

 

[HTSS_TR]

I think 1st class postage for out-of-state should be more than in-state, something likes 65-70 cents instead of currently 44 cents from anywhere to anywhere.

 

[Tempest]

Originally Posted By: mechanicx
I think a lot of the USPS financial problems is really a healthcare cost problem and that the postal service is being required to fully funded it's future healthcare liabilities unlike most everyone else. Healthcare is overpriced and basically to a large extent tax payer funded.

That and pensions.

Same as GM, local and state governments, the Federal government...

Pensions and Health care are the problem right now.

Even with a guaranteed monopoly from the government, they still can't get it right.

 

[mechanicx]

Originally Posted By: Tempest
Originally Posted By: mechanicx
I think a lot of the USPS financial problems is really a healthcare cost problem and that the postal service is being required to fully funded it's future healthcare liabilities unlike most everyone else. Healthcare is overpriced and basically to a large extent tax payer funded.

That and pensions.

Same as GM, local and state governments, the Federal government...

Pensions and Health care are the problem right now.

Even with a guaranteed monopoly from the government, they still can't get it right.


I don't put pension costs in the same class as healthcare costs. GM's pensions are modest and was just the tip of the iceberg of what was wrong with the finances and the US economy all together. You think working people can't be afforded healthcare and a pension, and I guess even a livable wage. I disagree and think that is baloney. That's just what the nonproductive asset class and millionaries and billionaires want you to believe.

 

[Tempest]

Quote:
I don't put pension costs in the same class as healthcare costs.

In most government or quasi government entities like this, people often retire after 20 years.

So if you go to work for them at 20, you retire at 40. So the USPS is supporting at LEAST one full generation (probably more than that) of people that aren't doing anything to bring money into the entity. That is why pensions, and their related health care, are a killer.

It's nothing but a ponzi scheme.

 

[Paulson]

Personally I like using the USPS compared to UPS because packages get there much faster in my opinion.

I can send a bubble envelope for my business for $1.75 to $2.49 anywhere in the U.S.

I definitely couldn't do that with UPS.

Also USPS' tracking has improved quite a bit in the last few years. They now usually scan packages whenever they go through hubs.

I probably spend $10,000 to $15,000 a year on postage... it'd be a lot more with UPS or FedEx.

 

[Vikas]

With UPS or Fedex, they will NOT deliver the parcel until the due date i.e. they will hold on to it. For example, if the parcel arrives to the final dispatch location two days earlier, they will sit on it. This is true with their ground service. They will intentionally held off delivering it until 3-4 business days.

USPS never does that.

- Vikas

 

[Spartanfool]

That is just NOT true. Give me any tracking number that supports your statement. UPS and FedEx want the package out of their system ASAP. The only exception might be at Christmas, when they "manage" their delivery times. Just like the USPS...


Originally Posted By: Vikas
With UPS or Fedex, they will NOT deliver the parcel until the due date i.e. they will hold on to it. For example, if the parcel arrives to the final dispatch location two days earlier, they will sit on it. This is true with their ground service. They will intentionally held off delivering it until 3-4 business days.

USPS never does that.

- Vikas