USPS -- Plummeting Volume and Revenue?

[moribundman]

Originally Posted By: NJC
Originally Posted By: moribundman
I throw it unchecked into the recycle bin.

No shredding of address/name–or already taken care of with this?


No, everything, unless it's a flyer without my name on it, goes through the shredder before going in the recycling can. Sorry for skipping that routine step in my description.

 

[oldmaninsc]

Originally Posted By: hr1940
I sent my 98 year old mother-in-law a package and the post office attempted to deliver it once. She lives in a town of 600 people and she has lived in the same house since the 30's. She had to walk down a very steep hill to get to the post office. When I called them they gave a lame excuse and said someone had tried once. I mail everything UPS or DHL and they get it there 2 days earlier and make sure she has the package in her hands. I have no use for the post office and their lack of compassion for the elderly. If it was a big town I could understand.


I've had similar problems. My daughter is diabetic and my wife orders her supplies online. The medical supply company ships some things UPS, other USPS. The UPS stuff usually shows up about 2 days after she orders it at my doorstep.

The USPS stuff - they usually put a note in the mail box (a cluster of locked boxes 3 houses away from me) saying they "tried to deliver" but couldn't. Funny thing is - on the day they "tried to deliver" someone was home all day long!
So then I have to drive about 15 minutes one way - clear across town to the "annex" building to get her supplies.

I asked the guy there why they didn't deliver it (this is really funny and sad) - he shrugs and states:

"I don't know. Maybe you have a dog or a fence?"
I said: "Nope, neither".
He said: "Well maybe you moved recently".
I said: "Nope lived in the same house for almost 20 years".
He said: "I don't know - maybe the carrier couldn't FIND your house."

With that I laughed and walked away!

 

[moribundman]

Originally Posted By: XS650
Originally Posted By: moribundman
I just want to know who actually even as much as looks at junk mail. I throw it unchecked into the recycle bin. What a waste.


I would like to see the USPS have an option where residents could have the post office not deliver junk mail to their address.


I have asked about that repeatedly. I always got the same answer: the USPS has to deliver the mail for which postage has been paid. I'm still getting mail from previous tenants. The USPS can't do anything about that either.

 

[labman]

Try to find the Direct Marketing Association. You can put a stop on junk mail, and before the anti telemarketing laws, also phone calls.

 

[demarpaint]

The USPS is talking about going to a 5 day work week, to cut costs. Now the local mail guy will be delivering 6 days worth of mail in 5 if this comes to be.

 

[Drew99GT]

Just thank your lucky stars this isn't your postman.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzOqQLA_cqA&feature=related

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

My postman's named Newman.

 

[moribundman]

Originally Posted By: labman
Try to find the Direct Marketing Association. You can put a stop on junk mail, and before the anti telemarketing laws, also phone calls.


The companies that will stop junk mail (over several months) charge about $20 per year.

 

[jsharp]

Originally Posted By: PandaBear
Originally Posted By: jsharp
I wonder why the cost of bulk mail is still so much lower than 1st class. At one time having it presorted was probably a real cost savings. I doubt it is anymore with automated sorting equipment. I imagine the direct marketing lobby has more to do with the rates than actual cost.

I predicted a drop in their parcel volume when they went to distance sensitive rates and raised their prices. Why would people pay the USPS almost as much as UPS when they don't have things like real time online tracking.

In the last few years I've had a couple of somewhat expensive items lost by the USPS. Yes I got my $ back eventually but I've never had it happen with either UPS or FedEx.


The UPS in my area lost a .... CEILING FAN.... a box that is at least 40lb and 3'x1'x1' because they left it in front of my house instead of ringing the bell.

USPS is still way cheaper for small packages. I send lots of media mail and small parcel posts that would have cost $6+ for UPS or FedEx, and only $3-4 for USPS with delivery confirmation.


The USPS is cheaper on small parcels and media mail is a good value. But the time is variable in my experience. I haven't found delivery confirmation to be worth much. It only tells you if and item got there, not where it might have gone if it didn't. It might be useful for things like eBay items where the recipient is potentially a scammer.

UPS just leaving things to be stolen or leaving things at the wrong place I've heard is common. But it's not a problem in this neighborhood. I suppose it depends on where you live.

 

[Cutehumor]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
The USPS is talking about going to a 5 day work week, to cut costs. Now the local mail guy will be delivering 6 days worth of mail in 5 if this comes to be.


There will be more mailmen going "postal"

 

[Gary Allan]

I'll have to get a bigger mailbox.

 

[andyd]

I have absolutely no problems with the USPS. My mail man is a great guy and so are the ladies at the local PO. When I ship used car parts, I use the flat rate and just pay a bit extra to get some sort of tracking number.

 

[crinkles]

I don't think the Post office needs to make money. its a government body, it should do its essential job - deliver the mail... and aim to break even. it should be a Nor for profit organisation

 

[Gary Allan]

Well, it is. It's just not a subsidized entity (if I understand it correctly).

..but when you have a not for profit enterprise that just "does its essential job" ..the interpretation of what's needed to do the essential job gets some broad latitudes in terms of needs.

 

[simple_gifts]

Middletown CT; population 47000; 1 post office.
Essex CT population 6700; 3 post offices; I can walk between 2 of them in < 10 minutes.

I believe hearing a story several years ago of how the P.O. is stuck delivering to non profitable areas, while UPS just cherry picks profitable package routes and hands the non profitable deliveries to the PO to deliver. It is certainly more complex than categorizing carriers/clerks as a bunch of lazy people.

I know a carrier and he indicated incompetent management seems to be key; nepotism rampant.

Little tidbits he has passed to me from his office

1) catalogues are not mail (apparently they deliver themselves); more catalogues shouldn't make your route take longer.
2) You can't defrost the windshield with the engine running; deice the window with the engine off, jump in, start engine, drive away...
3) Chastise a carrier for making a second attempt to deliver a package on the way back to the office; customer should be able to "come to the office" to pick the package up; package was insulin or some such medicine....