February 21, 2012 in Opinion, Letters

Can’t freeze change

 

As the author of the book, “The Way It Was and The Way It Is,” I’m familiar with the nostalgic U.S. Postal Service and the great service it has performed since Benjamin Franklin. We all know they are in trouble now with the advent of computer technology, even though a British consulting firm has just recognized the Postal Service as the world’s best, and this is true.

We once had home delivery of milk, and lo and behold it disappeared along with many other everyday necessities we all took for granted. Change is tough, but we must progress, and I want to put in my three cents on how to preserve the post office:

Run it like a business and do away with Saturday delivery. No business would allow these losses. They would begin by cutting Saturday delivery.

It would save millions in wages and truck expenses, and better scheduling could prevent overtime. There would be other savings.

I, myself, like Saturday delivery. I also liked the ice man, but I sure was pleased when Dad bought a newfangled refrigerator.

James A. Nelson

Spokane

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Five comments on this story so far. Add yours!

  • jdspokanewa on February 21 at 6:54 a.m.

    James, are you aware that a big part of the USPS’s financial issues come from a congressional mandate requiring them to fully fund pension plans for employees who haven’t even started yet? No other agency or employer in our country is required to do this and it is stupid.

  • SMARTGUY on February 21 at 1:51 p.m.

    I agreee, the post office should cut sevices, and raise the postage rate to a level, that will allow them to make a profit. If three dollar stamps are required so be it. Or you can have fedex deliver your letter for about eight dollars, fedex sets their rates to make a profit, breaking even is the least, the post office they can do.

  • rosehips on February 21 at 8:24 p.m.

    I don’t understand the whole issue with the pension plans but I’ve heard the p.o. has to reserve funds for 75 years for workers’ benefits or something like that.

    I depend on the post office for my business but why do they need to drive those stupid jeeps all over town? Isn’t that ridiculous?

    They don’t even have air conditioning in those dinosaurs. Those poor postal workers have to rely on air cooling and fans on their dashboards.

    Okay, I’m not a big fan of air conditioning, but can’t they come up with a more efficient method of delivering the mail?

    And we wonder why people go postal…

  • greenlibertarian on February 21 at 9:29 p.m.

    jd is correct, USPS breaks even but for the ONEROUS requirements as to how they fund pensions.

  • Arch_Druid on February 21 at 11:44 p.m.

    Call me a dinosaur. I buy postage stamps and send bills, etc. by mail.

    I have heard enough rip off horror stories of people who were victimized by identity theft, when they would pay bills on line or bank on line that I simply go the old fashioned route: straight to the mail box.

    The Postal Service still has a guaranteed clientele.

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