Mail Delivery Stamped Out 1 Day Per Week?

(CBS/ AP)  Massive deficits could force the post office to cut out one day of mail delivery per week, the postmaster general told Congress on Wednesday.

Postmaster General John E. Potter asked lawmakers to lift the requirement that the agency deliver mail six days a week.

Faced with dwindling mail volume and rising costs, the post office was $2.8 billion in the red last year and, "if current trends continue, we could experience a net loss of $6 billion or more this fiscal year," Potter said in testimony for a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs subcommittee.

Total mail volume was 202 billion items last year, more than 9 billion less than the year before, the largest single volume drop in history.

And, despite annual rate increases, Potter said 2009 could be the first year since 1946 that the actual amount of money collected by the post office declines.

"It is possible that the cost of six-day delivery may simply prove to be unaffordable," Potter said. "I reluctantly request that Congress remove the annual appropriation bill rider, first added in 1983, that requires the Postal Service to deliver mail six days each week."

There is no definite word whether the eliminated day would be Saturday, reports CBS Radio News' Dan Raviv. Previous studies have looked at the possibility of skipping some other day, such as Tuesday.

"The ability to suspend delivery on the lightest delivery days, for example, could save dollars in both our delivery and our processing and distribution networks. I do not make this request lightly, but I am forced to consider every option given the severity of our challenge," Potter said.

That doesn't mean it would happen right away, he noted, adding that the agency is working to cut costs and any final decision on changing delivery would have to be made by the postal governing board.

If it did become necessary to go to five-day delivery, Potter said, "we would do this by suspending delivery on the lightest volume days."

The Postal Service raised the issue of cutting back on days of service last fall in a study it issued. At that time the agency said the six-day rule should be eliminated, giving the post office, "the flexibility to meet future needs for delivery frequency.

A study done by George Mason University last year for the independent Postal Regulatory Commission estimated that going from six-day to five-day delivery would save the post office more than $1.9 billion annually, while a Postal Service study estimated the saving at $3.5 billion.

The next postal rate increase is scheduled for May, with the amount to be announced next month. Under current rules that would be limited to the amount of the increase in last year's consumer price index, 3.8 percent. That would round to a 2-cent increase in the current 42-cent first class rate.

The agency could request a larger increase because of the special circumstances, but Potter believes that would be counterproductive by causing mail volume to fall even more.

[tmwrisley]

Some carriers do only get Sundays off. It all depends on their route evaluation. Also, subs only get days off when they are not needed. As far as having a short day on Christmas eve, just because the office window is closed does not mean that delivery does not continue. I, and other carriers, have been out till 8 pm and later on Christmas eve to be sure that everyone gets their gifts before the holiday. Many of us do take the time and care enough to get to know you and make sure you get your mail on time, even if it is improperly addressed or short on postage. Unfortunately, the "bad apples" always spoil it for us all.

[meinnv]

I would be for it, only if I got my mail delivered to me instead of it being returned because the carrier doesn''t want to deliever it; marking it as NO SUCH ADDRESSEE (my name is printed in bold letters in my mail box and there are no "variations" of my name on the mailings) or NO SUCH UNIT # (this place has been here for 3-4 years).

I have been lucky to retrieve these items from the senders. Each piece was addressed properly with sufficient postage; just returned because the carrier didn''t want to deliever it. According to the regular carrier, it was the sub who sent my mail back.

Also, I have taken items to the counter to be mailed, and they were not delievered (within my own city); again despite sufficient postage and being properly addressed. The post office has no clue and won''t return my inquiries or my money.

Most recently I sent out a certified letter with the return receipt (green card), paid for it at the counter. The letter was delievered (within the same city), yet the card was not returned to me. No one knows where it went. It was properly addressed and paid for.

One extra day off where I live means less mail getting where it needs to be or being lost.

[bella1976-2009]

I am a USPS mail carrier. We DO NOT get two days off a week. I work six days a week every week(with the exception of holidays). And I have never heard of a office that gives carriers a different day off each week. Carriers only get one given day off a week or one day off every other week if their route is over 40 hours. And then the USPS is paying a sub to do that route.

[puritan9]

Ain''t that just great! Full-time pay for a part-time work! That comes with full benefits and retirement in 20 years. I guess everyone wants to work like Congressmen and Senators! May be we should stop pampering government employees and ask them to work one-day a week without pay.

[jsd330]

There''re already at 5 1/2, the post offices in my area are only open till noon on Saterday anyhow. So they might as well not deliver on Saturday either.

[kdbarnes2]

The Postal Service should stop giving big bonuses to management that obviously can''t manage! They should also charge the "junk mail" mailers more postage. Did anyone else notice that the Post Office closed early X-mas eve, I guess they didn''t need the money!

[hfpalmer]

Saturday wd be a gd day to cancel mail delivery as most mail is first class and no reason it can wait as if it was important wd be sent another way. It also will not put a dent in the salary of employee''s with what they get and probably need the extra day off for rest.

[c-mo6]

comment that postal employees should get two days off per week, they already get two days off a week. They are off on Sundays and one day per week which changes each week in succession, that is one week they are off on Monday, next week Tuesday, etc. Every 5th week they are off on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I was married to a letter carrier so I know this to be true. The Post Office needs to find other ways to cut their losses. They could lessen postage and/or cut benefits and salary to employees, like all other businesses are being forced to do. As an example, my daughter''''s husband is a truck driver and the Teamsters instructed members of their union to authorize a 10 percent wage reduction in order to keep their jobs. This is a hardship, but at least they still have their jobs, albeit at a considerably lesser salary. We all have to bite the bullet at this time.


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Posted by jeannetpratt at 06:50 AM : Jan 29, 2009
+ report abuse

Who counts on mail six days a week? Not me or anybody I know. I''m sure your daughter''s husband would rather cut a day and still work 5 days a week as opposed to getting a 10% pay reduction.

[starleo146]

That doesn''t mean it would happen right away, he noted, adding that the agency is working to cut costs and any final decision on changing delivery would have to be made by the postal governing board.

If the Postmaster Potter would cut out all the big spending up there in Washington,D.C. we wouldn''t be in this hole

[schoolmarm22]

One less day to receive bills? I think I can live with that!