What's Happening To The Post Office?

Andy Rooney Has Gotten Wind of Potential Changes To The Postal Service And He's Not A Fan

(CBS)  Written by Andy Rooney.

I got an e-mail from a friend I never heard of the other day suggesting I do a story about the trouble that our U.S. Postal Service is in - that's what the post office calls itself, the U.S. Postal Service. I don't take suggestions gracefully, but they're thinking about closing post offices to save money and I think it's crazy.

According to them, there are 37,000 post offices in the United States and if they closed 10 percent of them they could save $3 billion a year. They're also talking about reducing mail delivery from six to five days a week and naturally they thought about raising the price of stamps again, too. Most of us don't like any of these solutions to the post office's problem.

The best mail is the letter from a friend or a relative. It's sad to say that very little of what most of us get these days is that kind of mail.

The postal service is a government agency but it's supposed to operate like a business. Most people don't realize that - I know I didn't realize it - but the post office doesn't get tax money. It has to pay for itself.

In 1900, there were 77,000 post offices around the country. Today with four times as many people, there are only 37,000 post offices - 40,000 fewer post offices for 230 million more Americans. No wonder it wasn't in the mail. We have a lot of things that need cutting, but post offices are not among them.

There's something special about a letter. We all like to get one. An e-mail, on the other hand, has all the charm of a freight train. When I was growing up we all knew when the mailman was coming and we waited for him even though we hardly ever got a letter.

People actually wrote letters to each other though, which they don't do as much anymore. They e-mail each other.

I would rather have a mailman or woman deliver junk mail to me, than to get an e-mail.

[oldcarrier03]

At least snail mail gave us the ability to communicate with each other. The new methods we use such as texting are driving away interaction among people, particularly the young. The USPS definitely serves a purpose with management (mismanagement) being its greatest fault. The carriers and clerks are very hard working people but the lazy ass managers take all the credit and none of the blame. Unfortunately, this is actually a common practice among business people. I retired from the USPS after 25 years and can relate to all the problems my current letter carrier describes as if they happened to me over and over again just yesterday. With all the modern communication methods we have at this time, we seem to have actually fallen behind. No real people answering phones just a machine and the young people using their thumbs to communicate are driving us deeper into a anti-social system that is frightening. Although I may be considered an old dinosaur to most young people, I believe the old ways are still the still best ways.

[Dogger325]

Well,for you people who have no clue about what it is to be 'Postal Blue".There's the wonderful phrase 'DOIS"..which management still tries to adhere to...'You have x amount of volume..so you should be out of the office by 8:55....returning 2:10..so you have and hour and half to deliver on another route" (pivot). I have been a letter carrier for 14 years,and it has gotten insane.Its not the carriers and other craft employees who are doing this to the PO,its an unmanageable management system that does just the most assinine things.Harrassment comes to mind.One gal was in tears because of the verbal abuse she listened to.Letters of warning are now the first step,instead of the usual "official" first offense talking-to..."7 day suspensions" are getting to be the norm in my office first get go(on paper of course).

We have carrier hours being cut,routes done away with...Clerks have been cut,or opted out and retired.

Yet I still see the same number of supervisors.And many are taking a good lunch "stroll" near my route every day,laughing and joking.But they see my vehicle parked,and they are looking like ******** to see if my my parking brake is set,wheels curbed etc...never see them in winter tho here in Maine.One said to me this past summer..'Just think..you get paid for this!" Course it was like 80 and sunny....

If you think management is important to YOU getting your mail,forget it.One night a bunch of thenm went and looked in our route vehicles...seeing what we had.Damn near all of us keep rain gear in them,and Change of address forms,etc..Things we use on a daily basis.They came around and let us know how we scewed up.NOTHING was to be left in a vehicle at night.

Oh and for my Brother and Sister letter carriers...They checked our DPS trays one night for the labels being removed...If not,you got written up.

Its not us carriers or clerks or mailhandlers or custodians...It's the TOP Heavy management thats doing the worst damage.

[Ferrell-2]

I know it's hard to believe but not every home in this country has an Internet connection. Our U.S. Postal Service (it's only a quasi government branch) cannot be allowed to fade away but to streamline it and separate the chaff from the wheat. All of us, at numerous times, need to send and receive letters, bills, cards, etc. which makes it imperative our federal government take it back under its wing. I can see no alternative other than at taxpayer expense.

[cw4cbs]

We the people should grab old and take charge not letting these brainless wonders riun the life and well being for the regular working person. Don't forget we were the the backbone of this country.

[tomturkey]

I too hate to see the postal servive stopped. That's not the answer. I liked the every other day delivery day suggestion. Like most people I've had my run-ins with USPS, but it's the independent route carrier that's been my burden. I felt there was no place to go for help. She had the power and she used it. Her postmaster even though he did not agree with her allowed her to stop my mail. They even held it for 12 days, wouldn't let me pick it up at the PO. Had to rent a box and put in a change of address. Now I don't like what happened but I do enjoy going out to a mailbox andfinding something to read albeit, yes, even junk mail. A lot of people to keep happy, us out here waiting for mail delivery, in town and rural carriers, management and don't forget the UNIONS. I've been a carrier and I've been a union officer. Many, many sides to this story.

[workingman4323]

Please HELP. Management is out of control. One small example. A letter that is brought back at the end of the day because the dps machine missorted it. A carrier will be sent back out to deliver that one letter creating overtime, now that letter cost a couple dollars to deliver. We have eliminated clerks, taken routes out of offices, and added more management. The more management the more harassment. There is no SERVICE in postal service.

[Ben_Franklin_mom]

Yes the republicans want the "constitution" to read we the corporate *****,for the corporate *****, and by the corporate *****..in order to rape and pillage the commons....

[Ben_Franklin_mom]

Yes the republicans want the "constitution" to read we the corporate *****,for the corporate *****, and by the corporate *****..in order to rape and pillage the commons....

[Poworker58]

Actually by the time you add up the cost of a computer, Internet connection, and electricity, an email is not that cheap.

[evad69]

WOW! Where do some of these people come up with their figures? $60,000.00 per year and only working 5 hour days? YOU WISH! I have been with the USPS for 20 years now, I don't ever remember anyone working only 5 hours and getting paid for 8. And to make $60,000 a year, you can only do that with alot of overtime! To you people that complain now at the postal service and them raising their stamps a couple cents each time,...well, if the postal service ever folds up, you will miss us. Just think what it is going to cost to send things then? A letter?...not 44 cents to anywhere in the country, but maybe several dollars instead, through another carrier! OH and NETFLIX? How much more a month is it going to cost them to send you those movies so cheaply every month? It won't be such a bargain then! Netflix rates will probably at least triple, or the company just completely folding up all together.
And for you people living on a unemployment check,...who's gonna bring it to you? No more waiting by your mailbox for the mailman to bring it. Maybe you could use the time to go look for a job instead! And if the check is late for some reason, there isn't a mailman to yell and swear at!
I don't think the postal service will ever fold up, but there is going to be alot of changes, I'm sure!

[kjsnowcone]

The hours comment is correct. Who will need to send a letter with email and cell phones? Netflix is starting to offer streaming movies online and it is their plan that this will be the way movies will be delivered instead of by mail. The unemployment check will be obsolete. They will be just like my child support, it is put on a debit card or it will be direct deposited.