Grumpy Editor

Postal Service seeks to end overnight mail delivery

In a bid to avoid insolvency, the Postal Service today officially proposes eliminating overnight delivery of first-class mail to many destinations --- which is nothing new considering for years it has taken a sluggish two days to get many letters from point A delivered to point B, notes Grumpy Editor. 

For example, for years mailing a letter in Los Angeles for delivery in  Las Vegas --- a distance of about 230 miles --- takes two days. 

The Postal Service wants to change what it calls “overnight standards.”  Officially, that means it would take first class mail more than one day to reach destinations. 

The agency says it needs to overhaul service standards as it closes hundreds of processing facilities. 

Delivering first class mail in two to three days instead of one to three days could save about $3 billion by 2015, claims the Postal Service. 

That comes close to Pony Express standards. 

And it gets closer to the Postal Service's unofficial label, “snail mail.” 

Lowly speed contrasts with 70 years ago when the postal operation was swift.  Two mail deliveries a day were common.  A mailing in the morning was delivered by afternoon in the same city. 

Modern mail operations struggle to offset falling mail volumes as more people and businesses communicate by email and pay bills online. 

Adding to the decline in mail activity is the periodic increase in cost of postage. 

Another boost comes on Jan. 22. 

Cost of a first-class stamp, for a one-ounce mailing, rises to 45 cents from the current 44.

 

Presto! August Social Security payments flow on time

Following several weeks of scary-to-seniors dire warnings --- from President Barack Obama to national print and broadcast media --- that more than 45 million Americans may not get their August Social Security payments if the debt-ceiling crisis was not resolved, lo and behold, just minutes after the debt-ceiling vote passed in Washington, the Social Security Administration issued a news release saying benefits will be paid on time, notes Grumpy Editor. 

Whew! 

Imagine this miraculous speed:  With the green light and to meet the next-day (Aug. 3) dissemination, the U.S. Treasury Department immediately cranked up its check-printing presses or geared for direct deposits to millions of recipients.  Then, for the mailed checks, the U.S. Postal Service took over for following-day distribution around the country --- a delivery process that usually takes two days to mail boxes. 

Hard to believe? 

Not even usual eyebrow-raising investigative reporters were stirred by this magical, super-fast federal government action, equal to pulling a rabbit out of a hat. 

Strangely, with millions of Americans concerned, few print and broadcast media reported the announcement that Social Security benefits would be paid as usual and on time. 

The Aug. 2 news release from the Social Security Administration announced “payments for August 3 will be made on time and as scheduled.  Payments for August 10, 17 and 24 also will be made as scheduled.” 

The three-paragraph news release also reminded that “current beneficiaries must switch to electronic payments by March 1, 2013.” 

That should provide another “crisis” for media, focusing on recipients who do not have bank accounts.

 

Ending Saturday Postal Service delivery edges closer

Halting Postal Service deliveries on Saturdays and later slicing service to three days a week will slow receipt of periodicals but delight banks that issue credit cards and others that slap fees on late payments, envisions Grumpy Editor. 

Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe warns heavy financial losses in operations soon could curtail Saturday deliveries. 

Then, “at some point, we’ll have to move to three days a week of mail delivery, possibly in 15 years,” adds Donahoe who projects an $8.3 billion loss this year mainly because more people are moving communications electronically. 

Senators Tom Carper (D., Del.) and Susan Collins (R., Maine) are behind legislation that would lead to scrubbing Saturday deliveries. 

However, Sen. Jon Tester (D., Mont.) won’t vote for it because he says Saturday deliveries are important for people in states like his to get things like medicine and other vital items. 

The Postal Service also is reviewing up to 3,600 postal facilities for elimination.  Final decision is slated for next spring. 

Stopping Saturday service also means mailed payments deposited into Post Office collection boxes on Friday nights won’t be picked up until Monday mornings.  With two or more days for delivery, they could wind up as “late,” thus triggering late payment fees from banks and others. 

Postal Service has been marked by deteriorating service in recent years. 

Some examples: 

+  Residents of newer homes pick up mail from mostly inconvenient cluster boxes, rather than deliveries through mail slots at residences. 

+  Delivery time over short distances comes close to Pony Express days.  For instance, a letter from Los Angeles to Las Vegas --- about 230 miles --- takes at least two days.

+  Earlier “last” pickup times Mondays through Saturdays from collection boxes.

+  Elimination of Sunday pickups. 

Largely forgotten:  Two mail deliveries a day to businesses in the early 1940s.  Thus, a same-city mailing in the morning was received in the afternoon.