The USPS could operate on less money...

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted By: DBMaster
I haven't had to stand in line at a post office in years.


Do they pick up your oil samples too? (I cant remember if you posted a UOA before..)

My local post office wants nothing to do with them even though they clearly aren't "flammable" liquids.

 

[eljefino]

USPS is constrained by "legitimate" pension accounting that few other businesses or even government branches have to accomplish. Things like actuary tables assuming modern health and life expectancy. Now folks can turn around and point fingers and make declarations about their budget woes.

USPS does the "last mile" like Ma Bell. It's an interesting thing that Fedex can be the long-distance "backbone" and they split the profits... surely to Fedex's benefit moreso than USPS's.

 

[dishdude]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Much of the issue with the US Post Office is that they are managed by a congress with a political motive rather than a board with a profit/performance motive.

That being said, with the exception of one UPS driver several years ago who was fired from the job, we've had outstanding service from USPS, UPS and Fed Ex.


Yep! Great post.

Another huge issue is that technology has significantly burdened the USPS - for years they did what they did on volume, and with economies of scale they are hurting. Add in the pension funding debacle, Saturday delivery and a congress bent on making sure no government agency works and this is what you get.

I think back to all the letters and packages I've mailed and received with USPS, UPS and Fedex, and I can't think of one that was lost or damaged. Pretty amazing.

 

[Bandito440]

Originally Posted By: dlundblad
Originally Posted By: DBMaster
I haven't had to stand in line at a post office in years.


Do they pick up your oil samples too? (I cant remember if you posted a UOA before..)

My local post office wants nothing to do with them even though they clearly aren't "flammable" liquids.

Ship oil samples Priority Mail in a plain box or padded/Tyvek envelope. Print and attach a prepaid label and put it in your mailbox. Nobody's going to ask you what's in it, you'll get the discount from using the Internet service, and you won't have to go to the post office.

 

[mulehead]

What does the government do well that's the question . Kelly Johnson said don't do business with the government they don't know what they want and keep changing there mind or some thing like that. How long would it have taken for the government to build the golden gate bridge today or try building the hoover dam look at f 35 the fighter with no wing area can't lift can't turn. I could go on and on now someone wants to give federal workers more sick time

 

[rshaw125]

They actually make money on delivering mail and packages. The problem is that Congress requires them to pay massive amounts into pension and healthcare plans. Their hands are tied by Washington.

 

[NormanBuntz]

Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
if they could figure out exactly what they're in the business to do.

I'm south of Chicago, and I'm waiting on a package that was mailed from Los Angeles, CA.

I tracked it, and here is its path:

Los Angeles to Chicago. (Oh good!)
Chicago to Des Moines, IA (Oh [censored]!)
Des Moines, IA to St. Louis. (Really??)

They'd make more money if they'd stop carrying the same package all over the Midwest, and just go ahead and deliver it.

I know... they're still trying to figure out this delivering stuff concept. Give them some time, they'll eventually get it.


When this happens, the culprit usually is a bad bar code. Either one placed by the actual shipper, or one the USPS places on the package when it processes it for the first time. Just hope it doesn't keep going in a circle, because it will until the bad bar code is blacked out. It's affectionately known as loop mail.

 

[NormanBuntz]

Unfortunately, the Postal Service is heading down the same road that has haunted the U.S. auto industry: its legacy costs for pensions and health care benefits for those retirees who are living longer and longer are accumulating faster than the agency's revenue. AND the USPS receives no government funding or tax dollars.

 

[Lapham3]

They've closed a number of rural post offices in Mn over the years. I'd think Saturday delivery could be dropped with out a panic. I also don't understand why something will now leave an Amazon warehouse and get near me by UPS to be handed to USPS for the last 20 miles??

 

[DBMaster]

Originally Posted By: dlundblad
Originally Posted By: DBMaster
I haven't had to stand in line at a post office in years.


Do they pick up your oil samples too? (I cant remember if you posted a UOA before..)

My local post office wants nothing to do with them even though they clearly aren't "flammable" liquids.


I have never submitted a sample for UOA in my life. I may possibly put it in a padded envelope and just pay the dollar-something for First Class postage to avoid any potential issues.

 

[DBMaster]

Originally Posted By: Lapham3
I'd think Saturday delivery could be dropped with out a panic.


What's entertaining about this topic is that once Congress told USPS it could not drop Saturday delivery USPS almost immediately started testing SUNDAY delivery service in selected areas. When I visited NYC last May I saw USPS trucks out on Sunday.

I would not "have a cow" if they eliminated Saturday delivery, but it appears that is not happening.

 

[SHOZ]

If they weren't required to make pension payments of $5.5B a year that just goes into the Washington DC slush funds they could do better.

 

[HTSS_TR]

The problems with USPS is they charge too little for first class mail, just think about for 49 cents you can have a mail delivered to Hawaii from Main or Florida within 2-3 days. How much Fedex, UPS ... will charge for that 1/2 oz mail ?

Small box up to 2-3 lbs can be shipped across the country in 2-3 days for $5-6 via USPS priority mail, can UPS and Fedex do that for same cost ?

 

[MNgopher]

If you think this just a USPS thing, you'd be surprised. I've had UPS ground packages out of eastern Iowa on UPS make a 350+ mile trek around most of Iowa before hitting Des Moines and coming north (Direct mileage is 250). UPS ground packages from California go through Chicago on there way here (yes, 7+ hours southeast of us).

The reality is that non-time sensitive packages go the route a mostly full truck is going to go, whether it makes sense to you or I. What main distribution center handles the mail for your area - Chicago or St. Louis? With lots of consolidation in the distribution system, the answer isn't always the obvious one.

 

[Spazdog]

UPS is not much better.

I ordered my son a baseball bat that was warehoused near Buffalo, NY.

It went to Rochester, Syracuse, Utica and then, back to Buffalo before it was sent to DFW.

I do not know why it went all the way across upstate NY only to return to Buffalo.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
I know... they're still trying to figure out this delivering stuff concept. Give them some time, they'll eventually get it.


Heck, my mailman doesn't realize there is a house number of 8653 on every street in the neighborhood and mis-delivers mail daily. Guess he never learned that basic concept and can't sort mail based on the street name in the address ... and he's only been doing the route for 10 years!

 

[Kruse]

Although my mail does not go through that zip code, the nearest post office to where I live is in a town of about 25 people. The only business left in the town is......the post office. It's open two hours every day, but some days has absolutely no business at all, not even the sale of a single stamp. They do not even sort mail there, it is handled by a neighboring post office. Yet, you still can mail your packages or letters there.
It would be a shame if they did close it down, but how much does the USPS spend on it per year on insurance and maintenance of the building and the hourly wage of the single man who works there?

 

[SHOZ]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
The problems with USPS is they charge too little for first class mail, just think about for 49 cents you can have a mail delivered to Hawaii from Main or Florida within 2-3 days. How much Fedex, UPS ... will charge for that 1/2 oz mail ?

Small box up to 2-3 lbs can be shipped across the country in 2-3 days for $5-6 via USPS priority mail, can UPS and Fedex do that for same cost ?


The USPS does not have shareholders to pay dividends to.

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: bmod305
Think about this:

A business starting in the 1700's and exclusively delivers to every single American address allows two new start up companies UPS(1975) and FDX(1971) to do what they have been doing for 200+ years and do it better. The name of the business....USPS. Got to love government; so efficient.


Dave


Do you believe all factions of the federal gov are inefficient?

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
The problems with USPS is they charge too little for first class mail, just think about for 49 cents you can have a mail delivered to Hawaii from Main or Florida within 2-3 days. How much Fedex, UPS ... will charge for that 1/2 oz mail ?

Small box up to 2-3 lbs can be shipped across the country in 2-3 days for $5-6 via USPS priority mail, can UPS and Fedex do that for same cost ?


Are you kidding? I shipped a football with UPS, the least expensive method of shipment was $25...for a stinkin football!