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CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – New changes at the United States Postal Service (USPS) are set to begin on Tuesday.

The cost-saving measures aim to save $36 billion in the next decade, however the USPS says they’ll be able to preserve delivery times and give people more information on when they can expect their packages. This comes as part of the “Delivering for America” 10-year plan to modernize the postal network, achieve financial sustainability, and improve service quality across all mail and shipping categories.

The USPS says they’re streamlining networks, cutting work hours, and closing unnecessary facilities. While these changes are meant to be cost-saving and efficient, 22News spoke with one Chicopee resident who said these changes often hurt the people at the bottom.

“I’m not happy with how things are right now, but then again, change is inevitable,” said Michael Memnaugh. “It’s funny how the little guy always puts up with the most sacrifice.”

The Postal Regulatory Commission says the service is downplaying the effects these cuts could have, and they jeopardize the reliability of the USPS especially in rural communities like western Massachusetts.

They cite that 49.5% of zip code pairs will experience downgraded services for single-piece first-class mail, because the postal service “currently lacks a system” to accurately measure service performance at the five-digit level, as current standards are based on three-digit zip code pairs.

However, the USPS has stated “the majority of mail and package volume, including those destined to rural communities, originates in zip codes that are within 50 miles of a regional processing and distribution center”, and therefore can be processed more quickly.

Customers may consult USPS resources to understand expected delivery times for their mail. This is only the first phase of implementation, with the next phase taking place on July 1.

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but doesn't use 5 (or 9) digit codes?

I believe they are just saying their antiquated data systems can't measure performance at that granular a level, not that they aren't using the +4 in routing of mail pieces.

You sure that wasn’t an April Fools joke being played. But then again, the USPS is a permanent April Fools Joke of a governmental operation.

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the postal service “currently lacks a system” to accurately measure service performance

That's not a shock, as they currently lack a system to consistently even cancel stamped mail reliably. Over half my stamped mail - first class, large, small, postcards, non-profit, you name it - they don't even bother having cancelled.

Makes sense, George, thanks.

I would hope that they introduce an actual effective tracking.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by ChuckFinley:

I would hope that they introduce an actual effective tracking.[/QUOTE

Tracking a package is entertaining. For example:
Package shipped in from Indiana, small padded envelope.

Arrives in the Brownstown Twp. Michigan facility. Then sent to Detroit. From Detroit to Grand Rapids. From Grand Rapids Mi.and back to Detroit. From Detroit to Lansing Mi. And from there to the final destination approximately mid way between Detroit and Lansing.

Best part of this, the Detroit/Grand Rapids/Detroit/Lansing/ to here because all these cities are along the Interstate 96 corridor the package passed by here three times before arriving at the local P.O., a total of 3.5 trips.

We’ve all been around long enough that we’ve heard this song and dance many times and the result is a further downgrade in performance.

I’m not sure if it’s possible or not but Doge needs to go in and cut the fat out, or just subcontract it all to Amazon and we’ll get our junk mail in just 2 days…

Simples!

This is shitspeak saying the new and disproved postal system will copy 30268 in Palmetto and everybody gets their mail with electric doodads to save the world.

Boooo!

The problem is and has always been Congress. Congress is all for modernizing and streamlining the Post Office provided it does not adversely impact their own constituents. Well, you can't have you cake and eat it too.

I am all for subsidizing mail delivery, phone service and air carrier service to rural areas of the United States because those subsidized services make those rural areas (which tend to be reliably conservative) economically viable.

Let the Post Office run as a business and don't saddle it with a bunch of regulations. If Congress wants the Post Office to do more, then Congress needs to appropriate the funds to do it and not expect the Post Office to cover services that aren't profitable or at least revenue neutral.

I believe at one time, a specific 5 digit zip code was associated with a specific physical PO location, and that individual carriers worked exclusively at that PO. I'm sure that many here will remember having a consistent mail carrier you'd see every day who knew your dog and which kids went with what house.

That all changed when they went to "regional" POs that handled multiple zips. You can see how this might negate the value of the 5-D zip, so they added 4 digits for specific PO boxes and carrier routes. That dad-blasted public never got with the 5+4 program as 5-D was well-entrenched by that time.

For a while, the mail was routed to the neighborhood POs for final mile delivery, but then they started assigning carriers to the last mile PO on a demand/random/level-shifting basis so you don't know who'd come to your house on any one day. coincidentally (?) delivery accuracy went way down at that point. I am sure there was some union involvement in all these ill-considered decisions (from the PoV of the mail recipient anyway).

When I was a kid, a letter placed in your mailbox in the AM (there were two deliveries a day, except Sat. AM) would almost always be in the correct destination mailbox in the afternoon, or, if it looked important, be hand-delivered to the resident by the carrier.

To my way of thinking, a mostly-tax-supported Govt. entity should be managed to the best advantage of the tax payer, and all decisions made on their behalf should be to either improve service, or lower taxes by reducing costs. Instead the history of the USPS seems to indicate the opposite.

Yeah send it all to Amazon. Rural areas will be charged more money than the larger cities. How many Amazon trucks do you see in the rural areas? And I mean real rural areas? You see packages tied to the tops of the rural carriers vehicles. Big no no to to that to a USPS vehicle.go ahead get rid of the post office. Then watch the shipping rates skyrocket. Walmart would have a better chance at this than Amazon.