quote:

USPS receives them all Thursday, and delivers them over a 3-day period instead of 1-day.

It's 3rd class mail.

My friend just went too northern Alabama (?) to work because Amazon has no delivery system there.
I haven't seen an Amazon blue truck in a while, I only see white "delivery vehicle".

I was behind a USPS van at 7 pm last Friday. It turned in a subdivision entrance. Surely Amazon packages. A coworker had an Amazon order at his door in three hours but it’s a week to mail an envelope 50 miles.

quote:

If USPS loses Amazon will we have to bail them out?

I don't think Amazon needs bailing out.

Not that USPS doesn't have inefficiencies, far from it, but why is it the only government agency expected to turn a profit? No other agency does, except the IRS which is in charge of tax/revenue collection, and even that is arguable. Are police, fire or highway departments for profit? They are necessary expenditures, and so is USPS.

quote:

Originally posted by corsair:

The only people I've ever seen in line at the Post Office, were older than 60-years of age. For the time being, I can see USPS surviving for at least another decade given that the majority of users are of an older generation however we know that day is coming soon to close doors.

At my post office it is mostly foreigners

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:

quote:

If USPS loses Amazon will we have to bail them out?

I don't think Amazon needs bailing out.

Not that USPS doesn't have inefficiencies, far from it, but why is it the only government agency expected to turn a profit? No other agency does, except the IRS which is in charge of tax/revenue collection, and even that is arguable. Are police, fire or highway departments for profit? They are necessary expenditures, and so is USPS.

I would like for them to be self sustaining AND provide good service. They are neither and a waste of money. The money wasted might not be so bad if they provided good service.

An example, my local PO has had mail stolen from the drop box for over a year now. It is obviously an employee but they have yet to stop it. Not to mention how mail carriers cannot seem to match the name on the letter with the mail box. 28 year now of my neighbors getting my mail and me getting theirs. There are many more stories.

quote:

why is it the only government agency expected to turn a profit?

They are self funded. No taxpayer money is given to them to sustain operations. Or supposedly anyhow.

quote:

Originally posted by mrvmax:

An example, my local PO has had mail stolen from the drop box for over a year now. It is obviously an employee but they have yet to stop it. Not to mention how mail carriers cannot seem to match the name on the letter with the mail box. 28 year now of my neighbors getting my mail and me getting theirs. There are many more stories.

Happens more often than we hear, google it and you get page after page.

This was on the radio the other day.... since she carried the mail she knew what was in an envelope, credit card, checks, so she started stealing, one, then another, and she got hooked. They put a camera inside the PO Truck and filmed her doing it. Welcome to jailtime population her.....



Link Carson Woman and Former U.S. Postal Service Employee Sentenced to More Than 5 Years in Federal Prison for Stealing Checks and Credit Cards from Mail

Just to say I know several PO employees, we have some here, my wife's Aunt retired as the head postmaster in WV. There are a lot of good employees there who do work hard to make things run, and by the book, there is employee theft everywhere, from paper and pens to cash.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
The USPS can't just "go under". It's only one of like 2-3 things specifically spelled out in the United States Constitution that it's the government's job to provide to the people.

quote:

Key Constitutional Basis

The Postal Clause: Article I, Section 8, Clause 7 gives Congress the power "To establish Post Offices and post Roads".

Well, yes... the "power" "To establish Post Offices ... but not the obligation. So, it's NOT the government's Constitutional obligation to provide this service to the people. But it's so ingrained, it would be hard to privatize it.

Understanding the Constitution's Postal Clause

SCOTUS observed that Congress did not have to operate a postal system, but since it does, it is bound to observe constitutional limits. The Court also addressed Congressional attempts to use its postal powers in other areas of the law.

https://constitution.findlaw.c...e1/annotation38.html

quote:

If USPS loses Amazon will we have to bail them out?

Amazon does not use the USPS for delivery out of the goodness of their heart. They only do it because and for as long as it benefits Amazon. As a taxpayer, I'm opposed to this relationship because the USPS is subsidized by taxpayers, which in this case benefits Amazon. I don't think I should be forced to provide a benefit to Amazon.

^^^ Amazon doesn't pay USPS?

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
^^^ Amazon doesn't pay USPS?

Yes, of course they do. But on favorable terms to Amazon. They wouldn't use the USPS unless it was cheaper for them to do so.

My point is, that if the USPS wants to be a contract delivery service for private companies, it ought not receive any taxpayer subsidies.

If the USPS is privatized (and no longer subsidized by taxpayers), then they can do whatever they want.

quote:

because the USPS is subsidized by taxpayers,

Everything I find says they are self funded from revenue generated by moving the mail for customers. No taxpayer subsidies. However I would not be surprised to learn there is some back door taxpayer money being funneled into it.

quote:

Everything I find says they are self funded from revenue generated by moving the mail for customers. No taxpayer subsidies.

That's the "official" line...

The Postal Service is generally funded by ratepayers (customers who pay for its services), rather than taxpayers. Congress did, however, authorize taxpayer-funded support for the Postal Service in the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022.
https://prc.gov/state-of-the-postal-service

Taxpayer funds come to the U.S. Postal Service’s rescue
For years the United States Postal Service has added the following statement to most of its news releases, “The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.”

Recently it has become increasingly evident that the self-financed federal agency might have to modify that claim.

Two actions make clear that the financially troubled USPS is having to turn to taxpayer resources to reduce its sea of red ink.

First, on April 9, President Joe Biden’s administration threw its support behind funneling more tax dollars to fund the agency’s new next generation mail delivery fleet.

Second, the Postal Service acknowledged on April 2 that it has accepted $8.64 billion of taxpayer funds to offset some of its losses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Both steps seem to reflect the reality that the USPS cannot make it on its own without taxpayer support.
https://www.linns.com/news/pos...tal-service-s-rescue

American taxpayers give an $18 billion gift to the post office every year
https://fortune.com/2015/03/27/us-postal-service/


The U.S. Postal Service's Insatiable Appetite for Taxpayers Dollars
https://www.realclearpolicy.co..._dollars_838732.html

I just ended up cancelling several Amazon orders because they were going to take 10-11 days to deliver. Ridiculous! I'll just buy the stuff locally even though it costs a bit more.

USPS strikes again!

quote:

Originally posted by bronicabill:
I just ended up cancelling several Amazon orders because they were going to take 10-11 days to deliver. Ridiculous! I'll just buy the stuff locally even though it costs a bit more.

USPS strikes again!

Oh please.

How do you know the Post Office has anything to do with when it is expected for your items to be delivered? Also, the Post Office isn't the only deliverer of Amazon packages. I usually get their own drivers for my deliveries. Also, items that are not sold by Amazon, but by 3rd parties can also take longer. I really get tired of all this bullshit Post Office hate. Having said that, there are situations where the Post Office could, and should, do better. This isn't one of them.

quote:

Originally posted by Ogie:

quote:

Originally posted by bronicabill:
I just ended up cancelling several Amazon orders because they were going to take 10-11 days to deliver. Ridiculous! I'll just buy the stuff locally even though it costs a bit more.

USPS strikes again!

Oh please.

How do you know the Post Office has anything to do with when it is expected for your items to be delivered? Also, the Post Office isn't the only deliverer of Amazon packages. I usually get their own drivers for my deliveries. Also, items that are not sold by Amazon, but by 3rd parties can also take longer. I really get tired of all this bullshit Post Office hate. Having said that, there are situations where the Post Office could, and should, do better. This isn't one of them.

So how long have you been working for USPS? Has it improved or gotten worse over your time there? When will it be self sustaining like it was intended to be?

quote:

Originally posted by Ogie:

quote:

Originally posted by bronicabill:
I just ended up cancelling several Amazon orders because they were going to take 10-11 days to deliver. Ridiculous! I'll just buy the stuff locally even though it costs a bit more.

USPS strikes again!

Oh please.

How do you know the Post Office has anything to do with when it is expected for your items to be delivered? Also, the Post Office isn't the only deliverer of Amazon packages. I usually get their own drivers for my deliveries. Also, items that are not sold by Amazon, but by 3rd parties can also take longer. I really get tired of all this bullshit Post Office hate. Having said that, there are situations where the Post Office could, and should, do better. This isn't one of them.

"Oh Please" yourself! Everything from Amazon that I receive is delivered by USPS. Everything that I ordered is Amazon-branded product, and until recently would arrive in about 3 days.

According to our tiny town post master,
Amazon gets such a smoking hot deal,
it wouldn't make a huge impact.

If anything , the delivery people would be
relieved, they consider it a p.i.t.a.


But no our p.o. wouldn't be shutting down any time
soon.

quote:

Originally posted by mrvmax:

quote:

Originally posted by Ogie:

quote:

Originally posted by bronicabill:
I just ended up cancelling several Amazon orders because they were going to take 10-11 days to deliver. Ridiculous! I'll just buy the stuff locally even though it costs a bit more.

USPS strikes again!

Oh please.

How do you know the Post Office has anything to do with when it is expected for your items to be delivered? Also, the Post Office isn't the only deliverer of Amazon packages. I usually get their own drivers for my deliveries. Also, items that are not sold by Amazon, but by 3rd parties can also take longer. I really get tired of all this bullshit Post Office hate. Having said that, there are situations where the Post Office could, and should, do better. This isn't one of them.

So how long have you been working for USPS? Has it improved or gotten worse over your time there? When will it be self sustaining like it was intended to be?

I retired from there 21 years ago. I was employed there for 38 years the last 25 of which was as a Postmaster in a medium sized office(level 20). Included in that time were details to higher level positions in the state and adjoining state. Over time it changed, not necessarily for the worse, just different with more stress added to the everyday workload for all the employees. It was never intended to be self sustaining. How do you send a piece of mail to Alaska or even on the other side of the country for the price of a stamp? Is the military self sustaining? And yet on this forum I often hear fairy tales about how bad the Post Office is. I also hear some stories that ring true and that could and should be improved. Obviously, since I have been retired, I don't have the same input I did years ago but I still know, in general, what is going on. One of the things that has bothered me lately is the change in dispatch times for outgoing mail. If your local office is more than 50 miles away from a distribution center, any mail you deposit in a collection box, at the Post Office, or with your mail carrier, does not leave your office until the next morning. How that improves service is a mystery to me. Would service improve if the Postal Service was privatized? Shit no.

Rural American depends on postal services, although digital billing and payments have probably eaten into a large part of revenue for the USPS.

It's a big organization with lots of rules, union and obstacles to overcome, not unlike other businesses.

For the most part my interaction with the local PO which is daily for my business has been good.