[tommyman]

Originally Posted by shaw8700@outlook.com

Could we get by with only getting mail twice a week? Denmark is closing their mail service entirely at the end of this year. Other than the carriers losing their jobs what else would we lose?

A few years ago the Post Master General tried to eliminate mail delivery on Saturdays. He could not get this accomplished because the union simply refused. The post office looses billions of dollars, but this very simple cost cutting measure could not be executed because of old and outdated agreements. This seems like the first and easiest step in cutting cost for USPS.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

Put your money where your mouth is and send that letter, birthday card, or gift card via UPS at $8 each. You might also be able to get your monthly magazines delivered by UPS at a small additional charge of $100/year.

Part of the debate over the profitability of the USPS is the control the Govt has over it. The claim is that Congress does not allow it to be run as a business and perhaps it would be more profitable if Congress got out of the way. On the other hand, perhaps you prefer putting a 60 cent stamp on a letter and dropping it in your mailbox or at the nearby postal station rather than driving to a UPS store and waiting in line to pay $8.

I hope you are not claiming that it is more convenient to use USPS than UPS, and that the lines are shorter at USPS than at UPS. Yes, USPS is cheaper because they lost $9.5 billion last year.

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

I hope you are not claiming that it is more convenient to use USPS than UPS, and that the lines are shorter at USPS than at UPS. Yes, USPS is cheaper because they lost $9.5 billion last year.

It is FAR more convenient to use USPS than UPS and while I once encountered a line at USPS I don't believe I have ever NOT encountered a line at UPS. So I guess, yes, that is what I am claiming.

The $9.5B is part of the debate. If the USPS was ALLOWED to run as a business and not burdened by Congressional mandates then it might not have the $9.5B loss.

[bruce213]

To the person that passed that gov employees can make more in retirement then while working, it's not like the new hire strong armed the gov into a great contract. Like most jobs the bosses control work and retirement conditions. That deal was out there for anyone interested. Don't be ****ed at the employees.

[tophcfa]

Originally Posted by shaw8700@outlook.com

Could we get by with only getting mail twice a week? Denmark is closing their mail service entirely at the end of this year. Other than the carriers losing their jobs what else would we lose?

Not a good idea in the USA unless a law is passed forcing internet providers to run broadband or fiber optic to all rural areas (Like the Telecommunications Act of 1934 did with telephone landline service). The digital divide is already severely disadvantaging folks living in places with no high speed internet available. Most of those areas also don’t have good cellular service and their internet option is limited to slow, expensive, weather sensitive, and data capped satellite service.

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

Not a good idea in the USA unless a law is passed forcing internet providers to run broadband or fiber optic to all rural areas (Like the Telecommunications Act of 1934 did with telephone landline service). The digital divide is already severely disadvantaging folks living in places with no high speed internet available. Most of those areas also don’t have good cellular service and their internet option is limited to slow, expensive, weather sensitive, and data capped satellite service.

The Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program (BEAD) encourages deployment to rural areas though doesn't require it. That program has been in the news lately.

[HORNET]

I get needed mail almost daily

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

It is FAR more convenient to use USPS than UPS and while I once encountered a line at USPS I don't believe I have ever NOT encountered a line at UPS. So I guess, yes, that is what I am claiming.

The $9.5B is part of the debate. If the USPS was ALLOWED to run as a business and not burdened by Congressional mandates then it might not have the $9.5B loss.

USPS is not more convenient than UPS. There are plenty of UPS drop boxes and other locations where you can send a letter or package without waiting in line.

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by bruce213

To the person that passed that gov employees can make more in retirement then while working, it's not like the new hire strong armed the gov into a great contract. Like most jobs the bosses control work and retirement conditions. That deal was out there for anyone interested. Don't be ****ed at the employees.

As a prior govt employee, I sure would like to know how to get more in retirement than I earned as an employee.
- Under CSRS a retiree would receive 80% of his salary (20% less than what he earned)
- Under FERS a retiree would receive 1% of his salary for each year he worked (typically 40% and less than what he earned unless he had 100 years in). However, FERS also includes Social Security which might amount to 20% for a combined total of 60%.

CSRS employees were just handed a gift where some can now collect Social Security payments but even that isn't likely to push them past 100% of what they earned as en employee.

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

USPS is not more convenient than UPS. There are plenty of UPS drop boxes and other locations where you can send a letter or package without waiting in line.

I know you don't want to accept it but...
- I used to have a USPS drop box at the end of my driveway
- I now have a community USPS drop box within 1/4 mile of my home and I pass many others as I drive through the Villages
- To use the USPS drop box I need to buy an envelope at my local grocery store
- To use the USPS drop box I need to apply a stamp that I can purchase at the grocery store

- I have seen a UPS drop box but I can't remember which city it was in
- I have no idea where to find a UPS drop box around the Villages
- To use a UPS drop box I would have to find an appropriate box, maybe I can find one at the grocery store.
- To use a UPS drop box I would have to pay for postage and print a label which is fine if I happen to have a working printer.
-

[CybrSage]

How would they digitally send me my prescriptions?

[CybrSage]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

I
- I have no idea where to find a UPS drop box around the Villages
- To use a UPS drop box I would have to find an appropriate box, maybe I can find one at the grocery store.
- To use a UPS drop box I would have to pay for postage and print a label which is fine if I happen to have a working printer.
-

SafeShip in Magnolia Plaza handles USPS, UPS, and FedEx. Maybe DHL also, not sure.

[Markus]

Originally Posted by shaw8700@outlook.com

Could we get by with only getting mail twice a week? Denmark is closing their mail service entirely at the end of this year. Other than the carriers losing their jobs what else would we lose?

With the amount of packages people get via Internet shopping they would not have enough time or space in the delivery truck to deliver them.

[Markus]

Originally Posted by bmcgowan13

Until 1950, mail delivery was twice a day!

I’ve always wondered why we didn’t switch to three times a week. Half the town getting mail on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and then the other half on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Not unlike rubbish pickup rotation.

From my couch-bound perspective, it seems like a straightforward idea, but I’m sure there are more complex factors I’m not addressing..

What do businesses need?

with the amount of things people order online they would not have enough time or space on their trucks to deliver everything. Think of this. Our mail stations have only so many mail boxes for packages. If you change delivery of packages to 2 days a week vs 6 days a week the amount of packages will far exceed the mail boxes to put them in. What do you do with all of the packages people are to get when you cannot deliver them?

[Markus]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

Dam, all the postal areas in the Villages can be converted into dog parks : )

How are you going to get items you order on the Internet then if you eliminate the mail stations?