USPS is a cluster $#@%.

[Angel Oracle]

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/postal-moving-away-door-delivery-100900265.html

 

And just how do they expect the disabled and elderly to get to those community boxes?

And just how safe is a community box where theives are going through them?

[Catwhoshatinthehat]

So I'm guessing communities pay for these cluster boxes?  Anyways I'd be fine if they cut down mail to 3 days a week.  Spread it out and deliver mail Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  Get rid of all the recycled junk mail and that would cut down on trips to a lot of people's houses.  No actual mail then no need to stop by and also less crap the mail person has to try and cram into boxes. Some days all I get is junk mail that goes right into the trash.  If they go with cluster boxes it's not the end of the world but obviously it's harder on the elderly and where weather is more of a factor during the winter.  Just seems like there's other places they could cut costs first but do whatever you need to do to keep afloat. 

[gotbeer]

Community box's have been around for years.  Especially in newer neighborhoods.  So I can see why they'd want to go this direction.  It would take some adjusting, but taking a walk is good for you.

[Glen]

Community box's have been around for years.  Especially in newer neighborhoods.  So I can see why they'd want to go this direction.  It would take some adjusting, but taking a walk is good for you.

 

 

Most people would just ride their Rascal to get the mail.  Walking is for communists.

[Eric]

This all stems from the 109th (2005-2006) Congress and Bill H.R. 6407 passed by Unanimous Consent and signed into law by the President.

 

In other words, ****ing Obama.

[gotbeer]

Most people would just ride their Rascal to get the mail.  Walking is for communists.

 

Yeah, when I've visited those communities that have community mailboxes, I laughed when I saw someone pull out of his driveway in his car, down 3 houses to the mailbox, get his mail, then drive back.  

 

I threw some yard clippings on the driveway to get a reaction.

[Aaronkv]

I'd be fine with every 3 days for Residential. They Could even cut the carrier force in half if they did it kind of like trash pickup. cut cities in half, one half gets Monday, Wednesday and Friday the other half gets Tues, Thurs, Sat. Then alternate that every week so one side isn't stuck on 2 business days every week.

 

Have businesses pay a fee to have a mail carrier come everyday if they want.

 

Probably way too confusing for them though.

[Lhalo]

I wouldn't mind if they completely shut down the USPS. Private companies could take it's place for less cost and probably do a better job.

[CaliAngel]

^Can't say I disagree.

 

USPS is practically bankrupt, and they're a poorly run Federal business just like anything else the government tries to run.

 

2 people working the office at 4pm on a Friday and the line is out the door. The line moves so slow they can't have a high through-put per hour. Prices to ship are higher than ever. And the only solution USPS can come up with is one that makes getting the mail even more inconvienient for their customers. One big headache after another.

[2002_halos_II]

Don't see what the big deal is. Newer communities (actually post 1980) already do  this  plus anyone who lives in attached housing (apt/condo) have one or two central cluster boxes, depending on size of community. You need your key to open them.

 

My parent's house was so old they actually had their mailbox next to the front porch,  not on the curb.

 

Course this is from my limited experience in CA 

[gotbeer]

I wouldn't mind if they completely shut down the USPS. Private companies could take it's place for less cost and probably do a better job.

 

I have to disagree.  They do letters very well, and much cheaper than any private company can do it.  

 

IMO, their biggest problem is they are trying to compete with the companies in packages.  If they rented out their package delivery services, they could get out of the red quickly.  

[Lhalo]

I have to disagree.  They do letters very well, and much cheaper than any private company can do it.  

In my best Mr. Wicked voice: "Print is dead."

[mrwicked]

they need to add those fun chutes they use in warehouses to get the mail from the cluster to each door.

that'd be sweet.

[mrwicked]

In my best Mr. Wicked voice: "Print is dead."

 

ha. very well done sir.

[Taylor]

This is how mail is delivered in our neighborhood. Every residence has a key that unlocks their mailbox.

 

My question is, how the F does it cost $353 every time a mailman stops at a person's door?

[deepdrive]

This is how mail is delivered in our neighborhood. Every residence has a key that unlocks their mailbox.

 

My question is, how the F does it cost $353 every time a mailman stops at a person's door?

 

I think that's the cost for a year of delivery.

[2002_halos_II]

This is how mail is delivered in our neighborhood. Every residence has a key that unlocks their mailbox.

 

My question is, how the F does it cost $353 every time a mailman stops at a person's door?

Emergency hospital visit after the dog bolts through the screen door and attacks the carrier.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

Get rid of all the recycled junk mail and that would cut down on trips to a lot of people's houses.  No actual mail then no need to stop by and also less crap the mail person has to try and cram into boxes. Some days all I get is junk mail that goes right into the trash.

 

A friend who retired from the US Postal Service told me that junk mail is a major source of revenue for them. Without it they might go completely under, so don't look for it to disappear anytime soon. When you think about it, so much of what used to be legitimate mail is now e-mail and .pdf documents that without the garbage the USPS wouldn't have much to do.

[Kenny]

I grew up in Moreno Valley, and most neighborhoods out there have a community box for every dozen or so houses.  It seems like a pretty logical move.  I feel I've become spoiled when I moved back to Orange County, and have a mailbox on my porch.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

I grew up in Moreno Valley, and most neighborhoods out there have a community box for every dozen or so houses.  It seems like a pretty logical move.  I feel I've become spoiled when I moved back to Orange County, and have a mailbox on my porch.

 

My neighborhood was built with cluster boxes in place. We have quite a few retirees living here, and I haven't seen a single one of them die on the way to the box.

[arch stanton]

Delivering mail is the agency's largest fixed cost 

This is a great quote.

[mp170.6]

^Can't say I disagree.

 

USPS is practically bankrupt, and they're a poorly run Federal business just like anything else the government tries to run.

 

2 people working the office at 4pm on a Friday and the line is out the door. The line moves so slow they can't have a high through-put per hour. Prices to ship are higher than ever. And the only solution USPS can come up with is one that makes getting the mail even more inconvienient for their customers. One big headache after another.

 

The whole counter model is deeply flawed as well.  The window clerks are making about $55,000 each plus benefits.  I think that comes out to $27/hour in wages alone.  Add in benefits and retirement and the total wage is probably around $40/hour. 

 

At most post offices around the country, the clerks don't even come close to selling enough postage to cover their own wages. 

[mp170.6]

I have to disagree.  They do letters very well, and much cheaper than any private company can do it.  

 

IMO, their biggest problem is they are trying to compete with the companies in packages.  If they rented out their package delivery services, they could get out of the red quickly.  

 

I've heard that Priority Mail package revenue is actually improving their bottom line, not the other way around.  They're still screwed regardless but the packages seem to be a glimmer of hope.  What drives me crazy about USPS is how they've avoided all kinds of revenue opportunities over the years that might have prevented their current predicament.

 

Why do gas, electric, and water utilities have meter readers?  The mailman comes to our homes about 26 times every month.  There's no reason they couldn't take the meter readings at a substantial cost savings to the utility company while at the same time bring in more revenue for USPS.

 

Why doesn't USPS handle the final delivery for all non-priority FedEx, UPS, and OnTrac ground packages?  Only in recent years have they started doing this (for a very small number of packages) but the service times are horrible.  USPS often sits on them for several days. There's no reason for that. 

 

Why doesn't USPS handle local deliveries of other types, like same-day florist, medical supplies, food to the elderly/disabled, etc?  There ought to be ways to drop stuff off at specific post offices presorted such that the items can be handed off to the mail carrier for delivery without additional sorting. 

[nate]

Their package prices are not competitive at all, that is the biggest problem.  You would think that a company with this kind of infrastructure could do a better job.

[katie]

My parents' mailbox is on the street, and the mailman has told them that if there's a car anywhere near it and he can't pull up to it he won't deliver the mail.

I don't know what that has to do with anything.

Thanks.