The USPS' sweeping plan, titled "Delivering for America," promises…..

A deliver slowdown to start

https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/29/politics/usps-mail-slowdown/index.html

OM

Generally speaking whenever Gov't names something- a law or a program- you can be pretty sure it will have the exact opposite effect from what the name implies.

rick601 said:

Generally speaking whenever Gov't names something- a law or a program- you can be pretty sure it will have the exact opposite effect from what the name implies.

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I don't generally agree. But in this case it is deliberate sabotage of the system.

PGlaves said:

I don't generally agree. But in this case it is deliberate sabotage of the system.

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Deliberate sabotage, the changes referenced above or other changes, care to share your thoughts? USPS has posted 69 billion dollars in losses over the last 11 years. According to an article in Forbes, they have costs of $1.15 for every $1.00 in revenue, I'd think something needs to be done.

jandhumphreyme said:

Deliberate sabotage, the changes referenced above or other changes, care to share your thoughts? USPS has posted 69 billion dollars in losses over the last 11 years. According to an article in Forbes, they have costs of $1.15 for every $1.00 in revenue, I'd think something needs to be done.

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If that dating is correct, the changes needed should have started around 10 years ago. It’s tough for old embedded institutions to recognize changes are needed as they keep thinking that the bright light gaining on them is sunshine and not a train (Amazon).
OM

My company and customers returning core parts generate well over $10,000 per year to the Post Office. I have had calls from them asking about how things are going....and I have spent as much as an hour on the phone with them. They listen well enough, but I have not seen any improvements.

Packages are the future of delivery. USPS is not well prepared for that. Shipping internationally I can ship a "flat rate" size box to Europe for around $85. Usually arrives 2-3 weeks later, which is much longer than they claim on their shipping sites. I can ship the same size box now via UPS to Europe for under $70 and it arrives in a few days. They really were interested in hearing about this. But no improvements in price or more importantly time.

I told them they need to charge more for the BS advertising crap you get in the mail. Oh No!, we make money on that I was told. I say BS as I have seen the rates. Letters no longer matter as there are none mailed. Certified is there, and needs to be able to make money. But in the end, it is packages. That is the future of delivery and profit.

I have found that USPS workers are not the problem. Sure, there are some mindless robots. But most of the time they are competent. I believe there are two problems. They need better and newer sorting equipment that can be close to fully automated. Only way to compete. Second, they are losing their butts on the delivery vehicles. If you knew how inefficient and old most of them are your eyes would bug out. They are too small ( see rant on package delivery) and require constant upkeep to stay running. Use LOTS of gas. Look what Amazon and UPS use to deliver. If there ever was a place for an electric delivery van...USPS is it.

USPS is like Airports to the United States. Both important to the economy, both eat up tax money. The USPS could be self sustainable in a few years, it will start with changes in the delivery vehicles.

The USPS is expected to operate as a private entity would do, but under rules developed and oversight performed by 535 people whose primary interest is keeping their constituents happy and staying in their elected offices. Attempts by the USPS to make changes to become more efficient can and are blocked by congress. This led to a "why bother" attitude by the leadership of the USPS. Once a year they get called to congress and get lectured about how poorly run the USPS and how they must do better, but they get the money they need without making the required changes. Self-serving oversight combined with poor leadership within the USPS got us where we are today. Real positive change is unlikely to take place anytime soon. After all, $69 billion over 11 years is not so much to spend to get some votes.

I ordered a BMWMOA license plate frame on September 4th.

Delivery, according to USPS, would be on the 8th.

It traveled all over the Northeast!

First, it spent two weeks in New Jersey at the Post Office.

Finally, it left NJ and from there it went to NYC, then back to NJ, then onward to Springfield, Mass.

Original delivery date was September 8th...It finally showed up on September 29th, three weeks late.

SPP

akbeemer said:

The USPS is expected to operate as a private entity would do, but under rules developed and oversight performed by 535 people whose primary interest is keeping their constituents happy and staying in their elected offices. Attempts by the USPS to make changes to become more efficient can and are blocked by congress. This led to a "why bother" attitude by the leadership of the USPS. Once a year they get called to congress and get lectured about how poorly run the USPS and how the must do better, but they get the money they need without making the required changes. Self-serving oversight combined with poor leadership within the USPS got us where we are today. Real positive change is unlikely to take place anytime soon. After all, $69 billion over 11 years is not so much to spend to get some votes.

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IMO, this is the main reason the USPS does not operate better. USPS used to make most of it’s money on first class mail; however, that has changed. The USPS has requested an increase in the First Class rates—denied by congress. They wanted to reduce the number of days they deliver mail residences (they wanted to drop Saturday delivery) since the amount of mail has decrease significantly—denied by congress. Congress dictates how much they can charge and the level of service; however, congress—as usual—is out of step with reality. As such, USPS is seen as out of touch with reality, poorly run, etc. While this is the case, it’s not USPS management that’s out of touch, but congress that’s out of touch. Until the USPS has control to make their own management and business decisions, I think the USPS will continue to have these problems.

As we make comparisons to Amazon, let’s not forget Amazon is funded by the stock market.
USPS has lots of management making it weird for the carriers isn’t helping the overall situation.
OM

slowpokepete said:

I ordered a BMWMOA license plate frame on September 4th.

Delivery, according to USPS, would be on the 8th.

It traveled all over the Northeast!

First, it spent two weeks in New Jersey at the Post Office.

Finally, it left NJ and from there it went to NYC, then back to NJ, then onward to Springfield, Mass.

Original delivery date was September 8th...It finally showed up on September 29th, three weeks late.

SPP

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USPS tracking is less than poor!

I had an Amazon ordered the was shown as delivered a week after I received it.

I think, at least for me I could get mail a couple times a week. 90% of it goes straight into the trash. Since I bought my new Ram pickup I get almost daily letters that remind me that I need to buy an extended warranty. Not only from Chrysler, but from every other warranty company too! They could pre bundle those for me and I could toss them once a week instead of every day!

Since I bought my new Ram pickup I get almost daily letters that remind me that I need to buy an extended warranty. Not only from Chrysler, but from every other warranty company too! They could pre bundle those for me and I could toss them once a week instead of every day!

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Next compounding problem- who sold that information to the marketing people?

OM

If I'm not mistaken, the USPS is actually written into the Constitution, and as such it's way at the bottom for funding (if any)...so bad thing. But I also have heard they are the best at getting to every nook and cranny of the country. That's why the likes of Amazon gets the Post Office to go the last mile in delivery...so that's a good thing.

Omega Man said:

Next compounding problem- who sold that information to the marketing people?

OM

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Oh, I am certain the dealer! or the finance company, Chrysler in this case. I suppose it is possible the state did when it was registered, but i am more inline to think the dealer the finance company. I probably signed it away in the 500 forms I glanced over and signed.

Back to the USPS, my brother in law was a mail carrier. He always commented it there was not junk mail he would be out of a job.

I find it hard to believe that junk mail advertising actually pays off for the company they pays for it, but I suppose it must. It is a rare day when I get junk mail I actually look at, and rarer when I spend any money because of it.

PoorUB said:

USPS tracking is less than poor!

I had an Amazon ordered the was shown as delivered a week after I received it.

I think, at least for me I could get mail a couple times a week. 90% of it goes straight into the trash. Since I bought my new Ram pickup I get almost daily letters that remind me that I need to buy an extended warranty. Not only from Chrysler, but from every other warranty company too! They could pre bundle those for me and I could toss them once a week instead of every day!

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Well now, you are making me feel very special, indeed! I am so special that I get personal phone calls several times a week in which a kind hearted person notifies me that my one year old Ridgeline's warranty is about to expire and encouraging me to protect my investment with an extended warranty. They are truly a proactive lot, given that my warranty has over six years remaining on its life.

akbeemer said:

Well now, you are making me feel very special, indeed! I am so special that I get personal phone calls several times a week in which a kind hearted person notifies me that my one year old Ridgeline's warranty is about to expire and encouraging me to protect my investment with an extended warranty. They are truly a proactive lot, given that my warranty has over six years remaining on its life.

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Debbie still gets extended warranty mail for her 2008 Chevy Malibu.

When I was buying my new Ram they kept pushing extended warranty on me. I had three different people try sell me a warranty. I finally told them I am not sure I am interested any longer, with all of you recommending a warranty I question the quality of the truck! You should have seen and heard all the stumbling and back peddling then! I just laughed and told them I know selling a extended warranty is very profitable to a dealer, but I am not going to buy one so you can quit asking!

I have been told buy a very reliable source that about half of the money you pay for a warranty with the dealer that sold it. $3,000 warranty? Dealer keeps roughly $1,500 and sends in the rest.

One point of view commonly held and propagated in the press -

In 2006, Congress passed a law that imposed extraordinary costs on the U.S. Postal Service. The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (PAEA) required the USPS to create a $72 billion fund to pay for the cost of its post-retirement health care costs, 75 years into the future. This burden applies to no other federal agency or private corporation.

If the costs of this retiree health care mandate were removed from the USPS financial statements, the Post Office would have reported operating profits in each of the last six years. This extraordinary mandate created a financial “crisis” that has been used to justify harmful service cuts and even calls for postal privatization. Additional cuts in service and privatization would be devastating for millions of postal workers and customers.

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How Congress Manufactured a Postal Crisis and How to Fix It/

And another point of view that explains some of the "Myths"

And all of this begs the question. No one is talking about the fact that retiree medical for the USPS is so high because its workers don’t (necessarily) participate in Medicare fully; instead, they may choose not to sign up for Medicare Part B, leaving the USPS to pay these costs instead. But if Congress wants to fix this aspect of the USPS’s financing woes, a shift to Medicare and a reduction in USPS retiree healthcare benefits and costs has surely got to be a key first step.

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Post Office pensions some key Myths and Facts

It looks to me like requiring the retired Postal Employees to participate in Medicare Part "B" might help the bottom line.

But WTF do I know?

bigjohnsd said:

One point of view commonly held and propagated in the press -



How Congress Manufactured a Postal Crisis and How to Fix It/

And another point of view that explains some of the "Myths"



Post Office pensions some key Myths and Facts

It looks to me like requiring the retired Postal Employees to participate in Medicare Part "B" might help the bottom line.

But WTF do I know?

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Good info thanks for posting.

bigjohnsd said:

But WTF do I know?

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I am somewhat in the same boat, and only have this data point to offer. While I was finishing my EU tour last month, parked at KnopfTours, another rider (on a really sweet airhead, and an MOA member) was describing his work for the Post office (I thought he was retired, he looked old enough). He described all the benefits and pay he receveived by saying “dude, I am killing it!”

He was not a letter carrier, he was a person who operated/managed one of the POs big sorting machines.