What if the U.S. govn't permanently got rid of the U.S. Post Service?

I read on-line that, "The struggling U.S. Postal Service on Thursday reported an annual loss of a record $15.9 billion and forecast more red ink in 2013." What do you think would happen if the U.S. govn't permanently got rid of the U.S. Post Service?

 

Re: What if the U.S. govn't permanently got rid of the U.S. Post Servi

The presidents of UPS and FedEx would spray their shorts?

 

Re: What if the U.S. govn't permanently got rid of the U.S. Post Servi

I don't see the USPS going away entirely. I do, however, think it may cut back delivery to weekdays only, or even every other weekday. That would help people who can't afford to go paperless (i.e. they don't have Internet access).

 

Re: What if the U.S. govn't permanently got rid of the U.S. Post Servi

Are the majority of Job applications in America done online then, rather than the traditional resume/cover letter sent via post?

 

Re: What if the U.S. govn't permanently got rid of the U.S. Post Servi

No one mails in resumes. You do them online or just go in person.

 

Re: What if the U.S. govn't permanently got rid of the U.S. Post Servi

^Many of my job applications had to be mailed in, including resumes. Some of the potential employers wanted a hardcopy...

 

Re: What if the U.S. govn't permanently got rid of the U.S. Post Servi

I think UPS, FedEx, Walmart (Yes... they are rumored to be interested handling mail, at least in serving as "post offices") would quickly jump in to fill the void of a collapse of the Postal Service that some members of Congress have put into play (and don't think there would be kickbacks for them!).


The Postal Service has been charged with creating and putting aside money to fund the projected benefits of their employees over the next 70 years. And they've been forced to do this in 10 years. What business do you know that could operate this way and stay afloat? No wonder they are "losing money". Some congress members want to force the Postal Service out of business so that the business be taken over by private business people.

In that case, all you folks in rural areas can look forward to your rates going up to cover the additional effort needed to get the mail out and around to you. Ben Franklin set up the Post Office and I think it should stay working as it does, but with having this crippling financial burden weighing it down.

 

Re: What if the U.S. govn't permanently got rid of the U.S. Post Servi

^ Walmart? Yeesh. If they end up taking over the postal service, I fear for what might happen...

 

Re: What if the U.S. govn't permanently got rid of the U.S. Post Servi

I'd have to check, but doesn't the constitution require the federal government to have a post office? This could be changed with some difficulty.

Story goes that years ago FedX and UPS were interesrtted in taking over letter delivery, basically each handling half the country and interfacing with each other. At some point they were told they would have to assume the pension and benefits for the USPS employees, that broke the deal.

Why destroy your company from day one?

 

Re: What if the U.S. govn't permanently got rid of the U.S. Post Servi

The Postal Clause doesn't require the government to have a post office, just authorizes it to create one.

 

Re: What if the U.S. govn't permanently got rid of the U.S. Post Servi

the postal services are going broke because people don't need them anymore. So not much would happen.

Canada post went on strike last year. No one noticed.

 

Re: What if the U.S. govn't permanently got rid of the U.S. Post Servi

That seems down right antiquated. Some peculiarity of the industry you work in?

 

Re: What if the U.S. govn't permanently got rid of the U.S. Post Servi

If the USPS stopped receiving any federal money, does anyone know about how much postage would have to be for the post office to continue?

Operating costs, benefits, pensions, etc.?

 

Re: What if the U.S. govn't permanently got rid of the U.S. Post Servi

Education....

Probably because emails can be missed if they get a lot of emails, and faxes can get lost easily.

It probably depends on the school system and how they process applications. Most schools require applicants go through the state (or county or city) system while others can be filled out on the computer and emailed over. Some prefer to have it mailed over. It may also depend on the person processing the applications. They may be terrible with emails and prefer to have the applications in packets in his or her mailbox at the office.

 

Re: What if the U.S. govn't permanently got rid of the U.S. Post Servi

If run like a real business, rather than a government agency, it would no doubt be more efficient & cost effective.

Unfortunately, "more efficient" translates into crappy customer service, which is actually not much different than a government agency.


As bad a rep as the USPS gets, and sometimes deserves, I can't imagine not having it for residential deliveries, especially living in an apartment building.

Both UPS & FedEx commonly leave parcels in the hallway, without ever ringing the buzzer or knocking on the door.

They manage to get in the building by way of someone else, I imagine.

And as nice as this complex is, there's always some piece of s4it that will help themselves to anything left in the hallway.

 

Re: What if the U.S. govn't permanently got rid of the U.S. Post Servi

With the exception of loans and some small subsidies to help pay for disabled services and overseas shipping (regular companies get loans and subsidies too), the USPS is a financially independent agency and doesn't get any money from taxpayers. So, the USPS not receiving federal money is a moot point.

It is run like a real business, just a much more extremely regulated one, for good reason. And like you say, you wouldn't want it to be deregulated because by law the USPS is required to provide uniform pricing and availability of services regardless of location. If it were run like FedEx or UPS, people in Bumfuck, Alaska or Guam couldn't send a letter with a .46 cent stamp just like people anywhere else in the country and wouldn't have access to all the same USPS services.

 

Re: What if the U.S. govn't permanently got rid of the U.S. Post Servi

I applied for some jobs over the past few weeks: retail, a couple of "cyber commute/work at home", and one out of state. With the exception of the retail job, all of them wanted me to mail in a hardcopy resume when we got to the point of talking background checks.

Well UPS and FedEx will cash in big that's for sure. Places like Mailbox Etc. and UPS Stores will take off and you might see more competition in those. I have a UPS box at the local business-center: Fax number, 24/7 mail pick up, and I can get a "apt. style" mailing address for just over $20 a year. I pay less in shipping and I don't have to worry about it packages getting chucked in the drive-way when I'm not at home--I'm looking at your postal carrier that decided that just tossing a Amazon order of DVD's in a rain-soaked driveway two summers ago was a good ideal.

 

Re: What if the U.S. govn't permanently got rid of the U.S. Post Servi

^ Eh, I think that just comes down to the laziness of the delivery person rather than any systemic problem. I've had UPS or FedEx deliveries where they just tossed a piece of delicate computer hardware over the fence of my back patio while I was home to answer the door or left a package sitting out in the open without making sure someone was home to receive it first.

 

Re: What if the U.S. govn't permanently got rid of the U.S. Post Servi

Would be less annoyed with it, if after I reported it to the post office the carrier hadn't acted like a child and for the better part of a week just tossed my mail in the ditch at the box. And when I reported that, with pictures, the supervisor said I was making up stuff to get the woman fired and that he believed the carrier. I moved my mail to a UPS box and haven't had to deal with her since.