USPS ends Saturday delivery (as of August)

Flying Spaghetti Monster · February 6 2013, 02:42 PM

here

This will start in August and will not affect packages.

But I hope it's not a harbinger of the decline of something that I believe is essential to our country.

Kirby · February 6 2013, 02:53 PM

No big deal for me personally, since I mostly just get junk mail through USPS. Most of my bills and other important documents come electronically, and since our nieghborhood has locked mailboxes in a central location, I normally don't even pick up my Saturday mail until Monday night.I can see how it could be a problem for others though.

Squiggy · February 6 2013, 02:57 PM

Getting junk mail issn't essental to our country, which is what the USPS has mostly become.

Technology has surpassed the need of an government agency to deliver slips of paper wrapped in other slips of paper to every house in the country, and the only reason their package delivery is up is because of the internet.

People just aren't writing letters anymore.

Scout101 · February 6 2013, 03:15 PM

Yeah, outside of junk mail (majority of which seems to be credit card offers), it's really just bills. Bills and then birthday/christmas/mother's day cards.

Biggest loser in this whole announcement is probably Netflix, although they've been trying to get out of the DVD portion of their business for a while. Directly affects their delivery and turn-around times, though, making the service slightly less valuable.

BillJ · February 6 2013, 03:36 PM

Should've cut out service during one day of the work week as well.

CorporalCaptain · February 6 2013, 04:19 PM

If, for some reason, the country starts hurting because of no Saturday delivery, then it will start up again, back by popular demand; people would pay to bring it back.

In other words, there's nothing to worry about. There's no jeopardy to our national security, and no slippery slope.

The sky is not falling.

Squiggy · February 6 2013, 04:46 PM

Gays get married, no Saturday mail.

Coincidence? I think NOT!

Star Wolf · February 6 2013, 04:56 PM

BillJ wrote:

Should've cut out service during one day of the work week as well.

I have been saying for a while eventually we will cut down to and odd and even delivery schedule. The major stopping point would be a few hundred thousand postal workers suddenly on unemployment in time for the next election cycle.

USPS City Letter Carrier Branch 24.

BillJ · February 6 2013, 05:00 PM

Star Wolf wrote:

USPS City Letter Carrier Branch 24.

I don not envy you in the current economic climate.

Mr. Laser Beam · February 6 2013, 06:09 PM

I can't say I am 1) sorry, or 2) surprised to hear this.

TheSeeker · February 6 2013, 06:11 PM

I just moved to the US and found it odd to have Saturday delivery. Won't bother me.

tighr · February 6 2013, 06:41 PM

Squiggy wrote:

Technology has surpassed the need of an government agency to deliver slips of paper wrapped in other slips of paper to every house in the country, and the only reason their package delivery is up is because of the internet.

This is true, but its also important to point out that the USPS is only a government agency in name. They are entirely self-sufficient and not supported by tax dollars. The only benefit they get to being a government agency is the ability to put mail into a box that is required to be installed on your property (or, in most new neighborhoods, in a collection of boxes somewhere down the street).

Robert D. Robot · February 6 2013, 07:01 PM

^ True.... a fact most people do not know. What most people do not know, either, is that the conservatives in Congress a few years ago put into law a requirement that the Postal Service must put enough money aside in the next ten years to pay for their projected workers' benefits for THE NEXT 75 YEARS. YES! .... All WITHIN the NEXT TEN YEARS! Money to be put aside to fund many future workers who are not even born yet!

What business do you know that could handle that type of demand on their profits/budget? It seems like a plan to cripple and kill the Postal Service so that FedEx or UPS (and even Walmart is considering getting into the act!) could benefit by taking over the service. And guess how FedEx and UPS and Walmart would show their appreciation to the Congress members who are working to bring about the demise of the Postal Service? And guess what would happen to the millions of dollars that had gone into this fund to take care of retirement and health benefits? That is a big enough $$$ fund that some Congress members would surely decide could go to a "better" use.....

Also, Congress does not allow the USPS to do anything to be too innovative or competitive with the other delivery services. How is that fair?

Ben Franklin set up the Postal Service and it still works for a lot of people, especially folks in rural areas (like where I grew up) and helps out the elderly. Get Congress to quit trying to hogtie and kill the USPS, so it can work for those who need it, even if the service ultimately needs to cut out Saturday service and downsize to a size that is reasonable considering the realities of the newer means of communicating.

Otherwise, maybe we should use this philosophy for other businesses and institutions. Anyone want to start paying NOW for the costs of retirement and other benefits needed by our military as projected out for the next 75 years?

Squiggy · February 6 2013, 07:13 PM

tighr wrote:

Squiggy wrote:

Technology has surpassed the need of an government agency to deliver slips of paper wrapped in other slips of paper to every house in the country, and the only reason their package delivery is up is because of the internet.

This is true, but its also important to point out that the USPS is only a government agency in name. They are entirely self-sufficient and not supported by tax dollars. The only benefit they get to being a government agency is the ability to put mail into a box that is required to be installed on your property (or, in most new neighborhoods, in a collection of boxes somewhere down the street).

No, they're a government agency pretty much all the way since they're governed directly by Congress. This entire weekend off proposal isn't going to happen unless Congress approves it.

Also: they're in the constitution.

SchwEnt · February 6 2013, 09:35 PM

My own situation that I do not especially welcome...

a. I receive my mail very late in the day, near 5pm. In effect, after the close of business for that day.

b. No Saturday mail.

c. No Sunday mail.

d. So many holidays are artificially pushed to the Monday after the weekend, no mail that day.

e. Tuesday mail arrives but, as I said, near 5pm for me and too late for close of business day.

So with all these factors, any given three-day weekend (there are quite a few) I'll likely be in a position where if I don't get it Friday, I won't be able to do anything with it until Wednesday. That's not too cool.

Yeah I know, a PO Box, but come on.

February 6 2013, 02:42 PM	#1
Flying Spaghetti Monster Vice Admiral Location: Flying Spaghetti Western	USPS ends Saturday delivery (as of August) here This will start in August and will not affect packages. But I hope it's not a harbinger of the decline of something that I believe is essential to our country. __________________ Life of Pi is the most pleasant film I've ever not cared at all for.

February 6 2013, 02:53 PM	#2
Kirby Rear Admiral Location: Alt: 5280	Re: USPS ends Saturday delivery (as of August) No big deal for me personally, since I mostly just get junk mail through USPS. Most of my bills and other important documents come electronically, and since our nieghborhood has locked mailboxes in a central location, I normally don't even pick up my Saturday mail until Monday night.I can see how it could be a problem for others though. __________________ Henderson!!!!

February 6 2013, 02:57 PM	#3
Squiggy Shit Supreme Location: Not on your life, my Hindu friend.	Re: USPS ends Saturday delivery (as of August) Getting junk mail issn't essental to our country, which is what the USPS has mostly become. Technology has surpassed the need of an government agency to deliver slips of paper wrapped in other slips of paper to every house in the country, and the only reason their package delivery is up is because of the internet. People just aren't writing letters anymore. __________________ ENOUGH OF THIS TURGID BASH WANKERY!

February 6 2013, 03:15 PM	#4
Scout101 Admiral Location: Rhode Island, USA	Re: USPS ends Saturday delivery (as of August) Yeah, outside of junk mail (majority of which seems to be credit card offers), it's really just bills. Bills and then birthday/christmas/mother's day cards. Biggest loser in this whole announcement is probably Netflix, although they've been trying to get out of the DVD portion of their business for a while. Directly affects their delivery and turn-around times, though, making the service slightly less valuable. __________________ Perhaps, if I am very lucky, the feeble efforts of my lifetime will someday be noticed and maybe, in some small way, they will be acknowledged as the greatest works of genius ever created by man. ~Jack Handey STO: @JScout33

February 6 2013, 03:36 PM	#5
BillJ Vice Admiral Location: Greater Cincinnati	Re: USPS ends Saturday delivery (as of August) Should've cut out service during one day of the work week as well. __________________ J.J. Abrams didn't change Star Trek, audience expectations did.

STAR TREK

CSI

ABOUT US

February 6 2013, 04:19 PM	#6
CorporalCaptain Vice Admiral Location: In pre-production	Re: USPS ends Saturday delivery (as of August) If, for some reason, the country starts hurting because of no Saturday delivery, then it will start up again, back by popular demand; people would pay to bring it back. In other words, there's nothing to worry about. There's no jeopardy to our national security, and no slippery slope. The sky is not falling. __________________ John

February 6 2013, 04:46 PM	#7
Squiggy Shit Supreme Location: Not on your life, my Hindu friend.	Re: USPS ends Saturday delivery (as of August) Gays get married, no Saturday mail. Coincidence? I think NOT! __________________ ENOUGH OF THIS TURGID BASH WANKERY!

February 6 2013, 06:09 PM	#10
Mr. Laser Beam Fleet Admiral Location: The visitor's bullpen	Re: USPS ends Saturday delivery (as of August) I can't say I am 1) sorry, or 2) surprised to hear this. __________________ It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the beans of Java that thoughts acquire speed, the hands acquire shakes, the shakes become a warning. It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion.

February 6 2013, 06:11 PM	#11
TheSeeker Vice Admiral Location: New York, NY	Re: USPS ends Saturday delivery (as of August) I just moved to the US and found it odd to have Saturday delivery. Won't bother me.

February 6 2013, 07:01 PM	#13
Robert D. Robot Captain Location: Pre-Warp Civilization of New England	Re: USPS ends Saturday delivery (as of August) ^ True.... a fact most people do not know. What most people do not know, either, is that the conservatives in Congress a few years ago put into law a requirement that the Postal Service must put enough money aside in the next ten years to pay for their projected workers' benefits for THE NEXT 75 YEARS. YES! .... All WITHIN the NEXT TEN YEARS! Money to be put aside to fund many future workers who are not even born yet! What business do you know that could handle that type of demand on their profits/budget? It seems like a plan to cripple and kill the Postal Service so that FedEx or UPS (and even Walmart is considering getting into the act!) could benefit by taking over the service. And guess how FedEx and UPS and Walmart would show their appreciation to the Congress members who are working to bring about the demise of the Postal Service? And guess what would happen to the millions of dollars that had gone into this fund to take care of retirement and health benefits? That is a big enough $$$ fund that some Congress members would surely decide could go to a "better" use..... Also, Congress does not allow the USPS to do anything to be too innovative or competitive with the other delivery services. How is that fair? Ben Franklin set up the Postal Service and it still works for a lot of people, especially folks in rural areas (like where I grew up) and helps out the elderly. Get Congress to quit trying to hogtie and kill the USPS, so it can work for those who need it, even if the service ultimately needs to cut out Saturday service and downsize to a size that is reasonable considering the realities of the newer means of communicating. Otherwise, maybe we should use this philosophy for other businesses and institutions. Anyone want to start paying NOW for the costs of retirement and other benefits needed by our military as projected out for the next 75 years?

February 6 2013, 09:35 PM	#15
SchwEnt Fleet Captain	Re: USPS ends Saturday delivery (as of August) My own situation that I do not especially welcome... a. I receive my mail very late in the day, near 5pm. In effect, after the close of business for that day. b. No Saturday mail. c. No Sunday mail. d. So many holidays are artificially pushed to the Monday after the weekend, no mail that day. e. Tuesday mail arrives but, as I said, near 5pm for me and too late for close of business day. So with all these factors, any given three-day weekend (there are quite a few) I'll likely be in a position where if I don't get it Friday, I won't be able to do anything with it until Wednesday. That's not too cool. Yeah I know, a PO Box, but come on.