Do you thinking ending Sat Mail Delivery is a good idea?

Just read where they are considering this and taking a vote on it...

 

Washington, Jun 25 -

The House Appropriations Committee today approved an amendment offered by Congressman Jack Kingston (R/GA-1) that would require the United States Postal Service to study the cost-effectiveness and fuel consumption of a five-day delivery system and consumer demand of Saturday postal delivery.

They will be voting on this pretty soon.

 

I think allot of people can only get to the PO on Sat on account of work and such.  Maybe if they decided to not deliver mail,they'll at least keep the PO open where people can still go get stamps and such.

NO, NO, NO!!!!!!!!!!!

 The post office opens here at 8 AM and closes at 4:30 PM(the counter person is actually there) We can get our mail out of our boxes at any time.  When I work   I can't get there during the day but I am lucky enough to get there before the 4:30 closing 9 out of 10 times.  BUT when we have after school meetings and we run late I've gone and the back is closed.  I actually feel bad for those who work 9 to 5 and have any type of packages and such.  They HAVE to wait until Saturday to get their pkgs. 

Saturdays is only a 1/2 day (counter person there) but at least that's a 1/2 day.  I bet if they did what UPS did and rescheduled all of their routes with only right turns they'd save a ton of gas.  But BOY would that be some MAJOR rerouting.  LOL!

I don't see a problem in it.  I can buy stamps at the grocery store if need be.  If I need to send a package I can always stop at one of the Box/Mail It stores.  I have 2 within 2 miles of my house.  I don't get any important mail on a Saturday.  99.9% of it goes in the recycle bin.  So I say they should get rid of Saturday and not raise the rate considering the savings. 

 I wonder how much would be saved if we cut out all the junk mail!!!!  Savings on Postage, Land fill space, recycle program, gas, 

With the price of gas skyrocketing, I see no problem with ending Saturday delivery.  But if they did that, I would like to see them keep the counter staffed until 5 so people who can't get there before 5 during the week can do what they need to do on Saturday.  I can buy stamps and mail most packages in the automated machine in the lobby, but for some things like package pickup you need to go to the counter, which in our Post Office closes at noon on Saturday.

See no reason that discontinuing Sat.deliveries would engender a great hardship on the American public. I think most post offices are now on a Sat. half day anyway and if you have a POB you can still pick up your mail, I don't think there is RFD delivery here on Sat. now. Express mail will still be delivered.

I live on a farm 12 miles from a small town. About 30 miles away is a larger town with a regional post office. We are 120 miles from St Louis. NOW they take ALL mail and truck it to the town 30 miles away, but are proposing that they will close the regional part of that post office and truck EVERYTHING to St Louis. Now, if I mail a letter to somebody across the road from me it will be trucked 120 miles....and back, before being delivered. And these people need to think about how to save money????? I am afraid they wouldn't recognize money saving if it bit them on the butt.

CookieCarol:

And these people need to think about how to save money????? I am afraid they wouldn't recognize money saving if it bit them on the butt.

 

 

LMBO!   Sooo right!

My hubby and I recently started selling on eBay again to clean out the house and make a few extra pennies.  I was thrilled to find that my postal worker will pick parcels up from the house saving me a trip to the PO.  Living out in the boonies anytime I can avoid a trip to town that's gas money saved!  My bank sells postage stamps directly from the ATM.  So with those 2 conveniences, I find that it's very rare that I actually have to go to the PO.  So them closing on Saturday would be no big deal to me.  I would only hope that savings would me the cost of stamps would not increase. 

I don't see a problem with stopping Saturday deliveries, but would think the PO would need to stay open on Saturday for those who work all week.  I wonder what the actual savings would be, since they'd still need to staff the post office.

LBrouse, I find UPS to be far more economical and reliable than the PO for ebay sales.  They will pick up the deliveries here ... the entire service is way better than the post office.

Washington, Jun 25 -
The House Appropriations Committee today approved an amendment offered by Congressman Jack Kingston (R/GA-1) that would require the United States Postal Service to study the cost-effectiveness and fuel consumption of a five-day delivery system and consumer demand of Saturday postal delivery.

 

I don't see any reason for the Saturday Postal delivery to be continued, especially if it will result in reduced costs.  However, I don't know how much of a reduction in costs could result if the Post Office is still open on Saturday.  I'd think it'd be better, strictly on a cost reduction basis; to have the Post Office closed on Saturday *and* the delivery of mail on Saturday eliminated.

Of course, I'm also one of those folks who seem to only get catalogs and other junk on Saturday.  I can wait until Monday for that.

Krissy~~~  

When I was a kid, a stamp cost .03.  AND around the holidays, we not only got mail TWICE A DAY, but it was delivered on SUNDAY as well. 

 

Now, a stamp costs almost 15 times that (okay, I know I'm comparing apples and oranges because of inflation--I'm just making a point) and they want to cut back our delivery further?

 

Most businesses around here are open on Saturday, many on Sunday.  I see no good reason for cutting out Satuday deliveries, and will be most annoyed if that goes through.  As to getting 'important' mail on Saturday?  Of course, we do--anything mailed Wed/Thurs (or Friday, if it's local) is likely to show up on Saturday.  Just a week ago, our mail order prescriptions were delivered on Saturday, for example.  Taking 2 consecutive days off is really irresponsible--that could really create problems for many people if they're waiting for a time-sensitive document.

Callie, I remember 3 cent stamps and mail delivery twice a day, too!  I'm less worried about getting mail on Saturday but more concerned about people who receive presciprtion meds via mail order who miight not get them on time.  You can't order scripts too far ahead or the insurance won't pay. And what about the credit card companies who will zap you with a $35 late fee if your check is 1 day late?  No mail delivery on Saturday and local post offices closed on Saturday will just make more people pay bills on line or send their packages UPS or other delivery service.

And I doubt that eliminating Saturday mail delivery will have any effect whatsoever on the price of stamps - the postal rates will go up regardless. 

We can buy stamps from the mail carrier. Although I live in town I am still on a rural route that is grandfathered in and get my mail delivered. Most in town have P.O.Boxes.

People who get off at 5 PM  will nit make it even if the counter stays open until 5 PM. They could open the counter from 8 to 12 on Saturdays for working people.

Maybe folks will have to start helping each other out and a neighbor will take your package to the PO when they go.

I would not have a problem with them stopping Saturday deliveries. If they would not have so much junk mail to deliver they would also save money. I get a huge wastebasket full of junk every week, from places I have never heard of, plus stores in Bismarck 150 mi away. Doesn;t make sense.

 

CookieCarol:

I live on a farm 12 miles from a small town. About 30 miles away is a larger town with a regional post office. We are 120 miles from St Louis. NOW they take ALL mail and truck it to the town 30 miles away, but are proposing that they will close the regional part of that post office and truck EVERYTHING to St Louis. Now, if I mail a letter to somebody across the road from me it will be trucked 120 miles....and back, before being delivered. And these people need to think about how to save money????? I am afraid they wouldn't recognize money saving if it bit them on the butt.

 

That's what happens around here, and has for quite some time.  If I mail a letter that's going in town, that letter will go to a city 2 hours away, then come back for delivery.  Seems stupid to me, since it requires the PO to truck all our mail to that city, then truck it back.  With gas prices as they are, how much sense does that make?

No problem with that here. Would not bother us at all. Would seem strange at first because we are so use to Saturday mail, but otherwise no big deal.