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Cuts: By This Fall You Won’t Be Getting Your Saturday Mail Anymore

Feb. 6, 2013 7:56am Jonathon M. Seidl

Postal Service to Trim Saturday Mail Delivery to Cut Costs

This photo taken July 27, 2012 shows a mailbox outside a US Post Office in Lawrence, Mich. Credit: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Postal Service will stop delivering mail on Saturdays but continue to deliver packages six days a week under a plan aimed at saving about $2 billion, the financially struggling agency says.

In an announcement scheduled for later Wednesday, the service is expected to say the Saturday mail cutback would begin in August.

The move accentuates one of the agency’s strong points – package delivery has increased by 14 percent since 2010, officials say, while the delivery of letters and other mail has declined with the increasing use of email and other Internet use.

Under the new plan, mail would still be delivered to post office boxes on Saturdays. Post offices now open on Saturdays would remain open on Saturdays.

Over the past several years, the Postal Service has advocated shifting to a five-day delivery schedule for mail and packages – and it repeatedly but unsuccessfully appealed to Congress to approve the move. Though an independent agency, the service gets no tax dollars for its day-to-day operations but is subject to congressional control.

It was not immediately clear how the service could eliminate Saturday mail without congressional approval.

But the agency clearly thinks it has a majority of the American public on its side regarding the change.

Material prepared for the Wednesday press conference by Patrick R. Donahoe, postmaster general and CEO, says Postal Service market research and other research has indicated that nearly 7 in 10 Americans support the switch to five-day delivery as a way for the Postal Service to reduce costs.

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Comments (95)

lfoa
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:49am
How about something like…. “Every third day zones”….
Divide territory into thirds… Then delivery to only 1/3 of the route on any given day.
Less Gas
Less Vehicle Wear & Tear
Less Employee Time

Like everyone else… 99.99% of mail (Bills and Ads) I can live without for 2 days….

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- toiletclogga
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 9:01am
  This makes too much sense for any “governmental type” to digest. Mail delivery twice a week should be the norm. Most mail is junk mail advertisements anymore. Time to downsize and operate within an acceptable budget.
  
  Report this comment
- pragmaticpatriot
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 9:28am
  i have so much lost mail i dont use them anyway, complaints seem to make it to the same file-13 that my cable bill ends up in. Privatize this bloated tick
  
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- SocialistSlayer
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 9:32am
  No big deal for me ! One less day I have to put up with junk mail ! I agree let’s bring deliveries down to three days a week – Mon – Weds – Fri . That would work for me and probably most others !
  
  Report this comment
- TROONORTH
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 10:09am
  How about shutting the whole thing down? Does anyone actually rely on the ‘snail’ anymore? In an age when you can get your bills and personal mail delivered over the internet, who needs the postal system anymore? The only thing you won’t get is all that junk mail that fills the landfills to over flowing.
  
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- 13th Imam
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 10:32am
  Postal Rates just went up.
  
  Go Figure
  
  Report this comment
- GMP
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 10:44am
  Good Thing it’s 2013 and I pay my bills on-line. If I need to use the postal service, I’ll hop in my time machine and head back to 1998.
  
  I’m not heartbroken about this decision in the slightest. Heck, go to 1 day delivery and save $2T..
  
  Report this comment
- The_Jerk
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 11:15am
  Are postal workers salary or hourly?
  
  Report this comment
- USANUMBERONE
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 11:17am
  I hate all that junk mail. It goes in the garbage can in the back yard.
  
  Report this comment
- Bullitt2008
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 11:28am
  PragmaticPatriot, I don’t doubt that you’ve had problems and luckily I never have so I like the USPS. SocialistSlayer has a good idea regarding cutting mail service to MWF, however, they should keep package delivery to 5/6 days a week. Fortunately, my credit union not only has Bill Pay online but now they have an App too. Works for me since I dumped Bank of America as may main bank a while ago.
  
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- The_Jerk
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 12:04pm
  If they cut service they need to cut jobs/pay.
  
  Report this comment
- texashuntre
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 12:24pm
  LET’S START WITH THE POST OFFICE. A simple mail delivery service, The government can not even run this properly with out going millions in debt. What makes you think anything else they touch would be any better if they cant deliver a piece a paper properly? Unions gotta love them right Owebama?>
  
  Report this comment
- jorge_washington
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 2:46pm
  “How about something like…. “Every third day zones”….
  Divide territory into thirds… Then delivery to only 1/3 of the route on any given day.
  Less Gas
  Less Vehicle Wear & Tear
  Less Employee Time
  
  Like everyone else… 99.99% of mail (Bills and Ads) I can live without for 2 days….”
  
  Under your proposal, a company such as ebay would probably shut down. This is because the vast majority of items shipped except for the very largest are shipped via the US Post Office. Even computers sold on ebay are shipped via the USPS. Under your proposal items would takes weeks instead of days just like during the early 20th century. There are also many small mom-an-pop shops that ship their products all over the country that would also be affected.
  
  Of course ebay could switch to UPS or Fedx, that would just triple the shipping cost over the USPS.
  
  Keep listening to the multimillionaires telling you what good for you.
  
  Report this comment
- jorge_washington
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 2:57pm
  “Are postal workers salary or hourly?”
  
  The USPS is an independent agency but still fall under the control of congress. They are not funded by tax dollars for its daily ops.
  
  Report this comment
- Jim S
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 2:59pm
  I had 1 bill sent by the Pony Express, today I changed it to paperless e-mail..I now get nothing via US Mail except junk ads…reduce it to M-W-F delivery and save 4 billion more…it’s a very outdated, wasteful way to bring readable material to people in 2013…like my opinion right here..delivered to you with no postage due..BUT I could mail it…important legal papers will continued to be delivered by FedEx, as they have been for a two decades…
  
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- jorge_washington
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 3:27pm
  ‘LET’S START WITH THE POST OFFICE. A simple mail delivery service, The government can not even run this properly with out going millions in debt. What makes you think anything else they touch would be any better if they cant deliver a piece a paper properly? Unions gotta love them right Owebama?>”
  
  Not that facts matter to people such as your self where all you can do is blame Obama for problems that existed before he was ever elected, but problem we have today were created under the Bush administration.
  
  Back in 2006 the congress made the USPS put 55 billion dollars into a special account to fund future medial costs for its workers. No their federal agency was asked to do this, only the USPS. This is what’s killing it. Furthermore, the Congress refuses to stop this action. The Congress also refuses to allow the USPS to go to 5 days. This is because if they were allowed, the USPS would certainly survive.
  
  Keep listening to the multimillionaires. One day you wake up as ask why it costs $10.00 to ship anything.
  
  Report this comment
ColoradoMaverick
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:46am
It’s a sign of the times. Regular snail mail is being replaced with email. That’s called progress. The postal workers union will argue that their sacred jobs need to be “saved” but they are no different that telephone operators, filling station attendants, blacksmiths, pony express riders, and countless other jobs that no longer exist. Get over it. Soon enough, the mail will have to be delivered every other day, then once a week and then eliminated in time. If something needs to be mailed, we always have UPS or FedEx.

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- atechgeek
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:54am
  Cut the entire week .. we don’t need the over bloated government run postal crap that only delivers advertisments that get thrown away.
  
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sandyj
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:45am
Do you know that cutting Sat. delivery will put thousands and thousands of people out of work? This is the day the subs work. More unemployment.

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- SocialistSlayer
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 9:33am
  Who Cares ? Tell them to get real jobs !
  
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- JULIKINS209
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 1:55pm
  But on the bright side the delivery personell will now work 5 days a week and get Saturdays off!
  
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Uechi
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:43am
Isn’t going to make any difference. The Post Office will continue to lose money, Over paid employees and exhorbitant benefits and retirement plans will eventually put them under. With the exception of parts of the Military name me anything the Government runs or controls that works well?

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- chucksue351
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 9:20am
  when they go under, ups and fedex will pick up the pieces and show the government how to do a job right
  
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RichEG
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:43am
Not a big deal.

I’d just like to receive all my mail five days a week.

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UBETHECHANGE
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:39am
If you or I ran a business with $25 billion in losses over the last five years, would we be able to keep your job? Would we be able to keep our doors open? Well with the endless spigot of tax payer money, sure. Government is going to save $2 billion a year with this move. This is not fixing the problem, it only kicks the can down the road, the typical government “solution”. 15 un-elected bureaucrats will be overseeing Obamacare, how do you think that’s going to turn out?

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chg2012
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:37am
Things change.. I remember TWice a day delivery .. LOL
I would think with all the Online buying that their pkg delivery should remain fairly strong.
not everyone chooses UPS or the other big carriers .

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hauschild
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:31am
The ultimate answer would be to close it down completely; cut the monumental losses. What private company would want to take it over and deal with the legacy costs???

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- sandyj
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:42am
  Do you know that cutting Saturday delivery will put thousands and thousands of people out of work. Saturday is the day that subs work. More umemployment!!!
  
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- Eastinfection
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:50am
  SANDY…
  
  Tax payers foot the bill either way. Maybe these subs will find jobs for a company that actually produces it’s own income rather than the PO that just leeches off you & me.
  
  Report this comment
- atechgeek
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 9:02am
  Haus and East … dead on .. shut it down completely. Let a profitable private company take up the slack. At least they will be real jobs, not sponge jobs.
  
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- SocialistSlayer
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 9:35am
  Sandy – you are repeating yourself and starting to sound like a Commie Union Worker – They are on their way out – get over it !
  
  Report this comment
justangry
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:27am
Hell, cut down the mail delivery to once a week or once a month as far as I’m concerned. The postal service is pretty much obsolete these days other than sending out Christmas cards.

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skippy6
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:25am
Privatize it and it would survive and not cost us tax payers….

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- bigdaddyt46
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:35am
  it doesn’t cost us taxpayers. it is the only gov. agency that has no tax $ in it’s budget, but still has to be governed to change anything
  
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- Eastinfection
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 9:06am
  technically it’s not tax dollars- but it’s borrowing billions every year, that it will never pay back, from the US Treasury- and seeks a Congressional bailout relief for that debt…. so ultimately it’s going to be a tax-payer burden.
  
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- NaughtyNala2k4
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 9:16pm
  Skippy: GM is private and the taxpayer bailed them out…………you argument doesn’t hold water.
  
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bigdaddyt46
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:24am
yep nothing worse then getting a bounce check notice of a saturday to ruin a weekend off.

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biohazard23
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:23am
And…?

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TerryJ70
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:21am
A private company would have no trouble making money with the mail. Just another example of how unions have priced themselves right out of the market. Just like raising taxes decreases gov’t income, raising stamps decreases use of mail. These idiots just don’t learn.

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Eastinfection
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:21am
Guess i’ll have to we til Monday to receive my eagerly-anticipated “5% off at KOHLS when you make a purchase of 2-million dollars or more” coupon.

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slo2448
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:18am
I guess I’l have to wait until monday to get my junk mail. I’m over 65 and dispite what dingy harry says, my day does not revolve around the mail delivery. I get most bills on line.

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Exiled
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:16am
Works for me. Actually, I wouldn’t mind if it was only one day a week.

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politicianssuck
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:14am
Just Breaking… U.S. Postal Service to end delivery of all mail. It seems to take 10 weeks to get a letter now. So the post office has decided to end mail delivery all together in order to save money. Tax payers however will continue to give money to the postal union workers. This will save billions of dollars and create hundreds more new jobs.

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Philo Beddoe
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:14am
It’s about time.

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Gonzo
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:14am
They could cut it to 3 days a week and it would be fine with me.

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- Major121
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:39am
  I’m rural. I only already get mailed 3 days a week. No big deal.
  
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- Gonzo
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:54am
  I only check the mail three days a week anyway.
  
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- kaydeebeau
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 9:27am
  I only go to my mailbox once a week…and most of it is ads and other junk that goes to the landfill…..
  
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- Chromo200
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 9:58am
  2 or three days a week is fine as long as they reduce the work force and expenses .. which will never happen.. Less service, more people … The Socialist Way.
  
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dublinthewagons
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:13am
Seldom do they put it n the right box anyway. At least what isn’t lost.
The only way USPS will be cost effective is to close and go private.
May cost more but will be effective.you get what you pay for in the private sector or go out of business.

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faithfullistener
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:12am
I’ve long thought that we could get by without mail on Saturday! It’s no big deal!

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TimKan7719
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:12am
How can UPS and FEDEX make money and the USPS be going bankrupt??? FEDEX and USP even have next day, and it doesnt cost much more then sending something through the USPS. I will never understand government BS.

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- Gonzo
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:25am
  Simple, Fedex and UPS aren’t operated by government workers.
  
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- kingssman
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 9:46am
  Simple, FedEX and UPS charge $1.75 to mail an envelope compared to the $0.49 USPS. Also FedEX and UPS don’t have to go to congress every time they want to layoff employees, reduce costs, or implement cost saving measures.
  
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- NaughtyNala2k4
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 9:24pm
  Well let’s add to your confusion: The USPS delivers parcels for FedEx and UPS. They all work together, however FedEx and UPS DON’T LIKE TO GO THE LAST MILE so they drop off parcels at local Post Offices throughout the country because they go EVERYWHERE. In turn FedEx and UPS allow USPS to use their airplanes to move packages around the world for them.
  
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FlagWavingPatriot
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:11am
NO WAY! What in the world will I do?

I so look forward to the deluge of junk mail I immediately to toss right into the trash can.

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MiCurmudgeon
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:07am
If it saves money….JUST DO IT ..N..O..W !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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4xeverything
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:05am
No bills on Saturday? I’m crying …really.

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- Polarized America
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:16am
  .
  ..i was about to say something similar….getting bills on a Saturday tends to ruin the weekend
  
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