Government

Government May Drop Saturday Mail Delivery and Close Nearly 3,700 Post Offices

Indebted U.S. Postal Service Shutting Down 3,700 LocationsIs your local post office one of the thousands that the U.S. government is planning to shutter? To be precise, the U.S. Postal Service is examining 3,653 locations for potential closure in an effort to save money and balance its books. Offices will be examined in all 50 states and in Washington, D.C.

The financially-troubled agency announced Tuesday that it will study local offices, branches and stations for possible closing. Many of these locations may be replaced by Village Post Offices, which essentially means that postal services will be offered in local stores, libraries or government offices.

In discussing the proposed changes, Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe said:

“The Postal Service of the future will be smaller, leaner and more competitive and it will continue to drive commerce, serve communities and deliver value.

Many of these general stores are hanging on for dear life out there. They can take the money we give them to pay the rent and pay the light bill. We think it’s a real win-win proposal.”

Below, watch a report from The Wall Street Journal:

You may be wondering why the Postal Service is making such substantial cuts. Unfortunately, the situation is grim. In fiscal year 2010, net losses were $8.5 billion, up from $3.8 billion the previous year. CNN Money has more:

Donahoe said that this and other moves, such as a proposal under consideration to reduce service to five days a week, are necessary to close a $20 billion gap in revenue by 2015.

Currently the post office operates 31,871 retail outlets across the country, down from 38,000 a decade ago, but in recent years business has declined sharply as first-class mail moved to the Internet. In addition, the recession resulted in a decline in advertising mail.

Most of the post offices that are under consideration for closure are not highly frequented. In fact, workers put in fewer than two hours of work per day generally and average sales do not exceed $50 in a given day. Closings are slated to begin in the next four to six months.

According to CNN Money, here‘s what’s currently under consideration in a study that was released by the Postal Service:

– Some 3,061 post offices with less than $27,500 in annual revenue, or 2 hours of workload daily

– 385 post offices with less than $600,000 in annual revenue, and 5 or more postal service locations, such as stamp kiosks, within two miles.

– 188 post offices with less than $1 million in annual revenue, and 5 or more postal service locations within 0.5 mile.

– 19 offices currently suspended

While estimates show the potential to save as much as $200 million, there are some trade-offs. To begin, jobs are most certainly at risk. The closings could trim 3,000 postmasters, 500 supervisors and between 500 and 1,000 clerks. Currently, the Postal Service employs about 574,000 people.

The vast majority of sales in post offices are stamp purchases, officials said, and that can easily be handled at the new Village Post Offices. In addition, those offices would accept flat-rate packages and some could provide post office box service. For passports or other more complex services customers would have to go to a remaining regular post office. Already some 70,000 locations such as supermarkets and department stores sell stamps.

Considering the nation’s current fiscal order, examining cost savings is essential. While it is unfortunate that some individuals may lose their jobs in the process, these cuts will provide at least a hint of relief and a potential blueprint for other agencies to follow in paring down unneeded expenditures.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Comments (159)

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  • American-first
    Posted on July 26, 2011 at 11:06pm

    I know of one Post Office branch in Canton, Ohio that closed and moved carriers and clearks to other offices. Sounds good until it comes out that the building sits empty and still the PO pays the lease and utilitys because the lease is still in effect.
    First place to cut expences is get rid of the higher bosses whom could not deliver a letter if their lifes depended on it.

    Report Post » American-first  
    • James Capps
      Posted on July 27, 2011 at 12:00am

      Why haven’t they closed those Post Offices that only open 2 hours and day and generate less than $50 income already. That’s crazy! I know their hands are tied behind their back by congress to do a lot of that, but really, no business on earth would do that because it makes no
      sense.

      Report Post »  
    • fertlmind
      Posted on July 27, 2011 at 12:44am

      If we close the post office where are we going to get the fancy stamps with liberal themes?
      Where will I get my Nelson Mandellas, and my Che Q commemoratives from?
      If we close the post office I’ll have to use the free market to provide my postal box at someplace like the Postal Annex.
      I’m not going to be made to wait by rude people behind the counter anymore cause the annex actually tries to provide customer service!
      Customer service…..who needs that?
      I need my mail delivered by an overpaid union fatcat or the terrorist win!
      What is happening to this country?
      We better raise the debt limit and get a second round of stimulas so the post master general can get his raise and increase the cost of mailing a postcard before it’s too late!!!!!

      Report Post » fertlmind  
    • Eliasim
      Posted on July 27, 2011 at 12:46am

      Haha, they call the Post Office locations “Retail Outlets” as if they are a smooth operating business. What a laugh! Who cares shutter them. Just don’t pay some gimp postal worker 25 bucks an hour to sit on his butt afterward.

      Report Post »  
    • Finger Follie
      Posted on July 27, 2011 at 6:49am

      Do away with Saturday mail. I don’t need mail on the weekends.

      Report Post »  
    • fblair
      Posted on July 27, 2011 at 8:13am

      The real question is — when they close these offices are they going to quit paying the people and send them home,“out of work”, like regular businesses or will they all get ‘special pensions’ and still continue to cost the US taxpayer? Even thought they claim to be run separately from the government, they still get their pensions covered by the US taxpayer.

      Report Post »  
    • Striker
      Posted on July 27, 2011 at 8:54am

      I’ll bet if they got an independant successful business man to look at their operation, he could probably close half of the POs in the nation. With the advancement of technology and the ubiquiousness of computers this should be easy. Just look at UPS and FedEx.

      Report Post »  
    • loriann12
      Posted on July 27, 2011 at 9:24am

      I went to my post office once for stamps, and asked for anything patriotic. They didn’t have anything patriotic…no flags, no liberty bell, etc. All they had was “causes” and liberal clap-trap. I ended up paying extra for a breast cancer awareness, because they’re too cheap to even let some of the money from the stamp go to breast cancer, you have to pay the contribution yourself.

      Report Post »  
    • knockered
      Posted on July 27, 2011 at 11:19am

      Funny thing, I just watched a commercial put out by the postal union that says the post office employees do not cost the tax payers of America any money at all. I guess the 8.5 billion deficit pays for everything else but the salaries of their workers. Funny thing…just saying

      Report Post »  
    • Pujols
      Posted on July 27, 2011 at 7:42pm

      The day they do is the day I stop NETFLIX.
      Netflix already raised their bills over 60% higher in one move.
      Check your Credit Card for the Netflix bill. They didn’t even tell Me.

      The USPS is a big scam. 44 cents is fair, but the rest of the prices are a joke.

      Report Post »  
    • @ Coyote2
      Posted on July 27, 2011 at 10:10pm

      I agree with closing many unneeded POs. Our mail can be delivered to box banks (rows of boxes at one central location) by the local postman like it is in many places now. Stamps would be purchased through vending machines at the box locations. This would do away with many unneeded, overpaid Postmasters.
      The junk mail rates should be raised 1000%. This would save our natural (trees) resources.

      Report Post »  
    • SamIamTwo
      Posted on July 28, 2011 at 8:29am

      GSA is suppose to disposition vacant gov’t buildings but since the PO is considered a quasi commercial venture much like freddie and fannie…I wonder if in fact it comes under GSA’s jurisdiction.

      It takes like 5 years to get it sold off or rented out by GSA…know your government agencies roles and responsibilities along with the process times. GSA’s list of vacant buildings is long. Take a look at that and do an article on the waste.

      Report Post » SamIamTwo  
    • pmacres
      Posted on July 28, 2011 at 10:27am

      I agree clean up management,,but who cares about mail on Saturday,,,

      Report Post »  
  • sandy21957
    Posted on July 26, 2011 at 11:01pm

    Close it down, sell everything to FedEx. They do it faster and are non union. Then sell the buildings along with all the other non essential real estate the government has and we might be able to start closing the debt.

    Report Post » sandy21957  
    • 4areason
      Posted on July 26, 2011 at 11:05pm

      Amen! Give the private sector and the postal employees 3 months notice and let the private sector take care of the mail. A great place to start towards balancing the budget.

      Report Post »  
    • Eblaze44
      Posted on July 26, 2011 at 11:29pm

      You will deserve what happens when the USPS shuts down. You think postage is expensive now – just wait.

      Report Post » Eblaze44  
    • Macsnood
      Posted on July 27, 2011 at 12:08am

      As someone who is most likely losing my local post office going to FedEx or UPS is not a good solution. They are more expensive for anything shipped less than 5 pounds and has a small business owner who does mail order quite for about 1/2 of my business losing my post office will force me to raise shipping costs to cover the added expense. Another problem my town is also facing if we have to go the the zip code of the town that they will force us to use means that anything you order through the mail that will be delivered to the new zip code will be charged at the larger cities higher sales tax rate. Currently I pay the rural county tax rate on things I order which is close to 2% less than the other zip code. So not only will I have to drive farther to mail my packages but anything I receieve myself will be charged at the higher sales tax rate PLUS my village loses the revenue because it is sent to the larger city and not our town. So small town rural America gets screwed again. PLUS there are smaller villages that are farther away from the bigger city that aren’t shutting down who bring in less revenue than our town but because we are only 8 miles from the other city they want to shut us down even though we do bring in more business than towns further away. It‘s arbitrary and unfair how they are handling these shut down with the pretense of listening to local residents about it but they aren’t really going to do anything and have already made up their minds.

      Report Post »  
    • Jaycen
      Posted on July 27, 2011 at 12:09am

      Every bit of beauracracy I’ve encountered in the last 5 years has been transferred digitally, except my passport. That was handled through FedEx faster than it could have been, and with more convenience and less B.S. than the USPS could have offered. The building was clean and well lit. I dealt with nice, young people who didn’t have attitude problems.

      I was extremely pleased with the overnight shipping costs compared to what I received.

      Report Post » Jaycen  
    • GRAMPA-D-NH
      Posted on July 27, 2011 at 7:58am

      The real thing to take notice of again is how government operates vs. private business. Its takes years of losing $Billions to get around to proposing they “may” take action. Its a disgrace and just another example of why we have such a huge national deficit for our kids and grandkids to deal with. We all know govt waste and inefficiency is crushing our nation not only financially, but it also kills the work ethic. Having worked in the dreaded private sector and participated in some “turn arounds” the first thing you observe in a wayward business is the total lack of urgency in the work force – especially the management. The only sensible scorecard for keeping things on track is building urgency around financial performance of the organization. Govt has long lost any sense of this reality if it ever had it. Most service operations in the US govt have long past the point of any chance to reform. Privatizing is quickest way to solve the problem and ensure it stays on track.

      Report Post » GRAMPA-D-NH  
  • NEAF
    Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:59pm

    Finally! Why took so long?

    Report Post » NEAF  
    • BoiseBaked
      Posted on July 26, 2011 at 11:30pm

      The public sector jobletting begins… Yes, it’s about time.

      Report Post »  
  • TexasStu
    Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:55pm

    How about turning the whole operation over to the private sector….ya that would spike the unemployment for a bit but in the end we would lose the MONEY PIT that the USPS has turned into. The up side is that I would be your letters would arrive on time and most would not get lost and the cost of mailing a letter will surely come down to a manageable level after time to where a company could actually afford to us the postal service.

    Report Post » TexasStu  
  • Ron_WA
    Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:51pm

    Yes to both the closings & stopping SAT service.

    I love USPS & think it is a wonderful part of living in the USA but we have to be realistic; costs must be cut; there are too many alternative routes for daily non-physical weight / hard-copy transfers.

    We have to cut back.

    Report Post » Ron_WA  
  • jjoy
    Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:51pm

    The problem with the US Postal Service is that they have to abide by laws passed by both houses of the “congress” and signed into law by the president…

    Can You imagine having pelosi, reid, barney frank, etc. telling you how to run your business??? You would go broke too…

    Report Post » jjoy  
  • christianUSA
    Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:48pm

    While not a fan of snail mail until a practical replacement is in place going 2 straight day without primary package capability will hurt US in many ways including economics, health, and safety; also seems USPS will loose even more business.

    Report Post »  
  • Rayblue
    Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:45pm

    I’d hate to see my little country Post Office abandoned.
    You’d like it. Still has a field out front and pasture behind. Country girls behind the counter.
    They like my fancy cologne and big city ways. And my 1997 Cougar all tricked out.
    Progress, phooey.

    Report Post » Rayblue  
    • chips1
      Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:49pm

      You probably drive a blue Prius.

      Report Post »  
    • Rayblue
      Posted on July 26, 2011 at 11:06pm

      You positively drive a scooter to the gay bar.
      baby.

      Report Post » Rayblue  
  • Midwest Blonde
    Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:35pm

    I live in a rural area. We get our mail at the post office – free box, no delivery. It’s twenty miles either way (east or west of us) to the next post office. We would miss our little office with 1 employee – the “postmater”.

    Report Post » Midwest Blonde  
    • AmericanStrega
      Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:51pm

      Midwestblond:
      We’re here in VERY rural NE Kansas. We have no choice but to get our mail at a P.O. Box. They’re trying to shut down our post office and expect us to drive 18 miles to the nearest place to get our mail. The only problem is that post office LOCKS it’s doors at 3:30pm! That‘s when I get off work and I’d have to drive an extra 18 miles just to get to the post office to get my mail. I’d never make it on time. What needs to be done is CUT the squandered money spent by the postal service. You know THAT will never happen.Bass-turds.

      Report Post »  
  • IMAWAKENOW
    Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:35pm

    The post office is heading the way of the buggy whip manufactures. The difference is gov subsidized vs private business. Sounds like another gov agency that needs to be closed. Between the internet and UPS do we really need a post office at all?

    Report Post » IMAWAKENOW  
  • Chuck Stein
    Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:32pm

    They can save a lot more:
    One half of routes get delivery on Monday, Wednesday & Friday
    The other half get delivery on Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday

    Report Post »  
    • Utahcatholic
      Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:39pm

      How about charging banks $3.00 for every single credit card solictation they send out?

      That would generate 100s of millions also. Three or four come to my house virtually every day. Soon my schredder is due to burn out. LOL

      Report Post »  
    • ltbdb
      Posted on July 27, 2011 at 9:38am

      AMEN Chuck. The days of the horse and buggy (USPS) are coming to an end. With digital communication and online bill paying three day a week delivery would be plenty. You could eliminate close to half of the carriers and their supervisors positions. Parcel delivery can be handled by UPS and Fedex. They already provide at least 90% of my package delivery with a lot less hassles than the USPS.

      Report Post »  
  • WhatWasShallBe
    Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:31pm

    I wish email could bring down the Dept of Education the way it has the Post Office. I think I went in a Post Office once. I may have, at some point in the past, paid a bill by U.S. mail……….

    Report Post » WhatWasShallBe  
  • thejackal
    Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:30pm

    ……………..so they can open 50,000 more methadone clinics and TSA sodomy centers.

    Report Post » thejackal  
  • chips1
    Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:29pm

    WOW!!!! $10 an hour and all you can steal. Obama is hurting the little people. HaHaHa.

    Report Post »  
  • clingingtogodandguns
    Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:26pm

    Cut 3,000 Postmasters 500 supervisors and 500 to 1000 clerks.Sounds like way too many chiefs and not enough Indians.That’s 60 postmasters per state.The last time i went to a post office was Christmas.
    See ya bye.

    Report Post »  
  • jeff.cooper
    Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:25pm

    Privatize it!

    Report Post » jeff.cooper  
  • kentuckypatriot
    Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:23pm

    Who cares? IMO the USPS has gone by the wayside much like the pony express. And why aren’t the mail carriers required to where their uniforms any longer? I think they look unprofessional. Must be a UNION thing.

    Report Post » kentuckypatriot  
    • Midwest Blonde
      Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:27pm

      “not required to ”where“ uniforms”???? uh, wouldn’t that be WEAR, not where?

      *shaking head*

      Report Post » Midwest Blonde  
    • kentuckypatriot
      Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:33pm

      well, excuse me for the typo! damn! been a long day

      Report Post » kentuckypatriot  
    • Utahcatholic
      Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:46pm

      @midwest blonde,

      Are you a matronly school teacher…….or just a nag.

      Why not comment on the article or do you just get your jollies correcting other peoples mistakes?

      Report Post »  
    • cheezwizshabaz
      Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:58pm

      Rural carriers, do not wear uniforms. I am a rural carrier assoc, only city carriers wear uniforms. we make much less than city carriers.

      Report Post »  
    • cheezwizshabaz
      Posted on July 26, 2011 at 11:01pm

      p.s. there is NO pension for anyone hired after 1987, we have to contribute to a TSP, which is like a 401k. with no matching.

      Report Post »  
    • SovereignSoul
      Posted on July 26, 2011 at 11:34pm

      @Utahcatholic
      What is wrong with correcting KentuckyPatriot? Either he is unsure of proper word use and MidwestBlonde has helped him to learn something new today, or he was careless with his grammar which leads readers to believe the message (and his opinion) are unimportant. Either way, MidwestBlonde has done KentuckyPatriot a favor while your willingness to look the other way does him a grave disservice.

      Report Post » SovereignSoul  
    • Utahcatholic
      Posted on July 27, 2011 at 1:35am

      Personally I find people who feel the need correct other posters typos, spelling and grammar a bit of a bore and very condesending.

      Someone famous once said, “let he who is without sin cast the first stone”.

      Report Post »  
    • SovereignSoul
      Posted on July 28, 2011 at 1:37am

      Who is casting stones? A person tries to help a fellow poster and you automatically take that in a negative manner? I think that speaks volumes about your lack of compassion for your fellow man!

      Report Post » SovereignSoul  
  • henryKnox
    Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:22pm

    All I can say is this is a good start. I think the next step should be to privatize the USPS. We no longer need the pony express, we have lots of competition. There is absolutely no reason for the gov’t to be involved in the mail in the 21st century. Let’s get out of the 19th century PLEASE.

    Report Post » henryKnox  
  • South Philly Boy
    Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:22pm

    They got to pay for those BIG PENSIONS

    Report Post » South Philly Boy  
  • tifosa
    Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:22pm

    You people need to google USPS.

    Report Post » tifosa  
  • goobert
    Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:20pm

    Privatize privatize privatize privatize privatize privatize .

    Report Post » goobert  
  • Profx72
    Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:15pm

    So long as the US Postal Service has fixed prices and “Non-Government” Labor Unions, it will always spend more than it can take in. UPS & FedEx have proven that an efficient Privatized system is both wanted and needed.
    http://www.maverickvoice.com

    Report Post »  
  • Psychosis
    Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:14pm

    this article completely neglects to state WHY the post office is broke

    1. the government runs it

    2 the workers union pushed bennies and pensions swallow up 87% of the deficit

    the post office is just a union benny farm get rid of the whole thing ……………then i wont have to deal with unwanted junk mail

    Report Post » Psychosis  
    • BrotherWill
      Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:19pm

      You know the post office is non-profit, so no duh most of its revenue goes to paying salaries. Where else would it go genius?

      Report Post » BrotherWill  
    • henryKnox
      Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:26pm

      Exactly, public unions are not a good idea. That is all the more reason to privatize the USPS. We do not need the pony express in the 21st century.

      Report Post » henryKnox  
    • 8jrts
      Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:36pm

      I recently saw an ad on TV for the USPS stating that “we pay for ourselves”…..WTF? If it is government run….it does not pay for itself….EVER!!

      8jrts  
  • LadyIzShy
    Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:11pm

    they should PRIVATIZE mail service it would be run FAR better and cheaper im sure

    Report Post » LadyIzShy  
    • goobert
      Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:19pm

      yes privitize it before they try taxing text messages and emails

      Report Post » goobert  
    • encinom
      Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:21pm

      Were is your proof of that and why should such a basic service be run for a profit? Lets run the police and Fire Dept. as for Profit business, don’t pay your police fee, you get no protection and the fire Dept. will just watch as your house burns.

      Report Post »  
    • SacredHonor1776
      Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:22pm

      UPS and FedEx, etc, are pretty expsensive. But maybe with more competition it can be cheaper.

      I do like the idea of ending saturday mail, to save money though. I don’t need mail coming in on that day.

      Report Post »  
    • chips1
      Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:47pm

      ENCINOM:
      Are you kidding? Firemen are there after the fire engulfs your house and the police aren’t there to protect you. They are there to gather evidence to find out who already shot your butt. Chicago fire was a good example. Stopping Al Capone was another.

      Report Post »  
    • SovereignSoul
      Posted on July 26, 2011 at 11:41pm

      YEAH, RIGHT! Exactly what can you send via Fedex or UPS for 44 cents?

      Report Post » SovereignSoul  
    • MHP
      Posted on July 27, 2011 at 4:04am

      Encinom

      Ever lived thru a fire strike, I HAVE, 2 of them in Kansas City. 100 houses burned down of Arson just in 1 night.

      best protection you got ain’t the cops, it’s owning a gun.

      Report Post » MHP  
  • bikerr
    Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:10pm

    E-mail is one of many things that is the down fall of the U.S. mail.

    Report Post »  
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