Postal Service Loses $3.5 Billion in 3rd Quarter

[buffalokid777]

I never even talk to the people at the post office. The big advantage of printing postage from the PC is that it allows me to just sit it on the counter or drop it in the big bin at CHristmas.

I'm betting you don't live in a city but rather a rural area. That is not the way it is handled in Buffalo, NY. There used to be a place to drop packages, but no more. You have to bring them to the counter due to "Heightened security risks", their words, not mine.

 

[angelatc]

Not at my local post offices, if it won't fit in a mailbox, or through the slot, they tell you to get in line.

Then you could call the postmaster and complain.

I used to have all those regulations bookmarked so I could show them to the post offices, because we move so much. I don't think I have them any more though.

 

[angelatc]

I'm betting you don't live in a city but rather a rural area. That is not the way it is handled in Buffalo, NY. There used to be a place to drop packages, but no more. You have to bring them to the counter due to "Heightened security risks", their words, not mine.

I've lived everywhere, but the rules for the post office are federal. They took away the package drops when the Unabomber was active. The big bin at Christmas is staffed. They set up a temporary station on the lobby to help with traffic.

You do have to bring your package to the counter. But you don't need to stand in line to do it of they're electronically stamped.

 

[buffalokid777]

I've lived everywhere, but the rules for the post office are federal. They took away the package drops when the Unabomber was active.

You do have to bring your package to the counter. But you don't need to stand in line to do it of they're electronically stamped.

can you point me to any regulation that says that, at my PO, the only ones that get to skip the line, is people picking up mail that was too large to fit in their PO boxes, i'm gonna do some reaserach too, but if that is a true federal regulation, I would like to be able to prove it to skip the line.

Usually when i am waiting in line, someone in the back will come out every 5-10 minutes asking "Is there anyone here to pick up mail" and he or she gets the stuff that wouldn't fit in their box, but if i can leave packages without waiting in line, i would surely like to confront them with it.

 

[WaltM]

Not at my local post offices, if it won't fit in a mailbox, or through the slot, they tell you to get in line.

that IS weird, I live in a suburb of a major city.

you can drop packages in a kiosk, OR, as Angela said, if the postage is paid for, even have the postman pick it up from you if he delivers mail.

of course, I've never had too big of packages and they're always domestic, so that might be why.

 

[WaltM]

can you point me to any regulation that says that, at my PO, the only ones that get to skip the line, is people picking up mail that was too large to fit in their PO boxes, i'm gonna do some reaserach too, but if that is a true federal regulation, I would like to be able to prove it to skip the line.

I would be VERY surprised if it's a written rule.

it's more likely that they just want to handle fast people first, so make up their own local rules for increase efficiency (that's been true from my experience)

Usually when i am waiting in line, someone in the back will come out every 5-10 minutes asking "Is there anyone here to pick up mail" and he or she gets the stuff that wouldn't fit in their box, but if i can leave packages without waiting in line, i would surely like to confront them with it.

yes, I'm pretty sure you can.

I've done it multiple times, if the postage is paid for, just walk to front of the line and leave it on a counter that's unattended (DURING OPEN HOURS WHEN SOMEBODY CAN SEE YOU) act either very confident or very stupid, and the clerks will either advise you to wait, or quickly ask "are these ready?"

The other customers will at first look upset or jealous that you've cut in line, but they'll soon realize there's no reason you need to wait if you're just dropping them.

Multiple times (at multiple locations) clerks can see that your packages are stamped, labeled and paid for, they'll say "Hey, just dropping off? Leave it here on this counter".

They probably assume that :
a) you've written your return address on it
b) if anything goes wrong, they can reject it and send it back to you
c) even if they DO talk to you, all they do is ask the "liquid, fragile, perishable or potentially hazardous" question, which wouldn't matter if they actually asked you, or assumed the answer was no.
d) they assume you paid for it fully, packed it nicely, so they have nothing to worry.
e) Probably because, if you paid for it in advance, you either you an electronic kiosk or your computer, both of which can be traced to you
(unless you stuck a bunch of pre-paid stamps on it, possible)

 

[WaltM]

I've lived everywhere, but the rules for the post office are federal. They took away the package drops when the Unabomber was active. The big bin at Christmas is staffed. They set up a temporary station on the lobby to help with traffic.

You do have to bring your package to the counter. But you don't need to stand in line to do it of they're electronically stamped.

you're right, from my experience.

(it helps too if you're a regular, they like you and trust you)

 

[tpreitzel]

One last reminder for the early morning crew. The taxpayer subsidized US Postal Service is currently $3.5 BILLION in the red for the last quarter alone with their filthy hands out for more ... The US Postal Service is racking up quite a history of red ink. Send more letters ...

 

[WaltM]

One last reminder for the early morning crew. The taxpayer subsidized US Postal Service is currently $3.5 BILLION in the red for the last quarter alone with their filthy hands out for more ... The US Postal Service is racking up quite a history of red ink. Send more letters ...

i heard you the first time/

I'd be interested in knowing what's the red caused by.

paying too much to employees? charging too little on mailing?

 

[angelatc]

can you point me to any regulation that says that, at my PO, the only ones that get to skip the line, is people picking up mail that was too large to fit in their PO boxes, i'm gonna do some reaserach too, but if that is a true federal regulation, I would like to be able to prove it to skip the line.

Usually when i am waiting in line, someone in the back will come out every 5-10 minutes asking "Is there anyone here to pick up mail" and he or she gets the stuff that wouldn't fit in their box, but if i can leave packages without waiting in line, i would surely like to confront them with it.

Yes, I am looking, but so far all I've found is the consumer pages, not the nuts and bolts regulations.

But just so you know that I'm not making it up, Stamps.com lists it as a selling feature: http://www.stamps.com/support/getting-started/mail-ship/

Post Office Drop-off

Take your package to your nearest Post Office™ and hand it to a retail clerk without standing in line!

I looked all over but can't find it. I emailed stamps.com to ask them. I'll let you know.

 

[WaltM]

Yes, I am looking, but so far all I've found is the consumer pages, not the nuts and bolts regulations.

But just so you know that I'm not making it up, Stamps.com lists it as a selling feature: http://www.stamps.com/support/getting-started/mail-ship/



I looked all over but can't find it. I emailed stamps.com to ask them. I'll let you know.

http://www.usps.com/send/preparemailandpackages/preparingpackages.htm

Drop Off
Packages may be handed to your carrier or taken to the Post Office. Packages may also be dropped into a blue collection box with the following restrictions:

*Stamped packages must weight 13 ounces or less

*Packages with postage printed using Click-N-Ship or another PC Postage provider may weigh more than one pound, but must fit in the collection box


I think it's implied that if you can drop it off in the blue collection box without them asking you questions, you can do the same by dropping it at the counter without waiting in line, if the above are met (just like you can drop stamped mail at the counter if you don't trust the slots)

 

[angelatc]

you're right, from my experience.

(it helps too if you're a regular, they like you and trust you)

The rules say that if the package (over 13 oz) is stamped, you have to hand it to a carrier or a clerk. But if you have electronic postage, you are a "known shipper" and can place the packages in any bins, box or place deemed a package acceptance area. The question here seems to be whether the Post Office is required to provide a package acceptance area.

 

[teacherone]

WaltM/ Josh_LA is just trolling again, tying people up in endless threads of his illogical and sometimes incomprehensible nonsense.

Anyway... Germany privatized its post and now has awesome kiosks which are secure and scattered around the cities with easy access. High tech too...

 

[theoakman]

i heard you the first time/

I'd be interested in knowing what's the red caused by.

paying too much to employees? charging too little on mailing?

The red is caused by being massively inefficient and relying on the government to foot the difference.

Seriously, I've been to post offices all over the place...New Jersey, Hawaii, Las Vegas, Florida, Arizona, New York. They are all the same. You wait on a long ass line. There is a slow clerk taking your order. There are 12 employees in the back room laughing their ass off while they goof around. 20 minutes later, when you've finally reached the front of the line you hand them a package in a pristine mint condition box. The box arrives at location like it's been dropped off the Empire State Building.

Why can't UPS deliver an envelope for less? It's pretty simple. Because the US postal service uses up all our tax dollars to swallow up all the customers. If you gave UPS 14 billion a year, I'm pretty sure they could afford to lower prices as well.

 

[WaltM]

WaltM/ Josh_LA is just trolling again, tying people up in endless threads of his illogical and sometimes incomprehensible nonsense.

Anyway... Germany privatized its post and now has awesome kiosks which are secure and scattered around the cities with easy access. High tech too...

this is a DHL station, in Germany DHL & Deutsche Post work together, is that still private? Is that still competitor friendly?

In fact, if I understand this correctly, it's Deutsche Post buying up stock in DHL and eventually owning them.

If this were to happen in the US, or if a city ever outsourced its parking tickets to private sector (and it has), watch people cry CORPORATISM, FAVORING...etc.

If these kiosks were ever introduced in US (and USPS actually tried it), watch people cry UNEMPLOYMENT, just like those who protested against self-checkout counters at supermarkets.

 

[tpreitzel]

LOL ... Our postal service on the way to a new record ...

http://money.cnn.com/2010/11/12/news/economy/postal_service/index.htm?section=money_topstories

"However, the need for changes to legislation, regulations and labor contracts has never been more obvious." You bet there's a need for changes and those changes aren't confined to stopping pre-funding of their cozy retirement system.

 

[Jodi]

I can walk up to any UPS driver and hand him a package, provided I've gone online and printed up a label.

FedEx bought office supply stores, and there are 2 within 15 minutes of me.

The post offices used to have bin where you could drop your packages, but they won't let us do that any more.

Post Office offers free boxes that are delivered to your door. You can print postage online and call the PO to come and pick them up at your door.

 

[Jodi]

Duh, they'll have to create and expand their distribution networks eventually... especially when really competent competition arrives which will happen in due time and taxpayer subsidized competition is eliminated, i.e. the postal service. Amazon does it around the nation on a much larger scale.

The postal service delivers amazons parcels.

 

[torchbearer]

do you deal with packages on a regular basis?

I do, and USPS is the fairly affordable one for me. Maybe you want to tell me I don't deserve low priced services at another's expense, but if they were not cheap, you'd be complaining that the government is ripping us off.

And please save the "if they legalized competition everything would be cheaper" BS to yourself, how many here are willing to work like USPS workers for less than they're paid?

I actually did "casual" work for the USPS as a sorter on the graveyard shift. i got paid half of what the others were paid.
they are making $25+ an hour, with benefits and pension. half the staff is faking injuries to try and get on disability. they throw packages around for fun. they can't lose their job, unless they no call-no show. its a cush job, with more benefits than you can find in the private sector.
the USPS is a piece of shit organization that needs to go.

 

[Jodi]

I actually did "casual" work for the USPS as a sorter on the graveyard shift. i got paid half of what the others were paid.
they are making $25+ an hour, with benefits and pension. half the staff is faking injuries to try and get on disability. they throw packages around for fun. they can't lose their job, unless they no call-no show. its a cush job, with more benefits than you can find in the private sector.
the USPS is a piece of shit organization that needs to go.

I work for the USPS. For me it is not a cush job. I am a highway contract route. I have NO BENEFITS. I am paid probably about half of what a rural carrier would make if hauling my mail. From the looks of the contract routes coming up, the postal service is "privatizing" the routes. In talking to one of the rural carriers he confirmed that USPS is taking the rural routes and turning them into contract routes. I am sure that their union will be fighting that, but I don't think the usps cares they will just do it. In my opinion to keep from cutting management wages. USPS is the same as most companies these days...all the money funnels up.