Following early-morning reports that anticipated the news, the United States Postal Service announced on Wednesday that it would discontinue mail delivery on Saturdays. The change, which will become effective in August, has been a long time coming. Thanks to escalating costs, largely attributed to unconventional government-imposed healthcare compensation, the USPS has been hemorrhaging money, and for a few years a five-day mail delivery cycle has been floating in the ether as a possible cost-cutting plan.
In line with what many expected of this sort of awkward business environment, in 2006 Congress mandated that the USPS set aside $55 billion to cover future healthcare payments for workers. This is pretty much an unprecedented move. The idea was to set aside $5.5 billion each year for 10 years, but even before the financialcrisis this seemed unreasonable to some.
Cut to 2012, and the USPS posts a loss of $15.9 billion, some $11.1 billion of which is attributable to the retiree health benefits fund. Without this and other labor-related expenses, the USPS edged out an operating loss of $2.4 billion.
The second aspect, then, is that the USPS has already taken enormous cost-cutting steps worth about $15 billion per year. This includes cutting its career workforce by 28 percent, or nearly 200,000 workers, and consolidating over 200 locations. And all the while mail volume declined in the face of digitization and increased competition.
http://wallstcheatsheet.com/stocks/will ... ps.html/3/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;FedEx (NYSE:FDX) and United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) are the two main competitive forces that face the USPS outside of industry trends, and by all accounts they are doing just fine while the USPS fights for its life. Shares of UPS have climbed nearly 6 percent so far in 2013, while FedEx is up over 11 percent.
I do mail order and the USPS is the best option for the size and convenience of delivery. I get a discount for doing my shipping online, and tracking is great.GannonFan wrote:It's an electronic world, and for things like packages, other business do it better and cheaper than the USPS does it. Most of the crap that comes in the mail these days goes right into the recycling bin when I get it anyway. They lose billions of money each year (and even without the requirement to put away $15B for future healthcare costs, that's still $4B-$5B in losses per year) and no business can survive hemorraging that kind of money. The end to postal service will come in our lifetimes (well, the young ones, for you old guys you might not see it).
Only if I really wanted something and it didn't come on Friday.clenz wrote:Does anyone really need their mail on a Saturday?
Order it sooner, or pay extra for shipping to ensure it will be there by Friday....93henfan wrote:Only if I really wanted something and it didn't come on Friday.clenz wrote:Does anyone really need their mail on a Saturday?
I sent in my saved box tops from Cap'n Crunch cereal (along with $8.99) to get a "Free Retro T-Shirt" that I was going to wear to a party on Saturday night.clenz wrote:Does anyone really need their mail on a Saturday?
CAA Flagship wrote:I sent in my saved box tops from Cap'n Crunch cereal (along with $8.99) to get a "Free Retro T-Shirt" that I was going to wear to a party on Saturday night.clenz wrote:Does anyone really need their mail on a Saturday?
Luckily, they still delivered mail on Saturday and I got it just in time. The shirt was a big hit and I was able to get a fake phone number from an ugly girl.
My life would be much different today if I didn't get that shirt until the following Monday.
You'd then have to wait three extra days to return it!93henfan wrote:Only if I really wanted something and it didn't come on Friday.clenz wrote:Does anyone really need their mail on a Saturday?
I thought you were above that type of personal attack.Ivytalk wrote:You'd then have to wait three extra days to return it!93henfan wrote:
Only if I really wanted something and it didn't come on Friday.
93henfan wrote:I thought you were above that type of personal attack.Ivytalk wrote: You'd then have to wait three extra days to return it!
I'll handle this 93. 
Take it back.CAA Flagship wrote:93henfan wrote:
I thought you were above that type of personal attack.
Hey IT,
I think you should TAKE BACK that comment. These sort of EXCHANGES are not welcome here. 93 has been kind enough to dine on crabs with you and you should be RETURNING the kindness. You should also note that his response to your attack was without PAY BACK.
Just sayin.
Re-gifter.93henfan wrote:Take it back.CAA Flagship wrote:
Hey IT,
I think you should TAKE BACK that comment. These sort of EXCHANGES are not welcome here. 93 has been kind enough to dine on crabs with you and you should be RETURNING the kindness. You should also note that his response to your attack was without PAY BACK.
Just sayin.
Does it need to be delivered on more than 3 days a week?bluehenbillk wrote:Give it a few years & mail will be down to 4 days per week.....
I was looking for a clip of the scene when he gets digits and throws them away...but I couldn't find it so you have to settle for this Swingers clip instead:CAA Flagship wrote:I sent in my saved box tops from Cap'n Crunch cereal (along with $8.99) to get a "Free Retro T-Shirt" that I was going to wear to a party on Saturday night.clenz wrote:Does anyone really need their mail on a Saturday?
Luckily, they still delivered mail on Saturday and I got it just in time. The shirt was a big hit and I was able to get a fake phone number from an ugly girl.
My life would be much different today if I didn't get that shirt until the following Monday.
Cut the number of carriers in half and deliver to half the addresses on Monday, Wednesday & Friday and the other half on Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday.SDHornet wrote:Does it need to be delivered on more than 3 days a week?bluehenbillk wrote:Give it a few years & mail will be down to 4 days per week.....
