Last week the Postal Service announced that it would be delivering packages for Amazon on Sundays, but only to Amazon Prime members (or those willing to pay extra), and only to customers living in New York and Los Angeles. The premium service will eventually be extended to some other big cities, but it’s not likely that those living in medium-sized … Read More
Sale of historic Norwich post office not going anywhere, but post office may move to library
The Postal Service has been trying to sell the historic post office in downtown Norwich, Connecticut, but it's been having trouble finding a buyer. Nonetheless, there will be a meeting today to discuss the relocation, a meeting required by law. As with Berkeley, the Bronx, and many other cases, the Postal Service is going through a relocation process without … Read More
USPS revenues up in 2013, first time since 2008; non-career workers now 20 percent of workforce
The Postal Service released its annual financial report today. For the first time since the recession hit, operating revenues are up — $66 billion, compared to $65.2 billion in 2012. The Postal Service has posted a net loss of $5 billion, but that includes a $5.5 billion payment to the retiree health benefit fund. First Class mail volumes continue to … Read More
Sources of change: The Postal Service breaks down the mail volumes for the PRC
The news media are busy this weekend reporting on the Postal Service’s financial report for fiscal year 2013, which shows a $5 billion loss. If Congress weren’t requiring the Postal Service to pay $5.5 billion into the retiree health benefits fund, the Postal Service would have made a profit of over a half billion dollars.  Not that this could stop … Read More
What’s fair is fair: Amazon customers get delivery on Sunday, SRO residents get none at all
While the news this week has been dominated by rave reviews for the Postal Service's announcement that it will deliver packages on Sunday to Amazon Prime customers (who pay $79 a year for the privilege), there’s another story going on about residents of single room occupancy (SRO) buildings who are fighting just to get their mail delivered at all. The … Read More
Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association weighs in on sale of Berkeley PO
The Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association (BAHA) has written a letter to the Postal Service challenging the USPS finding of no significant impact with regard to the disposal of the historic Berkeley post office. BAHA reiterates the Berkeley City Council’s request that any action concerning the proposed sale of the Post Office be deferred for a one-year term in order to … Read More
Post Office Collaborate opts in on NHPA review of sale of Berkeley PO
The National Post Office Collaborate, a Berkeley-based group fighting the sale of historic post offices across the country, has written to the California State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), requesting permission to participate in the Section 106 consultation process for the sale of the Berkeley post office. The Postal Service has generally argued that it isn't required to follow the National … Read More
The next chapter in postal privatization: Post Offices inside of Staples
The Postal Service has rather quietly announced a pilot program to put post offices inside of Staples. It’s part of what the USPS is calling the Retail Partner Expansion Program, and the first Staples to host a post office will be located in San Francisco and San Jose. According to an article in the Burlingame-Hillsborough Patch, which was apparently based on … Read More
Tribal Lore: Whistleblower lawsuit claims Northrop Grumman gave USPS false FSS performance reports
A former subcontractor and employee of Northrop Grumman named Beau Michaud has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of Virginia against Grumman. The Complaint claims that Grumman repeatedly gave “false reports and certifications to the USPS that materially misrepresent the speed, reliability, accuracy and efficiency of the FSS machines and that materially misrepresent the conformity of the machines … Read More
PRC Public Rep lays into Postal Service on Stamford closing
The Public Representative of the Postal Regulatory Commission has filed comments responding to the Postal Service's Motion to Dismiss the appeal on the closing of the post office in Stamford, Conn. The comments are worth reading. The Postal Service initially said it closed the post office because the sale of the buildig was proceeding, but then it changed the … Read More
USPS to look into complaints about mail delays in Texas after plant closure
The Postal Service says it will look into complaints from hundreds of Central Texas residents about late mail delivery and carrier errors, problems that seem to have worsened since mail-processing was moved from Waco to facilities in Coppell and Fort Worth. Some residents have complained that their mail is being delivered as much as six hours later than normal and … Read More
Five Steps to Save America’s Incredible Shrinking Post Office
Alternet has syndicated an excellent piece by David Morris from "On the Commons" about what the American people need to do so save the post office. Morris recommends a moratorium on post office closures and hour reductions, a genuine cost analysis of what closing a post office means, a genuine appeals process, approval of the exigent rate increase, and elimination … Read More