The OIG wants your opinion on post office closings

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The USPS Office of Inspector General (OIG) is doing an “audit overview” of the Retail Access Optimization initiative (RAOI), the Postal Service’s plan to close 3,652 post offices.  The OIG wants to hear your opinion.

The OIG helps maintain the integrity and accountability of the Postal Service through independent audits and investigations.  The OIG has already issued one report about the RAOI (pdf here), and now the OIG wants to go another step by hearing from the public about post office closings.

Here’s what the OIG website says:

On July 26, 2011, the Postal Service announced the Retail Access Optimization Initiative (RAOI), to examine whether to continue providing retail services and products at over 3,600 Postal Service operated retail facilities. The Postal Service’s attempt to adjust its network by closing retail facilities has stirred public debate and resistance because of the affect on jobs, service, employees, and communities.

On December 13, 2011, at the request of multiple U.S. Senators, the Postal Service announced a five-month moratorium on closing Post Offices and Processing and Distribution Centers until May 15, 2012. Subsequently, on December 30, 2011, the Postal Regulatory Commission issued an advisory opinion, stating that the RAOI is likely to affect service on a nationwide basis and is not designed to optimize the retail network.

  • What is the impact to you if your local Post Office is closed?
  • Should the Postal Service continue to optimize its network by closing retail facilities, or are there better opportunities available?
  • Should the Postal Service maintain its traditional brick and mortar presence or expand alternate access locations to purchase services and products?
  • Should the Postal Service close or consolidate retail facilities that are in close proximity to other facilities?
  • Do you currently use, or will use, your carrier, USPS.com, or other alternate access channels to provide services such as parcel pick-up and stamp purchase instead of a traditional brick and mortar Post Office?

This audit is a great opportunity to share your thoughts about post offices and the Postal Service.  Go to the OIG website and leave your comments here.