USPS to cut Saturday Mail

[ponylady]

Just saw this on the news this morning.

http://fox8.com/2013/02/06/us-postal-service-to-cut-saturday-mail/

Thought US peeps would like to know. It looks like though Priority and Express mail will still be delivered. Just First Class will not 

[NoDivision]

*sigh* I had heard that this might be happening. I guess it's not so bad given that larger/priority packages and other mail types will still be delivered, but it will mean a longer wait for a lot of the things I send and receive (especially ponies, as most of those go first class!)

[achab1984]

I thought they were talking about no mail at all on saturdays. How is cutting out one class of package going to help? Oh well at least the others are still going.

[kakenterprise]

I thought they were talking about no mail at all on saturdays. How is cutting out one class of package going to help? Oh well at least the others are still going.

That's what I understood too.

Really I'm not bothered by it.  I wish it would help cut the cost of mailing packages but that's not going to happen. 

[ponylady]

I am afraid since they just raised the price of postage this past Sunday that lowering it is probably not in the near future.

[babylofty]

According to NBC it is absolutely NO mail on Saturdays. The only things that will be delivered will be medication and express packages.

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/postal-service-bids-farewell-mail-delivery-saturdays-1B8262819

How this will cut down on the hemorrhaging is they won't have to pay mail carriers for a sixth day of work, only five days.  I'm not entirely sure if that effects their retiree benefits or not. 

What this means though is a double load of mail on Mondays. (more packages to start my week? Yes please!)

I thought this part was interesting:

It remains unclear whether the USPS can unilaterally reduce service for first-class mail to five days from six days a week without congressional approval. Congress has resisted the idea, although it may be more open as it seeks to reduce spending. The USPS does not get tax money to fund its day-to-day operations.

According to another report I read, the USPS USED to get taxpayer funding but that stopped in the 80's. Need to confirm that.

Honestly, I'm all for this mail cut. If it means Congress will reduce spending by doing this, then let's do it until our debt is under control.

[mlp4me]

We all knew it was going to eventually happen...
(I still can't comprehend how they're in such financial turmoil... my gosh I pay them money to send packages almost every week...)

[Enolaalone]

Wow that's crazy. If that happened over here no-one would ever receive parcels, since you have to be in to get one and most people work 9-5. I guess at least you guys have those mailbox things so you mostly won't have that problem.

[Galactica]

My local post offices are already closed on Saturdays- this wasn't unexpected.  It does make pick up of packages (registered/insured) very difficult which is why I have everything mailed to my work now (also security is better)

[kCherry]

I had heard that they will deliver only packages on Sat. I wonder what will actually happen when this all goes down...
*headdesk*
Surely USPS doesn't really wonder why folks are taking their business to other carriers?

[Diamond]

As to it giving them a day off, most mail carriers I know work 5 days, they have one day off and then Sunday.  We have a sub on their scheduled day off.

Not surprised though, they need to get some real business folks in there to try and get it set up so it runs better. 

Yeah no junk mail on Saturdays.

[ShortyBoo]

Will the post office still be opened on Saturdays? Because I normally ship on Wednesdays and Saturdays. I guess I don't mind them removing Saturday delivery, but I wish the prices didn't have to go up so much. Something tells me that cutting Saturday delivery will just make the rest of the mail slow down. If nothing else, it will at least make Monday's mail delivery really late. Whenever there's a holiday where we don't get mail, the next day they deliver, the mail is usually several hours later than normal.

But if it cuts down on the amount of days we have a sub delivering, then I'm good with that. The sub will sit there at our mail box trying to shove packages in there that are too big (lots of times making them really hard to remove because of how they're wedged in the box) to avoid having to walk 10 feet to the front door. And even then, he just throws it on the porch and doesn't knock, making it easier for people to steal our packages. Our regular mail lady will bring all our mail up to the door if we have a package and I always appreciate it because it saves me from having to go outside to get it.

[StoryDreamer]

The USPS is a private entity. Not government run. They now have free delivery confirmation with first class yay!

I have seen reports of priority mail and express will still be running on Saturday.

They tried to save money by closing post offices and a lot of representatives had a fit. Can't win.

[Ringlets]

Prices rise, then services are cut... yep sounds familiar *sigh*   
 I guess it will take time to see how much of an effect doing this will really have though

[Stiletto]

Most of the changes to the US Post Office make me a sad pony.