USPS to run out of money by September

[QChawks]

(CNN) - Rain or snow, the mail must go through, but will the U.S. Postal Service survive the coronavirus pandemic?

The postal service says it will run out of money by September if Congress doesn't step in to help.

Postmaster General Megan Brennan spoke with lawmakers Thursday, asking for $75 billion to keep the service afloat.

She says the service will likely see a $13 billion revenue hit this year.

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee are relaying Brennan's call for help.

The postal service isn't getting money from Congress' $2.2 trillion relief package and Republicans, including President Trump, have signaled a reluctance to bail it out.

Congress’s oversight of the U.S. Postal Service is founded in the Constitution.

 

[QChawks]

Double the fees for all the junk mail!!

 

[fredjr82]

Double the fees for all the junk mail!!

Also make Amazon quit raping them. I would also suggest eliminating Saturday delivery. I went paperless for most things a while back. I get very little relevant mail anymore.

 

[ANYCHawk]

Don't we do this every few years?

 

[QChawks]

Don't we do this every few years?

Yup. It’s annoying as fock. Charge more and drive some of the garbage mail away. They also deliver so much “free mail” it’s not even funny. Run it like a damn business.

 

[ConvenientParking]

If they'd quit inspecting domestic packs for weed they'd save and make more money.

 

[LuteHawk]

Many financial savvy people say
that the federal government should
hand over the post office to a private
business. UPS and Fed-Ex are not
losing money because they are more
efficient.

In the meantime, the U.S. Post Office
should stop Saturday delivery, and
increase rates for junk mail.

 

[Joes Place]

(CNN) - Rain or snow, the mail must go through, but will the U.S. Postal Service survive the coronavirus pandemic?

The postal service says it will run out of money by September if Congress doesn't step in to help.

Postmaster General Megan Brennan spoke with lawmakers Thursday, asking for $75 billion to keep the service afloat.

She says the service will likely see a $13 billion revenue hit this year.

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee are relaying Brennan's call for help.

The postal service isn't getting money from Congress' $2.2 trillion relief package and Republicans, including President Trump, have signaled a reluctance to bail it out.

Congress’s oversight of the U.S. Postal Service is founded in the Constitution.

USPS needed some re-org many years ago.
When you're required to deliver on every mail route, every day, you cannot maintain the efficiencies that UPS, FedEx and Amazon can. It's "middle America" that is killing the USPS, having to go into every tiny town and hit every rural mailbox daily.

Heck, let USPS open 3 days a week and you'd extend the solvency by another month or two

USPS needs to shift to 3-day-a-week delivery for areas that aren't economical for daily deliveries. We under-invest in government functions like this, so they get less and less efficient over the years.

 

[Joes Place]

Many financial savvy people say
that the federal government should
hand over the post office to a private
business. UPS and Fed-Ex are not
losing money because they are more
efficient.

UPS and FedEx will be no more "efficient" if they must deliver to every rural and small town address/PO Box, every day. I'd bet they don't have to deliver to 80-90% of the places USPS has to go, daily.

 

[IACub]

I’m still busy as ever, probably sending 4-5 pieces of mail per day for loan docs.

 

[Fan In Black]

do they still have that giant pension fund that is like 10 times deeper than any private fund? The one that they cant touch even when they need money?

 

[Chishawk1425]

USPS hasn't recovered since 2006 when GW forced them to fund pensions for decades in the future.

 

[Lone Clone]

Also make Amazon quit raping them. I would also suggest eliminating Saturday delivery. I went paperless for most things a while back. I get very little relevant mail anymore.

You realize that puts you in Trump's camp.

 

[naturalmwa]

Many financial savvy people say
that the federal government should
hand over the post office to a private
business. UPS and Fed-Ex are not
losing money because they are more
efficient.

In the meantime, the U.S. Post Office
should stop Saturday delivery, and
increase rates for junk mail.

This isn’t true. UPS and Fed Ex both contract with the postal service to deliver packages because they aren’t as efficient at the task. Conservatives have been trying to kill the postal service for decades and are simply taking advantage of a crisis to advance their agenda.

 

[95Hawk]

I’m no expert, but I think a lot of their problems start and end with the delivery vehicles that they drive. They just scream “low self esteem”.

 

[joelbc1]

I believe that part of the problem with USPS is that they wanted to raise rates but Congress would not allow them too....now those that voted against the USPS rate raise are raising hell about it being unprofitable. Just one of the many problems the USPS suffers.

 

[billanole]

Many financial savvy people say
that the federal government should
hand over the post office to a private
business. UPS and Fed-Ex are not
losing money because they are more
efficient.

In the meantime, the U.S. Post Office
should stop Saturday delivery, and
increase rates for junk mail.

Let’s see how well those two do delivering first class to every single stop in the country everyday. Packages pay, first class and junk mail produce a great sucking sound.

 

[billanole]

do they still have that giant pension fund that is like 10 times deeper than any private fund? The one that they cant touch even when they need money?

You mean the one that they are forced to fully fund, unlike any other entity public or private?

 

[Lone Clone]

Let’s see how well those two do delivering first class to every single stop in the country everyday. Packages pay, first class and junk mail produce a great sucking sound.

THIS is the key. UPS and FedEx skim the cream.

 

[Scott559]

This isn’t true. UPS and Fed Ex both contract with the postal service to deliver packages because they aren’t as efficient at the task.

This, UPS and Fed Ex both hand off much of their home deliveries to the USPS, In return the USPS uses UPS and Fed Ex planes for hauling mail and packages.

 

[ThamesHawk]

Thought I heard that they've had around 100 employees infected and a couple deaths...

 

[joelbc1]

Many financial savvy people say
that the federal government should
hand over the post office to a private
business. UPS and Fed-Ex are not
losing money because they are more
efficient.

In the meantime, the U.S. Post Office
should stop Saturday delivery, and
increase rates for junk mail.

Privatization is not the answer for services that are at best financially neutral. Prices for mail would have to increase by 10-20% via a private firm.
BTW Lute...tell me how well the “ privatization” of Iowa’s MedicAid program done? Tell me how much more efficient the system has become. How much money has “ privatization” saved the taxpayer. How much fraud has privatization prevented....or uncovered? Please advise...BTW...I do know the answer, so don’t try and bullshit me, ok?

 

[Nat Algren]

UPS and FedEx will be no more "efficient" if they must deliver to every rural and small town address/PO Box, every day. I'd bet they don't have to deliver to 80-90% of the places USPS has to go, daily.

They use cartage agents.

 

[billanole]

Thought I heard that they've had around 100 employees infected and a couple deaths...

That would not surprise me at all. The cat who drops off at work told me the other day that, “We are on the front lines. We have to put on a happy face in order to help people feel at least a small bit of normalcy.”
He then reminded me to hand wash after handling the mail. Dang.

 

[davenporter]

They should cut back to 3 days a week. No one needs their mail everyday. Majority is junk mail anyway. Closing every other day would save tons

 

[Hendy hawk]

They should cut back to 3 days a week. No one needs their mail everyday. Majority is junk mail anyway. Closing every other day would save tons

I get all my meds from the VA by mail.
I would not like it to be only 3 days a week

 

[Joes Place]

I get all my meds from the VA by mail.
I would not like it to be only 3 days a week

They can mail them a week earlier, to adjust for it.

 

[ConvenientParking]

They can mail them a week earlier, to adjust for it.

I don't think this works for dry-ice packs does it? Or are those UPS/FedEx anyway?

 

[Hendy hawk]

They can mail them a week earlier, to adjust for it.

I have to order them in a timely manor can't just order a shit load all at once
Prescriptions are not made that way through my VA Dr.

 

[Run&Blade]

Raise stamp prices and no Saturday delivery.

cut home delivery to four days a week if that saves money.

 

[mnole03]

Let it die. Heaven forbid the rural takers pay their own way.

 

[Nipigu]

Also make Amazon quit raping them.

What’s happening?

 

[Joes Place]

I don't think this works for dry-ice packs does it? Or are those UPS/FedEx anyway?

usually overnight.

No reason carriers could not keep them on refrigerated trucks and only hand off to USPS on days they delivered, though. Fairly simple logistics solution.

 

[Joes Place]

I have to order them in a timely manor can't just order a shit load all at once
Prescriptions are not made that way through my VA Dr.

Your VA Dr will need to adjust for it.

If a 1 day difference crashes the system, it's not a terribly robust solution.

 

[Nipigu]

I have to order them in a timely manor can't just order a shit load all at once
Prescriptions are not made that way through my VA Dr.

Prescriptions regulations aren’t limited to the VA. If the mail service changed their service those regulations would change to make the accommodation.

 

[Fan In Black]

You mean the one that they are forced to fully fund, unlike any other entity public or private?

yes that one.

 

[billanole]

usually overnight.

No reason carriers could not keep them on refrigerated trucks and only hand off to USPS on days they delivered, though. Fairly simple logistics solution.

Nah Joe. FedEx, UPS, USPS, etc... don’t have the refrigerated option. That would boost delivery charges up a big notch. Well timed orders may partially solve the issue, but in really hot areas there would likely be problems from time to time.

 

[IAHawk2011]

Consolidate some of the rural post offices. For example, there is no reason Shell Rock, IA (population 1,300) needs its own post office when Waverly is 7 miles away. Could also eliminate Saturday delivery or even drop down to 4 days per week for some of the smaller towns/delivery areas.

 

[Joes Place]

Nah Joe. FedEx, UPS, USPS, etc... don’t have the refrigerated option. That would boost delivery charges up a big notch.

So?
They don't need "refrigerated trucks", they need to have "freezers" at major warehouses to store stuff for an extra day or two. That's not a major cost, it's an incremental cost for unusual packages.

 

[Nipigu]

Nah Joe. FedEx, UPS, USPS, etc... don’t have the refrigerated option. That would boost delivery charges up a big notch. Well timed orders may partially solve the issue, but in really hot areas there would likely be problems from time to time.

Agreed. Medication needing to be kept cool is not a show stopper to changing USPS’s delivery schedule.