Rant on shipping

[aczlan]

The problem is when somebody is hired as a permanent full time USPS employee they have to at that point put aside money to pay for their retirement if they stay for their entire career.

Aaron Z

 

[Frankenkubota]

I saw that huge ship is still stuck in the Suez. Egypt is getting pissed because they are missing out on fees from boats passing thru.

The boats owner has another boat exactly like the one that's stuck, they redirected around Africa.


I just wonder how much more $?

 

[Oaktree]

Upper level management is the problem. Then again it usually is. My local PO is open from 8:30 to 11:00; then from 1:00 to 3:30.
Because they will only put a temp there, every X number of days they have to take off (without pay) and start over. I believe they also have to reapply for the position. For some reason they can't keep people... imagine that.

Of course, part of the problem is all these little post offices in one-horse towns that cost money to run, but generate very little revenue. Of course every time the PM general even suggests closing some of them (or instituting other cost-cutting moves) Congress gets their shorts all in a knot and won't allow it.

 

[two_bit_score]

Of course, part of the problem is all these little post offices in one-horse towns that cost money to run, but generate very little revenue. Of course every time the PM general even suggests closing some of them (or instituting other cost-cutting moves) Congress gets their shorts all in a knot and won't allow it.

That may be somewhat true and I am not arguing. There is much more fat to cut in the huge operations though than in the one horse towns.

 

[goeduck]

There is more than one horse in the town I live in, but I do know that the local UPS store also takes USPS mail and has Private Mailboxes (like PO Boxes). That is where it likely will go, unless UPS does not serve one horse towns.

 

[Jstpssng]

Of course, part of the problem is all these little post offices in one-horse towns that cost money to run, but generate very little revenue. Of course every time the PM general even suggests closing some of them (or instituting other cost-cutting moves) Congress gets their shorts all in a knot and won't allow it.

Good point, and I'm in one of those "one horse towns". The PO once was a room in the general store but they decided to make it a stand alone place. Now the general store is gone and they keep talking about closing the post office. The same place serves 6 towns, totaling about 700 people.

 

[Pixguy]

I lived in a town that an old post office with roughly 100 boxes and one teller was just 3 miles from the main PO in the town. They talked about closing it but the folks that walk to it fought it. Closing it only makes sense in the era.

 

[JethroB]

Doing the 30 day Prime trial gig. I really don't like the company, but check there for prices sometimes. Found a couple of things I needed and a few promotions that sweetened the deals. Decided to give it a whirl.

Twice now during that 30 days, I've placed orders on Wednesday or Thursday, only to be given delivery dates of the following Tuesday. Thing is, the stuff sits for three or four of those days, then ships Sunday or Monday, FedEx next day. I don't see how that makes sense. Sit on the order for several days, then ship using the highest cost method rather than shipping within a day and using a lower cost method does not compute.

The included Prime Video sold me on signing up. Cheaper than Netflix.

 

[ultrarunner]

Yep... the local drug store had a postal counter... most convenient.

Asked what happened and learned consolidation.

I hope things don't consolidate too much as I am partner in a post office!

That said, I can show you all the buildings in town where the post office once was and same for stately Bank of America branches

 

[japody]

That may be somewhat true and I am not arguing. There is much more fat to cut in the huge operations though than in the one horse towns.

You say there is more fat to cut. Can you be more specific and what facts are you basing that on?

 

[bunchgrass]

The problem is when somebody is hired as a permanent full time USPS employee they have to at that point put aside money to pay for their retirement if they stay for their entire career.

Aaron Z

Yep --- a clear attempt to make the USPS insolvent. We do enough damage to our own country by destroying or failing to maintain the infrastructure that our predecessors built that China can just wait us out.

 

[bunchgrass]

Good point, and I'm in one of those "one horse towns". The PO once was a room in the general store but they decided to make it a stand alone place. Now the general store is gone and they keep talking about closing the post office. The same place serves 6 towns, totaling about 700 people.

Our Post Office is now in an old taco truck because some idiot bitched about potential asbestos in the floor tiles and demanded the building owner remove and replace the tiles. He told the USPS to get the hell out of his building. So now we have a taco truck parked under the city's equipment shed for our PO going on year 3. Now our ultraconservative community is demanding the feds build us a brand new post office facility. Population - 550.

 

[goeduck]

Our Post Office is now in an old taco truck because some idiot bitched about potential asbestos in the floor tiles and demanded the building owner remove and replace the tiles. He told the USPS to get the hell out of his building. So now we have a taco truck parked under the city's equipment shed for our PO going on year 3. Now our ultraconservative community is demanding the feds build us a brand new post office facility. Population - 550.

amazing !

 

[dragoneggs]

Our Post Office is now in an old taco truck because some idiot bitched about potential asbestos in the floor tiles and demanded the building owner remove and replace the tiles. He told the USPS to get the hell out of his building. So now we have a taco truck parked under the city's equipment shed for our PO going on year 3. Now our ultraconservative community is demanding the feds build us a brand new post office facility. Population - 550.

I would love to comment on your post and learn more... but will bite my tongue and steer clear.

 

[Frankenkubota]

You say there is more fat to cut. Can you be more specific and what facts are you basing that on?

Here's a little fat.

My buddy goes to korea as a contractor, 30 years ago, meets a local gal, marries her, brings her and many family members back over the years. Both go to work for uncle sam, usps!

He's a friend but also a self admitted alcoholic, hard hard core! He's on disability and lives at the dr office. His korean wife came down with emotional issues. She's either at the docs office or in the psyc. hospital constantly. Funny though. Her doc suggested she not have any emotional breakdowns during the virus.....so she hasn't. Turns it on and off like a switch.

Both a combined 150 lbs overweight, eat out 10 times a week, nice cars and house.......and both on 100% govt. disability.

FAT? But that's probably an isolated incident........?

I read govt. employees most likely to go on disability, police and fire fighters first in line.

 

[fried1765]

I doubt the USPS and the Canadian postal service share the same tracking software

I doubt the USPS and the Canadian postal service share the same tracking software

From my experience living in Canada, Canada Poste uses the PEx (Pony Express) shipping system.
It is absolutely horrible, but USPS is working hard to replicate the Canada Poste system!

 

[Oaktree]

I read govt. employees most likely to go on disability, police and fire fighters first in line.

I don't know where you got this "statistic" ("I read it on line so it's gotta be true"), but that's news to me.
As far as police and firefighters go...both are occupations that require you to be in pretty good shape, it would take a much smaller injury to sideline someone than, say some office job.

 

[RjCorazza]

I don't know where you got this "statistic" ("I read it on line so it's gotta be true"), but that's news to me.
As far as police and firefighters go...both are occupations that require you to be in pretty good shape, it would take a much smaller injury to sideline someone than, say some office job.

I suspect public safety workers that run into burning buildings and get attacked or shot at are more prone to disabling injuries than many other professions.
My record over 30 years was 8 broken bone incidents, several non disabling burns, one concussion, and too many minor injuries to count. I made it to normal retirement 8 years ago.

 

[ultrarunner]

I don't know where you got this "statistic" ("I read it on line so it's gotta be true"), but that's news to me.
As far as police and firefighters go...both are occupations that require you to be in pretty good shape, it would take a much smaller injury to sideline someone than, say some office job.

They do find themselves in harm's way more often than many...

 

[two_bit_score]

They do find themselves in harm's way more often than many...

More disabilities and suicides brought on by depression, divorce and alcoholism.