You Know You Are Old When

[WinterDeere]

Let it be privatized ! The government cannot run anything efficently, It doesn,t have to be a moneymaker, but can nobody run the Postal service as a business and at least break even ?

I'd normally agree with this sentiment. But anyone who would make this claim with regard to USPS doesn't deal as much with UPS and FedEx as I do. I don't want to start paying $6 - $10 per letter, to mail things.

 

[WinterDeere]

 

[BleedingOrange]

I'd normally agree with this sentiment. But anyone who would make this claim with regard to USPS doesn't deal as much with UPS and FedEx as I do. I don't want to start paying $6 - $10 per letter, to mail things.

I,m from Canada, so in my comments I was actually referring to Canada Post. We live on the border, and it usually only takes us about 15 minutes to get to a post office in the states. Any time we have taken stuff across the border and used USPS to ship parcels to relatives in the USA, we have found the USPS employees very helpful and friendly. The cost to ship parcels was very reasonable, and very quick and efficient. I have no idea how well USPS is run, is USPS self sufficient ? Can it at least be run as a break even venture ?

 

[Jstpssng]

I have no idea how well USPS is run, is USPS self sufficient

Not right now.

 

[Tinhack]

Not right now.

Nor, apparently, for the last 15 years.
They blame it on the cost of employee salaries and their retirement benefits through inflation. Dah. They must have pretty cushy benefits.

 

[WinterDeere]

I,m from Canada, so in my comments I was actually referring to Canada Post.

Sorry, I saw that, but I wasn't thinking.

I have no idea how well USPS is run, is USPS self sufficient ? Can it at least be run as a break even venture ?

They've had their own struggles, at least in some large part due to a requirement to service every address in the USA, no matter how remote. Amazon, UPS and FedEx all manage their costs by turning over packages to locations with lower delivery volumes (= less profitable) to USPS, who must deliver, every time.

 

[WinterDeere]

Nor, apparently, for the last 15 years.
They blame it on the cost of employee salaries and their retirement benefits through inflation. Dah. They must have pretty cushy benefits.

I've known a postal employee or two over the years. Like any gub'ment job, lower than average salary, but better than average pension.

I don't know how it is today, but in the past most seemed to be the second income in the household. Usually women able to work for lower income rate thanks to a spouse who brings home more, but doing it for the benny's and pension in their retirement. Those I knew had husbands who were contractors, or worked in other areas where they received no benefits or retirement plan.

 

[Eagle1]

Also remember that many many rural and hwy routes are contracted out for service. The contractor bids on the routes and there are NO benefits from USPS beyond payment of contract. NOTE even some in town routes are run by private contractors.
If you carrier does not drive a USPS vehicle they are likely not a USPS employee.

 

[masscity]

My Dad was a rural carrier and a USPS employee, 3 years WWII and 17 years with the USPS for his retirement.

I think the route was 177 boxes and 55 miles.

All of the rural carriers here have been employees of the USPS, no contractors.

They have the option of using a USPS vehicle or using their own and getting paid milage.

 

[NoTrespassing]

My Dad was a rural carrier and a USPS employee, 3 years WWII and 17 years with the USPS for his retirement.

I think the route was 177 boxes and 55 miles.

All of the rural carriers here have been employees of the USPS, no contractors.

They have the option of using a USPS vehicle or using their own and getting paid milage.

Yep, Dad has an 80 mile route with about 180 boxes I think. He's driven his own vehicles since about 1962 when he was a substitute for my grandfather. I think he got the full time route in about 1973. He gets paid almost $1.00 per mile tax free. His current route car is a Chevy Lumina, bench seat, with around 450,000 miles.