The Postal Regulatory Commission, an independent government regulatory committee, released a post office closures list earlier this afternoon, highlighting a group of close to 700 offices nationwide that are up for review and possible closure. As increasing pressures have mounted on the age old government service – from business’s increasing reliance on email, the loss of recession-sensitive mail-based advertising and high gas prices – the US Postal Service has found itself in a hard place with little choice but large budget cuts.
With an estimated fiscal shortfall of $7 billion, despite a recent 2-cent raise on stamps and staff cuts, the USPS is expected to shut down or “consolidate” hundreds of their offices throughout the United States. For the full list of post offices on the list, check the Postal Regulatory Commission’s website, http://www.prc.gov.
That’s not all. In an effort to reach fiscal normalcy, the US Postmaster General, John Potter, recently asked Congress to consider reducing the days of postal delivery from the current six day a week schedule to a five day a week schedule.
While neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night have ever stopped the USPS, it appears a global recession and new technology just might. We’ll see.
Comments
Donna WAgner
August 4th, 2009 - 4:32:29 AM
I have looked at every web site listed for the post office and still can't find the list of the ones colsing.
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Connor jakes
August 4th, 2009 - 4:59:18 AM
What do they expect. It's pathetic to think I can ship a box from South Florida to Hawai or Alaska that can weigh up to 70 pound and it will cost less than $10. On top of that they promise to come by my home and pick it up and deliver it to a home in AK or HI in 2-4 days. Thats the priority mail flat rate. It's a no brainer, no way can they come close to doing that for under $35. They need to pay the guy who swings by and picks it up, then all the transportation costs from Florida to HI or AK and then pay another guy to deliver it. And for good measure they provide the boxes FREE?? But the folks at teh post office don't care that they are loosing billions with this kind of service, afterall, the goverment will bail them out if they need more money. It time they went private and allowed people that have to make a profit run the service, afterall, Fedex and UPS seem to cope.
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bluesydude
August 4th, 2009 - 5:47:05 AM
List of possible closures - http://goinglikesixty.com/images/usps_closures.pdf
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Tim
August 4th, 2009 - 8:57:53 AM
Thanks, bluesydude. I, like Donna, couldn't find the list. The caveat is that I am thanking you before actually looking at your link. Good day, y'all.
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bluesydude
August 4th, 2009 - 9:08:48 AM
Here's another link in the event the earlier one doesn't work http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/documents/post-offices.html
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bluesydude
August 4th, 2009 - 9:09:39 AM
Here's another link I found in case the other one is not working http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/documents/post-offices.html
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renee anderson
August 4th, 2009 - 6:54:44 PM
Thanks, bluesydude, your first list worked. Now if the prc site would only load . . .
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