USPS Deficit, What's gonna happen?

[Thogey]

I heard USPS lost 1.3 Billion dollars this first quarter. Contrary to what some of you might think, my opinion is that they do a pretty good job. Right now the prices are very reasonable, for what they do.

Small packages and letters are a BARGIN imo.

Recently, I have been using Fed-Ex for a lot of e-bay stuff. Example: I shipped a (very perfect BTW) 1939 Royal desktop typewriter from Prescott to Chicago tracked shipped insured for $35, 20 inch box 40 pounds! USPS wanted $155.

Question: Do we want USPS to Collapse? Who will fill the void?

Advice to all: Do not eschew Fed-Ex, they have some really great rates.

I'm part of the problem because I'm using up old stamps, very old stamps.

What is your opinion? What is the problem. If USPS falls apart (possible?), What will happen?

[misteroman]

Hope they stay open. I shipped a 15k package last week and it cost me $42. FedEx wanted $200

[highroller4321]

The problem is the overpaid and underworked workers.

There was 2 processing centers here in Portland. Last year they closed down one of them. Can you guess how many people were let go?......ZERO!

[johnbrickner]

I heard USPS lost 1.3 Billion dollars this first quarter. <snip>
What will happen?

What will happen? They will lose another 1.3 Billion $$s in the second quarter give or take. In other words, nothing.

[messymessy]

Part of the problem with the USPS profitability is that Congress requires them to prepay more of their pension liability than normal businesses need to set aside.

Another problem is that Congress can hinder the USPS from making profitable decisions, such as no Saturday delivery or closing rarely used post offices.

Union is another problem, but UPS is unionized and does fine.

I'm a big fan of the USPS. I'd hate to see them go away.

[aloneibreak]

how much did they pay to use spiderman on their priority boxes ?

and did that REALLY cause the service to be used more ?

[blackrabbit]

Part of the problem with the USPS profitability is that Congress requires them to prepay more of their pension liability than normal businesses need to set aside..

This is the main issue if you look into it.

I really like the post office. I am one of those burning up old stamps to save money and I like the art and history of stamps. Their shipping rates on smaller packages are great. They have issues but I still think the PO should be a public service as it has always been with the government subsidizing it as much as it needs. I'd much rather the money goes to something I an use and that keeps shipping rates low than it going to the war machine, big oil/banks/transnational corporations etc. I think various wealthy interests like the other shipping companies would love the PO to fail to be able to privatize it and loot its assets for pennies on the dollar. I hope this does not happen.

[IdahoCopper]

Technically, it used to be the Post Office, a US government department. Now it is the Postal Service, a quasi-government business.

[CLINT-THE-GREAT]

I ship 30-40 packages a week and 99% are shipped by USPS. They are by far the cheapest an always get to their destination. Ive tried to use UPS and Fedex.... they are just so much higher, and they also don't ship everywhere that USPS ships. I used to live in the mountains in Vermont... and Fedex would not deliver to my house. It wasn't a valid address for them. Everything had to be shipped to my PO Box. I would hate to see USPS disappear

-The Great

[hobo finds]

They closed our processing center here, so if you are mailing something in Tucson to Tucson, all mail needs to go to Phoenix first then send back to Tucson

[Morsecode]

They should go to Mon-Wed-Fri delivery for letter and 3rd class. Package delivery unchanged.

Of course, I have no idea if that would really save money.

[uthminsta]

Not enough money? Just print more postage! Works for the fed!

[Thogey]

how much did they pay to use spiderman on their priority boxes ?

and did that REALLY cause the service to be used more ?

I would assume the spiderman people paid USPS for the ad.

Maybe that's a solution, sell ad space on their boxes. That is a pretty good idea.

[LooseChange]

I would assume the spiderman people paid USPS for the ad.

Maybe that's a solution, sell ad space on their boxes. That is a pretty good idea.

+1, I think that is a great idea.
I could care less what the heck it says on the outside of the box, it's all about what's inside. The ad revenue (Same thing that pays for just about all newspapers) could quite possibly be a HUGE chunk of untapped money for the USPS.

The USPS can call selling ad space "selling out" if they wish , but money's money on a balance sheet of a business. Go broke and shut the doors, or start selling boxes sponsored by Hanes, Burger King, Marlboro, and Pepsi....to me, the choice is pretty clear....the highest bidder!

[knibloe]

how much did they pay to use spiderman on their priority boxes ?

and did that REALLY cause the service to be used more ?

I would assume the spiderman people paid USPS for the ad.

Maybe that's a solution, sell ad space on their boxes. That is a pretty good idea.[/quote

Heck, sell add space on generic postage. Print limited runs of commemoratives and sell them at a premium like the mint.

[johnbrickner]

I heard USPS lost 1.3 Billion dollars this first quarter. <snip>
What will happen?

What will happen? They will lose another 1.3 Billion $$s in the second quarter give or take. In other words, nothing.

Ok, looks like I was wrong. http://www.govexec.com/management/2014/ ... its/84181/ reports a $1.9 Billion loss the 2nd Q.

[ZenOps]

US mail is cheap for the enduser. Canada stamp went from 63 cents to 85 cents for standard lettermail up to 30 grams.

http://www.canadapost.ca/cpo/mc/persona ... .jsf#Rates

Maintaining US comsumption based economy means "stuff" must flow, even if it means going into massive deficits just to move the "stuff" around.

Flat rate parcel box in the US is also, ridiculously cheap for the amount of weight. By my estimation if the US postal service wanted to even try to break even - they would have to triple rates.

[wheeler_dealer]

If usps sold ads on packages for revenue any profits would be chewed up quickly. Behind the scenes public perception seems slightly skewed. With downsizing comes attrition. Facilities close due to technology. Better sorting machines, less mail. Full time employees retire and are replaced by temporary workers who wont get pensions. Wages and benefits are the big issues yet they continue to go up. Without the post office how much will your next package cost to ship? Mail carriers work hard. Most retire with back, arm, shoulder or leg problems. Under appreciated think about what it took to mail the package from California to New York. I fortunately am grateful for my mail carrier.

[Sheikh_yer_Bu'Tay]

Part of the problem with the USPS profitability is that Congress requires them to prepay more of their pension liability than normal businesses need to set aside.

Another problem is that Congress can hinder the USPS from making profitable decisions, such as no Saturday delivery or closing rarely used post offices.

Union is another problem, but UPS is unionized and does fine.

I'm a big fan of the USPS. I'd hate to see them go away.

They have an incredibly strong union, The US Civil Service had some great perks before they unionized in the 70's. Where else can you make $25 an hour and get up to 90 days paid leave per year?

Like all large corps.... There is a tipping point on the pension programs. Too many pensioners eventually topples private corps.

[coppernickel]

The Post Service is one of the Constitutionally required actions. As long as the government at least pretends to follow the Constitution the USPS should stay.