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(AP Photo/Florida Keys News Bureau, Rob O'Neal)
No one knows as of this writing how many of us are trying to access the www.prc.gov (postal regulatory commission) website to see if "our" post office is one of those on a proposed hit list, but I do know that it's at least one too many.
Over the past hour, multiple attempts to access the site utilizing two different internet browsers have all resulted in the same "waiting for www.prc.gov..." message at the bottom of the screen.
Frankly it's not much different than the agonizingly long waits I must endure every time I visit my own local postal interface exchange to mail a package or pick up some stamps. No matter the time of day, no matter the day of week, the story the same: long lines due to never having enough employees to serve the demand and then those that are there slowing the line even further with a barrage of "upsells" to every customer at the counter.
But I digress. At issue is a listing of hundreds of post office across the country that are on a suggested closing list recently submitted to the Postal Regulatory Commission. It is common knowledge that the Postal Service has been bleeding billions as e-mail has reduced the number of pieces actually entering the "snail mail" system and the recession has reduced the number of junk mail pieces clogging up mail receptacles the nation over.
It is also common knowledge that any time you begin tinkering with long standing institutions, politics will enter the debate faster then a long tailed cat running from a room full of rocking chairs. Wanda Freeman of the TimesRecordOnline in Fort Smith, Arkansas is already quoting Fort Smith Mayor Ray Baker as being unhappy with three of Fort Smith's offices on the hit list and asking: "What are they going to do with the employees at those locations?"
Mayor Baker is only but the first in a chorus of politicians across the country warming up to plea for saving their own stations while at the same time agreeing that the Postal Service needs change to survive. (Just don't "change" in my town.) Oh yes, the cacophony is only beginning.
Just as in the military base closings of the past, the postal closings will bring pain to some, inconvenience for others, and "change" for all, but they will not bring the end of the world.
Facing billions in losses this year alone, (even AFTER raising rates again) nothing short of major systemic change will save the system. (Unless of course your idea of "saving the system" is to bring it back under Congressional control and spend billions more of your tax dollars to prop it up as is.)
The closings are but only one part. For whatever reason, top management has clung to Saturday mail delivery as if it were listed in the Bill of Rights. I do believe that having to sort through all the "You are already a winner" pieces only five days a week instead of six will not be that disruptive to the American pulse.
And may I suggest that they contract with a customer service guru to streamline the operations they do have left. Why in the world should someone just needing a roll of stamps have to wait behind the "I've got three things I need to mail but have no idea how I want to do it and need boxes, and tape, and oh yeh, can you look up the address for me while your at it, idiot?"
I personally use and like the flat rate shipping the USPS offers, but the total lack of efficiency and service at my local station sends me down the street to the UPS store far too often.
As for Mayor Baker's concern about all those employees: No, all the jobs can't be saved, but might transferring a few to beef up customer service at the remaining locations be something to consider?
In the real world, efficiency and customer service drive profits, maybe 234 years after the establishment of the first Post Office the heads of the current system could at least feign an attempt to comprehend that.
P.S.
It's been two hours now and I still cannot connect to the www.prc.gov website. If anyone actually gets through how about dropping a comment here for the rest of us. Or if you prefer, can always email your experience to me at gc@caldwellscorner.com.
As always, have a great one and I'll see ya round the Corner tomorrow.
Geoff
UPDATE (as of 1300 8/4/2009)
Thanks to the many of you who have emailed me with your stories, and alternate links. (So please feel free to keep comments coming but link emails no longer needed. A big thanks to all who already have though.)
Allan Von Werder, publisher of the Banner-Tribune in Franklin Lousiana and Emery of John Michael Personnel were the first to forward this google docs link:
Google docs link to post office closings
And a reader in Vermont forwarded the following .pdf link in case you can't access the prc.gov front page:
prc.gov .pdf file link
There are two offices in Wichita on the list, they are the Chisolm Station at 2510 S. Elizabeth and the North Station at 2325 N. Arkansas.
Comments
Dear I am a writer that doesn’t know crap about technology,
I have seen the list of postal closing for my area and all around the United States. Try the Google docs version, for $100 I can call and explain to you how to use this technology. Maybe if you knew how to use technology you would not have to wait for stamps at your local post office. Here is an idea, go by any Wells Fargo ATM and buy stamps while you get cash. Or next time you are standing in line at the post office, why not look around and be aware of your environment. They have these machines that look like vending machine but, instead of candy they sell stamps. Also there is another useful machine that has a screen and scale that will print all the labels and shipping materials you need for a fraction of the cost of UPS and FedEx (UPS and FedEx wait times and attitudes are just as bad as the USPS). Here is my advice get educated before you complain about something and this goes for everything in life. Welcome to the futur
If stamps are all you need, get a stamp request envelope from any letter carrier or post office. Fill out the info on the envelope, put check for the dollar amount of stamps in envelope, place envelope in your mail box and the carrier will leave your stamps in your mail box the same day. Note: place no stamp on envelope.
Geoff is a beat-off; that was the worst article I ever read,
Another story from a writer that knows absolutely nothing about the subject he is trying to write about.
I cannot even begin to address the stupid comments Geoff made. The rest of you are doing well, so keep it up.
Hey Geoff. Guess how many pakages the USPS delivers for ups and fedex everyday. In fact wait outside the back door of the UPS store and watch their employee drive packages over to the Post office. You would be amazed how many packages ups and fedex use us for. Why pay them 20 bucks so they can have the PO deliver them for $4
I agree but did you read WHY I go on down the street? It's not out of love for UPS or FedEx.
Time IS money and waiting forever in line does not make me any money. I know I am paying a premium using UPS or FedEx.
That's my point about transferring some of those workers from the closing stations and improving the service at the remaining, I would use the USPS MORE (and do my part to contribute to increased revenue and job retention) if I could get the speed and service.
It's just business 101, and if it means clearing out top management at USPS then by all means pressure needs to be brought to bring about such change.
I don't think the USPS CAN'T deliver, it's just that under current system it ISN't delivering.
Thank you for your comment.
Um? did you research at all? The PO is trying to get rid of Sat. The po is trying to close offices and streamline. Your Congressmen wont let us. Your congressmen also demands 5.5 billion a year to fund future retiries ( THE ONLY COMPANY IN THE WORL REQUIRED TO DO SO). Why dont you do an artilce on the billions of dollars the PO has given the us treasury every year and what they did with the funds. Your congressmen and senators use the profits of the USPS as their piggy bank to fund their pork. Then in 30 years are going to attempt to give it back to the PO. one more word... RESEARCH
Geoff the workers from those facilities that are closeing will be sent to the office where help is need. That is the plan. Call congress and tell them to let the post office close stations. The main problem with your artilce would be the fact that you do not even need to go to the post office. Everything you need from the PO can be done at your home. www.usps.com.
You can buy stamps, print postage, change your address, hold your mail, resume your mail. You can order free boxes place your label and postage on them and the carrier will drive to your house and pick them up for FREE. ups and fedex charge you to pick, charge you to deliver to a residential address and charge you fuel surcharges. The only thing you would ever have to go the PO for is a postal money order or to send a registered piece of mail. Call the competition and ask for Free boxes and pick up they will laugh.
The post office is a constitutionally mandated service. Yes it has grown to a bureaucratic behemoth in the over the 200 years its has been in existence so it will take some time to pare down to a usable business model. But just like everything else we Americans want everything to happen now. If you think that once privatized everyone would get their mail delivered to their door without paying a premium price your nuts. Just like with any business, the bottom line will dictate what you pay for that convenience. That's if they decide to even deliver to you. You just might have to go pick up your mail at a drop off point.The post office "must" deliver to every household. The gov't had no problem giving billions of dollars to banks, investment companies, insurance companies and car makers. Are they constitutionally mandated?I'm not saying we should just give the post office a handout without them changing their business model, but there are consequences to bad decisions.
the one thing people forget is that the Post Office is one of the only companies in the US not funded by tax payers.(the auto makers, The banks, all got a bailout)
The Post Office has never asked for any money from the Government. They are asking not to continue to give 5.5 billions a year TO the government. The PO has 32 billion in a trust fund for retiries and pays 2 billion a year into that fund. I find it strange that congress mandates another 5.5 billion a year to go to the tresuray dept to fund future retiries when they are already paying 2 billion a year to a seperate fund for retiries. Why is GM and the banks not required to do this? After all they got money from the tax payers.Why is no other company in the ENTIRE world required to do this? If the Post Office did not have to do this they would have had a 2 billion dollr profit last year. 2 billion could hir alot more workers to staff the PO you go to.
Geoff.... open a can of worms and you get worms..
Oh, GOOD GRIEF! I finally got the list to open for the proposed post offices closings, and they don't even include the friggin zip codes on the list! Somebody close that outfit and put them out of their misery! (even though that would put my mom out of a job).
Lets look into the future. Going to a 5 day delivery service will only be a temp fix. Lets go to a 3 day delivery. Cut the carriers, vehicals, and management in half. This would get the PO through the next 10 years, not just the the next couple years. Keep the Post Offices open.
I live in a rural area, love our rural carrier, but sometimes you just have to go to the post office. How is a working person supposed to get there when they open at 8:30 am, and close at 4:30pm. Even banks now are located in grocery stores so that you can do business there.
The post office wastes so much money it is disgusting. Management there makes AIG look good. There are way too many managers and supervisors plus the perks given to them are a joke. Why is the USPS buying houses from management when they want to transfer somewhere else? If you want that job, then sell your house yourself! "Details" are unbelievable. Someone wants to work temporarily at another office far away? Why, that's great! The USPS will rent you the best apartment, pay all the bills PLUS your salary, and even throw in some spending money! Management wants to visit a post office somewhere else to "study" something? Why, of course! The best hotels are available and all meals and expenses are covered. Why should customers lose a delivery day when the waste at the management level is where most of the money is being bled off? I work at one of the larger post offices & someone really needs to investigate the shameless waste of funds being spent on nonsense, perks, & non-mail issues.
go to msnbc.com they have the list
Another article by someone that does not work for a living. He writes his opinions and knows nothing about the USPS.
southtxapwu
If only you were sure of "your" facts before you attack anothers.
I write my "know nothing opinions" between a full time "working for a living" job, trips to the farm to assist aging parents, web site design for not-for profit community groups,and performing my share of "house husband" duties to assist my full time administrator wife.
I am not alone in my experiences at the USPS and have yet to know of any real business that survives without putting customer service and efficiency as Priority One.
On a side note, I have gotten many emails informing me of all the online services available and inquiring as to why I don't use them. I assure all of you I am aware of the internet options but schedules and package security do not allow me to leave for pickup or allow unattended delivery, hence I have no choice but to frequent my local station in person. The column is not meant to disparage workers themselves, but USPS management and the mismanagement of the entity itself.
An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 149 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes, six days a week. It has 34,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services, not tax dollars, to pay for operating expenses. Named the Most Trusted Government Agency five consecutive years by the Ponemon Institute, the Postal Service has annual revenue of $75 billion and delivers nearly half the world's mail.
Geoff... The PO will pick up at your place of business as well. You can also buy a locking mailbox at Lowes or Home depot for 20 bucks. so your claim you cant leave thing unattended is not acurate. Sounds like you are back pedaling and covering you butt.
Geoff must be a complete idiot. I was able to find the list on several sites yesterday. I don't no anything about a computer. Neither does Geoff.
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