We all saw this coming. For at least the last 10 years, technology has slowly relegated the U.S. Postal Service from an important staple to near irrelevancy. Now, after years of bleeding billions of dollars in losses, the agency thinks it has found a solution — it is ending Saturday mail delivery.
Struggling to remain financially solvent, the USPS announced yesterday that beginning August 1, 2013, it will trim its delivery schedule to 5 days a week for the first time in its history. However, USPS will continue Saturday delivery of packages, which is still a profitable part of its delivery business.
Usually, congressional approval is required for any USPS operational changes, but after suffering a record $15.9 billion net loss in 2012, USPS officials said they are moving forward anyway and without congressional authority.
Although canceling Saturday mail deliveries will save USPS $2 billion annually, it will come at a cost and will mean less work for fewer employees. With Americans using email and e-commerce more and the Post Office less, the agency says it absolutely has no choice.
But if the USPS seriously believes cutting one day per week from its delivery schedule will save it from extinction, it is sorely mistaken. In this day and age, the Post Office is about as relevant as a Blockbuster Video store — both of their times have come and gone!
But if the USPS seriously believes cutting one day per week from its delivery schedule will save it from extinction, it is sorely mistaken. In this day and age, the Post Office is about as relevant as a Blockbuster Video store — both of their times have come and gone!
Best line I heard in a while.