??? Post Office Lobby Closed Nights and Weekends

[ziggy29]

Quote:

Originally Posted by harley I figure since the USPS is losing so much money....

Only because they are being forced by Congress to pay more than $5 billion a year to prefund retiree health insurance costs for 75 years. This is something no other public or private enterprise has to do. And the money just goes back to the general fund, not set aside for retiree health insurance. Eliminate that burden -- treat them the same as any other federal agency -- and the USPS has recently been turning a profit.

[travelover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ziggy29 Only because they are being forced by Congress to pay more than $5 billion a year to prefund retiree health insurance costs for 75 years. This is something no other public or private enterprise has to do. And the money just goes back to the general fund, not set aside for retiree health insurance. Eliminate that burden -- treat them the same as any other federal agency -- and the USPS has recently been turning a profit.

And they were recently forced to lower the price of a first class stamp.

[ExFlyBoy5]

The 3 closest to us all still have 24/7 access to the lobby. Since I set up the online account and ordered a bunch of different flat rate boxes (there is no charge for them, btw), I just have the carrier pick them up from the front porch.

I haven't stood in the no-service customer line in several years.

Sent via mobile device. Please excuse any grammatical errors.

[FUEGO]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyBoy5 The 3 closest to us all still have 24/7 access to the lobby. Since I set up the online account and ordered a bunch of different flat rate boxes (there is no charge for them, btw), I just have the carrier pick them up from the front porch. I haven't stood in the no-service customer line in several years.

Great point to mention for those that mail stuff occasionally. You can get the priority mail boxes for free, print shipping labels (paypal lets you do this at cost IIRC - check out "multiorder shipping" on the left hand side of your paypal page), then leave them in the mailbox or leave a note on your mailbox telling the mailman to pick up an oversized item from your front porch (if you don't want to leave it on the road).

You might have to buy a postal scale if you mail stuff from home. $20 or so was what I paid for a 75 lb max scale that I use in the kitchen (5 gm / 0.2 oz minimum weight increments), for auto repair and other DIY tasks, for mailing, weighing luggage, and general science projects, and out of curiosity.

[Amethyst]

Also, Postal Service health care benefits are more generous than regular Federal government health insurance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ziggy29 Only because they are being forced by Congress to pay more than $5 billion a year to prefund retiree health insurance costs for 75 years. This is something no other public or private enterprise has to do. And the money just goes back to the general fund, not set aside for retiree health insurance. Eliminate that burden -- treat them the same as any other federal agency -- and the USPS has recently been turning a profit.

[Bigdawg]

I find it interesting that when I receive a FedEx package the driver originates from a facility 48 miles from my house. In the 7 years I have lived here I have had to go to that facility twice. Each time I had to drive past no less than 9 post offices.

[ExFlyBoy5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FUEGO Great point to mention for those that mail stuff occasionally. You can get the priority mail boxes for free, print shipping labels (paypal lets you do this at cost IIRC - check out "multiorder shipping" on the left hand side of your paypal page), then leave them in the mailbox or leave a note on your mailbox telling the mailman to pick up an oversized item from your front porch (if you don't want to leave it on the road). You might have to buy a postal scale if you mail stuff from home. $20 or so was what I paid for a 75 lb max scale that I use in the kitchen (5 gm / 0.2 oz minimum weight increments), for auto repair and other DIY tasks, for mailing, weighing luggage, and general science projects, and out of curiosity.

Yep. My mother sends some stuff from Alaska and she told me all about this "home service" of the post office. Several years ago, it required a commercial account, now it takes about 5 minutes to get set up and there is no cost. I have 4 different types of Priority Boxes that are stashed in a closet ready to go. Oh yes, they have a few "specialty" Priority boxes that you CANNOT get at the post office...one example is the "regional flat rate box A". Just yesterday, I sent a 9 pound package to Virginia for $6.60 with one of these boxes. If I went to the post office, I would have had to pay about $14.00. Also, with the Priority boxes, you usually don't have to weigh them...as long as it "fits it ships" (within reasonable limits).

[FUEGO]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigdawg I find it interesting that when I receive a FedEx package the driver originates from a facility 48 miles from my house. In the 7 years I have lived here I have had to go to that facility twice. Each time I had to drive past no less than 9 post offices.

For me it's the opposite. Fedex and UPS hubs are both walking distance (benefits of living very close to an industrial corridor) whereas the nearest post office would be quite a walk and require crossing a 10 lane road (where pedestrians die a couple times per year). The post office even shares our neighborhood name and sits on the main street that cuts through the neighborhood, but it's not as close as the Fedex/UPS guys. (edit: post office is actually a fraction of a mile closer, but the crossing the 10 lane road makes it seem much further away and isn't a fun walk at all)

Only time I had to drive any distance to Fedex/UPS was for work. Finished a report late at night, had to get it delivered first thing the next morning so I could either drive 5 hours (all night) to Washington DC or drop it at the fedex hub at airport by 9 pm. Since the airport was only 20 minutes away, you know which one I chose.

[FUEGO]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyBoy5 Yep. My mother sends some stuff from Alaska and she told me all about this "home service" of the post office. Several years ago, it required a commercial account, now it takes about 5 minutes to get set up and there is no cost. I have 4 different types of Priority Boxes that are stashed in a closet ready to go. Oh yes, they have a few "specialty" Priority boxes that you CANNOT get at the post office...one example is the "regional flat rate box A". Just yesterday, I sent a 9 pound package to Virginia for $6.60 with one of these boxes. If I went to the post office, I would have had to pay about $14.00. Also, with the Priority boxes, you usually don't have to weigh them...as long as it "fits it ships" (within reasonable limits).

I love those "regional flat rate box A" boxes. For some reason it's waaaay cheaper to ship with those along the eastern seaboard (same region maybe??). When I was decluttering just after retiring and ditching all kinds of stuff on ebay, I quickly learned about regional box A's. I think I had to order a package of 25 of the boxes (for free of course), and still have 23 or so sitting in my closet (minus the ones that turned into craft projects for the kids). According to the post office, there was no way to order just a few of the boxes, so I ordered them in bulk even though it was a big waste (why is the post office hurting for money again? ).