BG - I think you are a little dense in your theory of creation - George W and his crowd created the "War on Terror" excuse to make a romp through our civil liberties - so give creation the credit that is due. If the president doesn't close those doors before he leaves office - I will be very severly dissappointed in him - it is bad enough he uses them himself - though it would be a political trap if he didn't (light on terrrorists).
Postal workers picket, rally near Capitol against 5-day delivery plan
Posted on March 25, 2013 by Cowboy Byte
mXMSK.AuSt.156
About 40 people braved inclement weather on Sunday to protest proposed cuts to the U.S. Postal Service that would end Saturday delivery.
Yesterday’s event was one of two in North Carolina, and one of many protests at state Capitols across the country. The National Association of Letter Carriers mobilized its local chapters to call attention to proposals to end Saturday deliveries.
“Neither rain, nor snow, nor the postmaster general’s misguided plan will stay these supporters from protecting six-day delivery,” shouted Craig Schadwald, vice president of the association’s state chapter.
lol, yup. Even if they go ahead with "5 day delivery", there will still be parcel/ medication/express/registered/certified/restricted mail delivery.
Genius, isn't it?
will They have to add a rout to about every 10 to `15 ? because it would pile up in winter mounths otherwise .. time constrants on hours in the day. last year they offered early retirement to long in the tooth and they pretty much passed up I bet they wish they had that to do over.
Postal service got only 2 percent of federal shipping business as UPS, FedEx better at competing
UPDATED 7:12 AM EDT, March 20, 2013 | BY Phillip Swarts
Why It Matters:
The U.S. Postal Service is facing billions in debt and budget shortfalls and recently announced it would stop Saturday delivery as a way to save money. Other federal agencies, however, aren't helping their fellow department's woes. In fact, the Postal Service got just two percent of the money the federal government spent on shipping last year.
Many Americans have stopped using the U.S. Postal Service in favor of private carriers like UPS and FedEx. And now, it seems, so has the federal government.
In fact, despite spending $337 million last year on shipping, federal agencies only gave the financially troubled Postal Service $4.8 million in business - less than two percent.
"Although its competitors have consistently captured more than 98 percent of shipping revenue from federal agencies through GSA contracts, the Postal Service has opportunities to increase its share of this market," said a report by the agency's Office of Inspector General.
One of the biggest hurdles is that the USPS waited eight years before it joined a competitive-pricing program for other federal departments, the IG said. By that point, private carriers already had agreements with many different agencies.
The General Services Administration handles many contracts and business partnerships for the federal government. But while FedEx and UPS have partnered with the GSA since 2001, the Postal Service didn't get involved until May 2009.
"Consequently many federal agencies have long-term relationships with competitors and are reluctant to switch to the Postal Service," the inspector general said.
And the service has not started two- and three-day guaranteed express delivery, which many government agencies need, the IG said, even though the Postal Service's Priority Mail met these requirements 90 percent of the time.
"Adding a two- and three-day guaranteed service product would position the Postal Service to successfully bid on future domestic delivery services contracts," the report said.
The rewards of meeting the challenges could be well worth it for the cash-strapped mail service. Investigators estimated the Postal Service could get $34.8 million more each year from government shipping in 2013 and 2014.
Postal Service representatives said they are working to expand their presence in the federal government shipping market, but disagreed with the assumption that millions could be waiting if the agency changed some of its policies.
"Without more detailed data on the characteristics of federal shipments (weight, size, zone, origins, destinations, service levels), it is nearly impossible to predict a value for Postal Service potential," said a response from Postal Service officials. Representatives for USPS declined to comment further.
One of the biggest challenges the Postal Service faces is out of its hands. Federal law requires that its products cover their costs.
"Unlike competitors, the Postal Service cannot sell products below cost and make up the loss with other products or services to penetrate a market, attract new customers, or match competitors’ prices," investigators noted.
That left the Postal Service sometimes cheaper, but often more expensive than its competitors.
"Both FedEx and UPS offered significantly lower prices on next day express delivery of packages," the IG report said. The Postal Service is cheaper for local deliveries, but "for longer distances, FedEx and UPS have a price advantage over the Postal Service."
Other obstacles to getting government business are more difficult to overcome. The Department of Defense, for example, gives preference to carriers that have their own aircraft and would be willing to let the government use them in a national emergency under the Civil Reserve Air Fleet program.
"Because the Postal Service does not own aircraft, it is prohibited from competing for DoD business allocated to CRAF participants, even when demonstrating lower prices," investigators said.
There's no trick to being a humorist
when you have the whole government working for you.
Will Rogers (1879 - 1935)
Reply With Quote
boooooooom
Originally Posted by 56crash
Bookmarks