I remember reading the story last year about post office cutbacks and closures at local facilities in an effort to save money from the federally mandated but unfunded service, but it didn't really sink in until just this week when I had a letter lost that was sent in town to another address, just a few miles away. Normally, this would take 1-2 days at most in the past, sometimes three, but rarely. When I inquired about the lost letter that had not reached its destination after seven days, I was reminded
that "they no longer sort, or process mail here...it is now sent to Nashville".
I was dumbfounded...how will that save money, by purchasing a stamp here and mailing a letter to go three miles away, but first it has to go from the post office here, to Nashville, then back here, to the same post office, then delivered?
I love the USPS and have always tried to ship packages with their services as opposed to the other services. I think it is time for a complete paradigm shift in the post office system and how it operates. And if the government is going to stick their nose in only enough to screw things and place impossible roadblocks, then they need to step up with some funding and assistance or get completely out of the way if they are going to insist that the post office operate like a business, but be shackled by all the government red tape and bureaucracy.
In the meantime, I may just stop mailing letters altogether, if I can't have any assurance that it will be delivered in a timely manner. I was told now to expect "5-7 business days"...to go three miles?
John Fricke