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Honored Contributor
Posts: 32,483
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: U.S. Postal Service Announces New Prices for 2020

In our neighborhood, USPS is wonderful; UPS so so and going downhill and FedEx is simply a joke.  Amazon hires scruffy looking people and the delivery is iffy, they throw stuff around and come at all hours. 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,168
Registered: ‎05-08-2010

Re: U.S. Postal Service Announces New Prices for 2020

@cherryIf USPS rates seem like "a great value," it's only because their true costs are masked and picked up by the taxpayers.  The USPS ran a $3.9 billion deficit last year, and is $120 billion in debt.  As you say, it covers its own operating expenses, but the taxpayers bear its other costs, which are enormous.  In fact, USPS's pension obligations are $21 billion short of full funding, and in recent years it has failed to pay its retiree health benefit obligations.  See https://www.rstreet.org/2019/02/27/five-charts-show-the-grim-financial-condition-of-the-u-s-postal-s...

 

Were it not for these enormous subsidies, the USPS would have to add surcharges for fuel, residential delivery, and Saturday and holiday season delivery, just like their unsubsidized competitors in the private sector do. Like the USPS or not, it's one of the most expensive and inefficient bureaucracies in the federal government (and that's saying something).

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,038
Registered: ‎06-03-2018

Re: U.S. Postal Service Announces New Prices for 2020

The worst part is when the shipping costs more than the item you are sending! 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 17,739
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: U.S. Postal Service Announces New Prices for 2020

That hasn't been my experience. We have always had great service, and the carriers are out in every imaginable weather. They volume of mail they deliver ,and sort daily, is mind boggling. I have great respect for our Postal Service @vsm 

Valued Contributor
Posts: 755
Registered: ‎01-11-2019

Re: U.S. Postal Service Announces New Prices for 2020

 

you have to admit, the post office is an interesting organization. . .


they raise the rates every year,
they deliver less mail and fewer packages every year (their words, not mine)
they loose or mis-deliver more packages every year
the carriers "throw" or damage more packages every year
they manage to "loose" millions of dollars every year, but they are still in business.


what a racket.


can we just have one improvement? or at least go back to the delivery standard, they had in the 80's. that would be an improvement


are they not aware of that fact that their business could grow without having to spend money advertising, as more and more people are shopping online?


they have always been the least expensive mail/package delivery service. if i had the time to think about what delivery service will be like in 10 years, i'd probably bounce off the wall.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 17,739
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: U.S. Postal Service Announces New Prices for 2020

It maintains six-days-a-week service to 150 million locations, operates 26,410 post offices, and handled nearly 150 billion pieces of mail in 2017 — or 47 percent of all the mail in the world. UPS and FedEx could not possibly handle that volume, especially not to unprofitable far-flung locations — not even for parcels, as the USPS accounts for about 40 percent of Amazon shipping. It's not as important as it was in the 1820s, but the beleaguered, taken-for-granted USPS really does keep the American nation putting one foot in front of the other. That may be why it consistently ranks as the most popular government agency, with 74 percent approval.

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,591
Registered: ‎06-24-2019

Re: U.S. Postal Service Announces New Prices for 2020

I also will continue sending cards.  I get great joy out of sending and receiving them.  The amount of packages I ship has sharply declined over the years though, I will say that.

 

Contributor
Posts: 59
Registered: ‎12-31-2018

Re: U.S. Postal Service Announces New Prices for 2020

 

More higher prices. Companies will pass it along to customers.