The U.S. Postal Service is hoping that public sentiment and the Postal Regulatory Commission might help persuade Congress to allow the USPS to drop Saturday mail delivery.
So said Patrick Donohoe, USPS Deputy Postmaster General, in a press conference in New York Monday as part of its apparent campaign to promote five-day-a-week mail delivery.
Earlier this month, the PRC was set to receive the postal service’s plan. The Commission said it could take up to nine months to issue an “advisory opinion” about cutting out Saturday delivery. To learn more click here: http://directmag.com/postal/0319-postal-prc/index.html
Donohoe cited a USA Today/Gallup poll earlier this month showing that 58% of persons ages 18 to 34 supported the idea of five-day delivery, as did 73% of people ages 55 and older.
Donohoe said these two factors might help persuade Congress to allow Saturday delivery to be cut.
Earlier this month, Postmaster General Jack Potter proposed cutting out Saturday delivery, saying this would save the USPS about $3.1 billion a year in expenses.
On top of that, Donohoe said conversations the USPS has had with business mailers indicated they would live with a delivery cut provided this could help lead to better financial stability for the USPS.
The other fiscal burden the USPS would like to be lightened is the $5.4 billion it must prepay each year to cover healthcare expenses of retired employees. Changing this would also require an act of Congress.
Donohoe said the USPS was currently meeting with members of Congress about this issue.
