Americans Crazy About Mail, But Can't Say Why

An interesting article

http://money.cnn.com/2014/02/19/new...urce=cnn_bin

For those interested in reading the entire "White Paper" on the subject, it is available at the link below (and I might point out, the USPS contracted with a company -- probably at big bucks -- especially since they paid the 101 respondents $60 to $100 each for their opinions):

https://www.uspsoig.gov/sites/defau...p-14-009.pdf

Thanks for calling attention to this study and the link to the "white paper." I found it a good enough read that I read the whole thing. I wanted to see whether they had asked the focus groups to consider a particular management alternative. They did not. I was cued to look for it because of a fact they reported, namely that 77% of those surveyed did not know that the Postal Service is entirely self funded. Most people seem to think that it is a government agency that gets income from stamp sales and government budgets.

Given that perception I find it more than a little interesting that they did not ask the groups to consider undoing the privatization that took place in the late 1960's culminating in the formation of a restructured postal service from the former post office in 1971. They asked the groups to consider what services were deemed essential when most participants thought the USPS was a government agency, and then they asked again after revealing that it is a privately funded and operated business. What they did NOT ask was whether it was time to bring the postal service back under the wings of government.

I find it interesting that no way is that option on the table.

The White Paper PDF URL that worked for me was:

https://www.uspsoig.gov/sites/defau...14-009_1.pdf

You heard it here first: Mon-Wed-Fri delivery in odd zip codes, Tue-Thu-Sat delivery in even zip codes. Saved!

Cheers,

/s/ ikeyPikey

Honestly, it wouldn't bother me if the post office went away tomorrow, I just don't use it often and whatever I do use it for, I could easily go to UPS or FedEx. Most days, I only get junk mail and credit card solicitations. I don't get enough actual mail I care about to make it worthwhile. Everyone I know uses e-mail exclusively, all of my bills come via e-mail, etc. I see very little reason to keep it around and don't find "nostalgia" and "tradition" to be valid.

But that's just me. Paper mail is a thing of the past.

We must remember that all parts of the US are not as "connected" as we might expect.

A 2012 report suggested that 19 million Americans live in areas that DO NOT HAVE ANY internet access. And that's not taking into consideration the millions of others who do not own computers, are not computer literate (and/or don't want to be) and those who simply cannot afford it (either the computer or the home internet access) and must rely on the US Mail for their communication.

We also need to take into consideration the extremely young (children) and extremely old (elderly) who may not want to, or in the case of the elderly, may not be able to understand new technology especially with reduced capacities (i.e. reduced eyesight, etc.) that does not make it feasible for them to do so.

The US Mail is still needed for these vulnerable populations.

As a small child from 8 yrs. old I would send off for everything free in Popular Science and Popular Mechanics magazine and others just so I would get mail addressed and delivered to me all the time.

Clearly, the single best reason to keep pMail service is:

http://www.postcrossing.com/

Cheers,

/s/ ikeyPikey

Sorry, I don't buy that people do not have access to the Internet, virtually all libraries provide free access, you can get your e-mail at the library and there are tons of low-cost Internet providers available to anyone who wants it. I'm also not sympathetic toward people who just don't want to use the current technology. Cry me a river. The world moves on and people, like it or not, have to move with it.

Cephus, what do you do about the people that can't afford internet services (it is a luxury) and/or do not have easy access to a library or other center that offers internet? This could easily be people who live in depressed rural areas. To say the po isn't need obviosuly hasn't seen people checking their mailbox for their paycheck on a Friday.

I live in the metropolis that is Southern California so I have ready access to any service imaginable. People like to point out how much better UPS, FedEx, et al are when compared to the Post Office. I disagree,and not because I'm a stamp collector (I stopped collecting new issues about 40 years ago). First and foremost the USPS delivers to EVERYONE. The private services do not. They service only those that are profitable to them. If I get a certified piece of mail sent to me and I'm not home, I can go to the post office the next day and pick it up at my convenience. The private services will redeliver...at their convenience. Ever try to pick up a parcel at UPS or FedEx? It's not easy (leastwise not for me). To get an undelivered UPS package I have to drive to the airport which is about 15 miles from me. FedEx is even worse. They don't want you to know where they're at. They don't put a physical address on their delivery announcements. If you ship an item to a location UPS or FedEx and they don't service that location, they ship as near as they can get....and then they hand the unprofitable package off to the USPS to make the delivery.

that's pathetic

No, it's reality. Some people ought to jump on the train.

Technology marches forward with or without everyone. I am sure that in 1852 many people could not see a time when owning a horse or mule to get around would be a thing of the past.

The earliest postal systems were developed because one person wanted to communicate with another person. The internet is not an alternative to the postal system; it is an evolution of the postal system.

I cannot imagine that a postal system would be able to cling to something only for the benefit of a very small percentage of people (those who cannot afford the technology) in the same way technology did not stop/slow for those who could not afford an automobile. This might give us pause and raise some good questions about our culture and society but I would be surprised if it changed the course we are on.
don