4 ms·

Look up FedEx SmartPost, UPS Mail Innovations, DHL eConmerce, etc. these are all companies who “work share” with USPS. They deliver the package to the post offi

by brd529 8y ago

Look up FedEx SmartPost, UPS Mail Innovations, DHL eConmerce, etc. these are all companies who “work share” with USPS. They deliver the package to the post office and USPS leverages their existing network of mail carriers to do the “last mile” delivery. The problem with these services is that they are very slow. The hand-off at the post office adds a day. Additionally these are considered economy services without a delivery guarantee by the carriers so they will wait until they have a full trucks worth of these before sending them on a leg. Wal-Mart is trying to get to same day delivery and bringing everything to the local post office for them to deliver would add at least a day. Furthermore those USPS economies suffer a bit once packages exceed 1 lb. it’s often too big for a letter carrier to take on their route - so they’d be delivered through the priority mail network which is often a different driver than your daily mail man and does not deliver to every house every day.

losteric 8y ago
Given that package delivery is where USPS can profit, I wonder why Amazon/Walmart don't lobby to modernize USPS so it can cover the use-cases - why not deliver multiple times per day? There's no greater economy of scale than "delivering everything to everyone". I mean, that's a rhetorical question. Obviously they'd both prefer to monopolize a for-profit alternative to USPS... but it seems short-sighted
- tdfx 8y ago
  There's really no hope of modernizing USPS. The political cost of substantial investment into USPS is higher than the actual cost of capital. If they want to control the quality of their service, it can't involve USPS.
  - toomuchtodo 8y ago
    Can you provide a citation? My understanding is that the USPS is constrained by conservatives trying to break them financially by requiring pension funding requirements drastically beyond what is considered reasonable based on their workforce. Therefore, USPS could modernize when Congress is replaced with politicians not working on dismantling the institution through legislation. “Back in 2006, Congress imposed a huge and unprecedented mandate requiring that the Postal Service pre-fund future retiree health benefits for the next 75 years and do so within a decade – something no other public agency or private company is required to do.” “As a direct result of pre-funding, USPS has reached its $15 billion debt limit. In 2005, the Postal Service was debt free. Today, it holds $15 billion in debt – all of it traceable to pre-funding. By forcing the Postal Service to use all of its borrowing capacity making these annual payments, Congress has prevented it from investing in new infrastructure, products and services to better serve American homes and businesses.” http://www.deliveringforamerica.com/infographic-the-truth-about-postal-finances/ http://www.deliveringforamerica.com/infographic-the-truth-ab...
    - ohazi 8y ago
      > when Congress is replaced with politicians not working on dismantling the institution So basically never?
    - allenz 8y ago
      Citation needed that conservatives killed USPS. I didn't find any unbiased sources to confirm this. To the contrary, the 2006 bill was a bipartisan measure passed by voice vote in the House and unanimous consent in the Senate.[1] [1] https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/109/hr6407 https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/109/hr6407
      - toomuchtodo 8y ago
        Republicans held majorities in both the Senate and the House, the bill was signed by a George W Bush.
        allenz 8y ago
        While that's true, it doesn't appear to have been a partisan or even controversial bill at the time, so I feel that it's disingenuous to blame Republicans.
        toomuchtodo 8y ago
        If you control the majority of a legislative body, I argue it’s reasonable to blame that party for legislation they pass (as they could just as easily not pass it with the control they have). Likewise, the Republican President could have vetoed it (which he did not do). Also, the legislation was sponsored by a Republican (Thomas “Tom” Davis III Sponsor. Representative for Virginia's 11th congressional district).
        jtbayly 8y ago
        And the other party, which came into power just two years later also "could just as easily" have repealed it. So you must blame the other party as well in this case.
  - moocowtruck 8y ago
    i've been there 8+ years, involved in all corners of this org and i don't like being a negative nancy but i agree on many many levels
    - deleted 8y ago
      [deleted]
sokoloff 8y ago
I've gotten more months of free Amazon Prime from UPS Mail Innovations packages that missed the "guaranteed" delivery deadline than all other sources combined. If I could reliably predict which packages would come vs MI, I might never have to pay for Prime again.

by brd529 8y ago

losteric 8y ago

Given that package delivery is where USPS can profit, I wonder why Amazon/Walmart don't lobby to modernize USPS so it can cover the use-cases - why not deliver multiple times per day? There's no greater economy of scale than "delivering everything to everyone". I mean, that's a rhetorical question. Obviously they'd both prefer to monopolize a for-profit alternative to USPS... but it seems short-sighted

tdfx 8y ago
There's really no hope of modernizing USPS. The political cost of substantial investment into USPS is higher than the actual cost of capital. If they want to control the quality of their service, it can't involve USPS.
- toomuchtodo 8y ago
  Can you provide a citation? My understanding is that the USPS is constrained by conservatives trying to break them financially by requiring pension funding requirements drastically beyond what is considered reasonable based on their workforce. Therefore, USPS could modernize when Congress is replaced with politicians not working on dismantling the institution through legislation. “Back in 2006, Congress imposed a huge and unprecedented mandate requiring that the Postal Service pre-fund future retiree health benefits for the next 75 years and do so within a decade – something no other public agency or private company is required to do.” “As a direct result of pre-funding, USPS has reached its $15 billion debt limit. In 2005, the Postal Service was debt free. Today, it holds $15 billion in debt – all of it traceable to pre-funding. By forcing the Postal Service to use all of its borrowing capacity making these annual payments, Congress has prevented it from investing in new infrastructure, products and services to better serve American homes and businesses.” http://www.deliveringforamerica.com/infographic-the-truth-about-postal-finances/ http://www.deliveringforamerica.com/infographic-the-truth-ab...
  - ohazi 8y ago
    > when Congress is replaced with politicians not working on dismantling the institution So basically never?
  - allenz 8y ago
    Citation needed that conservatives killed USPS. I didn't find any unbiased sources to confirm this. To the contrary, the 2006 bill was a bipartisan measure passed by voice vote in the House and unanimous consent in the Senate.[1] [1] https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/109/hr6407 https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/109/hr6407
    - toomuchtodo 8y ago
      Republicans held majorities in both the Senate and the House, the bill was signed by a George W Bush.
      - allenz 8y ago
        While that's true, it doesn't appear to have been a partisan or even controversial bill at the time, so I feel that it's disingenuous to blame Republicans.
        toomuchtodo 8y ago
        If you control the majority of a legislative body, I argue it’s reasonable to blame that party for legislation they pass (as they could just as easily not pass it with the control they have). Likewise, the Republican President could have vetoed it (which he did not do). Also, the legislation was sponsored by a Republican (Thomas “Tom” Davis III Sponsor. Representative for Virginia's 11th congressional district).
        jtbayly 8y ago
        And the other party, which came into power just two years later also "could just as easily" have repealed it. So you must blame the other party as well in this case.
- moocowtruck 8y ago
  i've been there 8+ years, involved in all corners of this org and i don't like being a negative nancy but i agree on many many levels
  - deleted 8y ago
    [deleted]

sokoloff 8y ago

I've gotten more months of free Amazon Prime from UPS Mail Innovations packages that missed the "guaranteed" delivery deadline than all other sources combined. If I could reliably predict which packages would come vs MI, I might never have to pay for Prime again.