Editorial

No sign of a fix for the postal service

Posted 3/25/21

Those of us who rely heavily on the U.S. Postal Service for the flow of commerce and for delivery of essential items remain frustrated at the slow pace of recovery from its December doldrums.

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Editorial

No sign of a fix for the postal service

Posted

Those of us who rely heavily on the U.S. Postal Service for the flow of commerce and for delivery of essential items remain frustrated at the slow pace of recovery from its December doldrums.

At that time, it was reported that as little as 62 percent of first class mail was delivered on time. Christmas cards and gifts mailed in mid December where arriving at their destination in mid January. The New York Times reported that the rate had rebounded to 84 percent by the week of March 6, but remained far below the agency’s target of about 96 percent.

We can sympathize. Last year we reported that a subscription renewal notice mailed from Newburgh on August 15, 2019 was processed in Albany on January 7, 2020 and finally arrived at its destination in Buffalo three days later. The five-month journey cost us business. The subscription expired in October 2019.

And there’s not a week when we don’t explain to some long-distance caller that we really did mail their newspaper on Wednesday at the Stewart General Business Mail Entry Unit. And it was the current issue, not one from three weeks ago that finally arrived in their mailbox.

We worry that Postmaster General Louis DeJoy may follow through on proposals to close more mail processing facilities and smaller post offices that will further hamper on-time delivery. We understand that the agency that is supposed to be self-sustaining is hemorrhaging money: $9.2 billion in 2020 and an estimate of 9.7 billion in 2021.

We also understand the reality: without an infusion of cash, the situation cannot get better. But the next bailout cannot come with no strings attached. The postmaster and board of governors need to come up with a solid plan to improve service. Raising rates again is not out of the question, if it ultimately leads to the agency’s stated goal of “service excellence and financial sustainability.”