How is the USPS still in business ?

[lendaddy]

Originally Posted by motion

Every time I see my brother-in-law, a USPS carrier, he makes sure to remind me that he's retiring at age 55, and will be making more with his pension then he makes now working full time.

Blee dat, public unions have structured ass kickngly awesome retirement packages [on the backs of their young replacements...but never mind that]. I have a couple buddies retiring in their late 40's and will make more till they die than they ever did in-career. And full benefits for the fam till they all die...who's the idiot here?

[tabs]

Once I was a licensee shipping a hand spoon via UPS to another licensee...the clown at the UPS shipping started tearing the package apart??? HUH? I left never using UPS again.

UPS delivered a spoon of mine to the wrong address...

USPS has been vg to me. Flat rate boxes are often the cheapest quickest and insured. Fed ex home delivery otherwise. All postage is bought online so no waiting in line just a drop off. Sometimes if I see a mail man I stop and give him packages. No waiting in line.

On items over 5000 to 25000 USPS Registered Mail provides insurance and everyone who touches the package has to sign for it. It is the ONLY way to ship high. $$$ items.

[Charles Freeborn]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postal_Clause. Okay, let’s clarify a few things. The USPS is not a business. It is an agency if the federal government and is regulated by the Congress. It’s purpose is not to turn a profit, but to provide a service that is fair and equal to all US citizens. Congress controls the purse strings. See the problem now? If you don’t like the way it’s run, tell your congressperson.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[KFC911]

USPS is fantastic here...tracking every step of the way, to local PO, on truck, delivered...updated before the truck pulls away from curb...they do it right.

[VINMAN]

Vey happy with USPS. Cant beat their flat rate Priority shipping. Yeah, they may have some issues, but its still a good service for a cheap price.


.

[Superman]

Originally Posted by stevej37

I would much rather use USPS as opposed to UPS

Originally Posted by Eric Hahl

Yea, don't get me started on UPS. The totally destroyed a package I sent($2500), losing some of the contents and won't reimburse me as they say the box wasn't sturdy enough. I used a freakin Honda outboard motor box for crying out loud...it was sturdy and well packaged.

Originally Posted by Bill Douglas

As a foreigner I love USPS. their fixed rate boxes are the answer for me.

UPS would bankrupt me.

Also, when you consider the longstanding attacks on USPS, please be aware that it's all about removing a competitor for parcel delivery. If the attacks are successful and USPS gets out of the parcel business, USPS will still deliver First Class mail. Why? Nobody wants to deliver anything for $0.50. Often times, for $0.50, your letter arrives at its destination in a day or two.

[speeder]

I haven't had many problems w USPS or UPS, I use both depending on the size of the package and where it's going. If it's small enough to fit in a Priority Mail box and within the USA, USPS is a no-brainer. Cheap w tracking and fast.

I use UPS for larger boxes within the US, usually stuff I sell on eBay. I've never really had any problems w them, decent tracking and speed. There have been a couple times when packages get stuck in their system but they always popped-out on the other side if a little late.

For International shipping, it's the Post Office all the way. I recently sold a 964 air box to a guy in Aus. on this forum. I brought it first to UPS and it was outrageously expensive, maybe $400?

I guess they aren't interested in that facet of the business.

I next brought it to the Post Office and it was something like fifty dollars w fairly fast service. The customs form, as someone else pointed out, are required by governments, not the PO.

Lastly, I drop into the two Post Offices near me as well as others around town occasionally and none are bad in terms of service or wait unless you really go at a bad time.

[sand_man]

My USPS experiences here:
https://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/945392-me-usps-actually-doing-good-job-have-they-turned-around.html

[tadd]

Tobra:
Post office would be in the black if it weren't for having have cash on hand for retirements that are a decade away.

In 2016, the USPS had its fifth straight annual operating loss, in the amount of $5.59 billion, of which $5.8 billion was the accrual of unpaid mandatory retiree health payments.

From here:
"United States Postal Service FY2016 Annual Report to Congress". United States Postal Service. Retrieved 28 January 2017.

I think they will have met that congressionally mandated figure very soon. IIRC it was a 20 year process. ADDED NOTE: it was 10 years and last year was the 10 year mark. So they no longer have to squirrel away >$5B every year now.

[widebody911]

The USPS isn't really a business, it's a government-provided service with a portion of their expenses covered by those that use the service. You may as well ask how the Air Force stays in business.

[stevej37]

Originally Posted by widebody911

The USPS isn't really a business, it's a government-provided service with a portion of their expenses covered by those that use the service. You may as well ask how the Air Force stays in business.

One of the few gov't services that does a great job.

[pavulon]

I'm not sure what has happened between my mailmen (also the UPS guy) and my two dogs but my dogs really dislike them. FedEx and anyone else, no worries...as in none.

[Chocaholic]

USPS is my first choice when shipping. Reasonable rates, easy access and even started delivering (Amazon) on Sunday.

[Charles Freeborn]

Originally Posted by stevej37

One of the few gov't services that does a great job.

Let’s trade the air force and postal service budgets and then see how the mail is handled...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[lendaddy]

USPS is a great deal for business and consumer but there's no way they're turning a profit on the amazon/ebay shipments. My brother has a very lucrative online business that uses USPS to ship as much as possible (multiple trucks a day) and it's comical how out of whack the "it fits it ships" type rates are.
Somewhere there's some accounting nonsense going on to hide the losses so postmen stay employed. Just my gut feeling but I've been managing business for 25-30 years and it doesn't begin to pass the eyeball test. Someone's getting raped...

[lendaddy]

Oh yea, and all the boxes you could ever want are "free"...yea that makes sense

[JJ 911SC]

For keeping Amazon in business...

[tdw28210]

Originally Posted by drkshdw

My only complaint with the post office is that my carrier is lazy and that their tracking is absolute garbage. There is no reason they can't have tracking like FedEx or UPS.

[sammyg2]

A long time ago, congress passed a law that said it was illegal for any organization in the US to compete with the USPS for first class mail service.

It's pretty easy to stay in biddness when competing with you is illegal.

[stevej37]

Originally Posted by tdw28210

Post#19
Informed Delivery
I've never used it, but it looks real good. Emails at every stop.