In Defense of the Post Office

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My best friend is a mail carrier, he says it's common practice where he works for packages to be tossed about 10-15 feet into the sorting bins. I was told this after I inquired about 2 packages having the contents broken within weeks of each other. Both had FRAGILE written in red on them. I've been promised a hidden video of the tossing in action.

David of NV 11:45PM April 01, 2012

No Tom, they are not a joke. Very legit. Did you ever think for a minute that back when you were growing up and your mail was always on time, that there were half as many houses on a carriers route. In fact, it's much more than double what it was then and growing every day. It always amazes me the dimwitted replys and responses that come out of peoples mouths, or pen.
Now, I'm going to be on the level and admit that I am a postal worker. A damn good one, at that. Imagine that, there are good one's. I love when people generalize the USPS as a bunch of lazy overpaid workers. Like there is nobody else in the world at any other job, that is lazy. Are there lazy postal workers? Sure. Are there hard working postal employees. Damn right there are. I also like comments about how all postal workers don't care about their jobs. Nothing could be further from the truth. I read a comment once about all postal workers treating your packages like footballs. Does this happen? I have seen it on a rare occasion, but for the most part, evry employee I work with goes the xtra mile to ensure the safety of evry package and letter they touch. Again, it's like nobody else at any other job screws up. Tom must have missed the piece Fox news ran around Christmas showing the UPS driver launching all his packages into the back of his truck, from the street. Or the Fed Ex guy unloading into a parking lot, literally throwing every packge out the back of the truck into the parking lot. Or the UPS guy that was to deliver a computer moniter, but could'nt get thru the gate, so he threw it over the fence into the driveway. And the fence was at least 7 ft.
If any one person that isn't in the know, spent one day inside a processing facility and witnessed the millions of pieces (yes Millions) of pieces that go thru every day, they may just appreciate what we do. I know it blew me away the first time I saw it.
And for all the junk mail hater's, get used to it, because, like it or not, it's the most effective and by far the most inexpensive form of advertisement, which more and more companies are returning to. You may throw it away immediately, but you'll, at the very least, look at it. And that's a guarantee every marketer is looking for.

Kennyk of WI 10:37PM February 25, 2012

One point that has not been discussed much is the capability of the network. While paper mail may be declining, the internet and other technologies have resulted in a greater need for homes to be connected to the physical network, and there are many needs that the postal network could fill.
For example, consider that as our parents age, and we're hundreds of miles away, many of us would love to have the regular carrier watch out for Mom - noting that the mail is picked up, and maybe even taking mail to the door one day a week to just get a look at her and e-mail me that he's seen her and she seems fine, or that she seems confused, etc. I see the wands that utility workers point at the water meter, electric meter, etc. to record entries, and that could be done by a carrier one day each month. Google pays cars to video the 'streetview' feature. Put the video on the top of a delivery vehicle.
The 32,000 post offices similarly have many opportunities for new business - with the capabilities of 'smart terminals', a clerk can do anything - register a passport, be a bank teller for any bank in the U.S., represent any national retailer, etc. What business wouldn't want to be able to plug in instantly to one source that reaches 32,000 retail sites in the country. Many of us are working more from home, and as that evolves to many more millions, the Post Office can be the central office that provides anything from meeting rooms for home based businesses, to the 'home office' for those who would like to be able to go to 'the office' for an hour or two every day and have access to office equipment that we don't have at home. The possibilities are as numerous as our mailboxes.
The point is this: Don't dismantle the most complex and far-ranging network in the world - keep it viable by bringing in new work that needs to be done by someone.
I'll bet that many people - postal employees, retirees, and the general public - could identify tasks that the postal system is ideal to perform. That's what needs to be delivered now.

Harvey Slentz of FL 2:08PM February 24, 2012

Great article about the Post Office, this response coming from a Postal Employee in the thick of this mess can your article be republish on facebook, or can I share it on my wall.

Robert Martin of NC 7:50PM February 21, 2012

It Seems that breaking that which binds the Nation together, is one more step to One World Government,
and the taking away of Individuality, so the impending destruction of the Post Office, is just another "Brick in the Wall".

Elijah Gabriel of AK 6:43AM December 25, 2011

Agree 100%! Thank you for sticking up for the USPS!

Dan of SD 3:13PM December 23, 2011

The Oxford Strategic Consulting group has recently released its study on the top 20 universal postal service providers at http://oxfordstrategicconsulting.com/g20postalreport2011.htm.
The United States Postal Service, not surprisingly, ranked first in the world overall while the Royal Mail, clearly Ms. Stiehm's favorite, ranked sixth a jolly good showing indeed. USPS delivers more than twice as many letters per employee than number two Japan and more than five times as many as the vaunted, and privatized, Deutsche Post. USPS has been, and remains, the gold standard for universal postal service providers.
In the exchange between Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.) and his postal constituent it is clear that Walsh came in second, not only in knowledge of the facts but also in the ability to comport oneself in public with class and dignity. While Walsh may have revealed himself as an uninformed, lamebrained, nitwit it is clear from reading some of the comments that he should not be lacking in supporters who share his less-endearing characteristics.

Liam Skye of DE 8:41AM December 23, 2011

Observer of WA
Well the part timers at post office don't make the high pay of full timers.
To help us pay for war we need to privatize the post office. Americans love war more than post office.
Never fear we have other delivery services to choice from...

Bill Hedges of MO 4:53AM December 23, 2011

Thank for you summing up many of my feelings about the post office, it is an essential part of any country. There is something inherently valuable about sharing feelings with those closest to use, especially at a time of year which means so much to so many.
I now receive a fair amount of packages from items I purchase on both Amazon and Ebay by mail, and though there is the rare mixup with a neighbor's mail, for the most part I receive everything. It is also the only practical system which allows delivery of magazines.
Some complain about having to fund the post office, when little thought is given to billions misspent every year on unnecessary defense projects, and needless wars.

Observer of WA 4:03AM December 23, 2011

Give me a break!! The US Postal Service has become a bloated, unionized, slow piece of crap. As a kid I remember we could set our clocks by when the Postman delivered. And back then EVERY piece of mail was literally sorted by hand and the Mailman walked every single mile of his route. Now they have all kinds of electronic devices to sort the mail and generally each mail person gets a vehicle to carry them around their route. Still, in our area we're lucky if we get our mail by 6pm!
The Postal service is nothing but a joke!

Tom of TX 1:46PM December 22, 2011