OIG Report: USPS Could Save $Billions By Eliminating Door-To-Door Delivery

OIG: USPS does not require Congressional approval for this policy change.  USPS could save $$Billions more by converting curbside delivery into centralized delivery.

USPS OIG Audit Report – Modes of Delivery (Report Number DR-AR-11-006)

Notwithstanding these limitations, the Postal Service should develop a comprehensive
strategic plan to aggressively move from existing door-to-door delivery to curbside
delivery, which could save more than $4.5 billion a year. Future strategies should also
evaluate savings opportunities associated with conversion of curbside to centralized
delivery — which could save the Postal Service an additional $5.1 billion — and
mandate centralized delivery for new delivery points.

This strategic plan would significantly reduce delivery costs and could be implemented
internally through policy changes. It would not require congressional approval, unlike
other significant cost-savings initiatives, such as moving from 6- to 5-day delivery. At the
same time, these changes would increase fairness and consistency of service to
customers, as curbside delivery would be the primary delivery mode.

full report

21 thoughts on “OIG Report: USPS Could Save $Billions By Eliminating Door-To-Door Delivery

  1. look like a good idea but you know how many employee (BROTHERS) are going to the line unemployme departmet for a miseria check

  2. While this may seem like a good idea, it won’t work in the most populated areas of the country. Imagine being in any major city and trying to deliver newly converted door to door to curbside. you would end up walking more than you would be able to drive right up to. Cluster boxes are fine for nice areas with low crime rates but in a high crime area they are just targets for criminals. I delivered in a drug infested area early in my career and saw the drugs being dealt out of a cluster box. The GOA makes reccomendations based on a perfect world and never considers the “real” world we work in everyday.

  3. I have to agree with #1 Supervisor. Do away with home delivery. Army of carriers sh*tting on peoples lawns is a thing of the past. Let’s get over that bridge into the 21st century!

  4. 1.wingman on Thu, 14th Jul 2011 3:31 pm

    Dear “Number 1 Supervisor”-

    All I can say is WOW! ..wtg to go for speaking your mind. And very well composed.. impressed, even. oh and… I’ll assume.. “Off the wing;)” -kat

  5. A CPO already exists in Atlanta, Ga. No clerks though, just a kiosk capable of all customer requests. It’s in the test stage but will be the PO of the near future.

  6. Dear “Number 1 Supervisor”-
    Get rid of all carriers? Who will deliver the mail? You? Do you think people will willingly just drive to the closest branch every day and have you give them their mail?
    Who will sort it out in the morning? You? Who will deliver Expresses? Don’t tell me. You.
    Maybe you’re in an office with a branch that is giving you fits. It’s been known to happen. But what would you replace human labor with? Robots? People like you who obviously hate craft employees for no good reason consider us robots anyway and you fall apart if we have health problems or family issues. You refuse to stipulate that bodies wear out with time, especially in a labor intensive environment.
    And getting rid of people – you as a supervisor have absolutely no authority. You can’t fart without getting approval from your POOM and district bosses. All you do is stare at a computer that you think knows mail delivery better than a carrier does. Granted, there are a lot of carriers out there who are lazy no good jerks, but there’s a lot of very good ones who are only there to support their families.
    If anybody is disposable, it’s you. Your attitude sucks. You contribute nothing but inputting simple data that anybody could do. You probably harass the shit out of your craft or you wouldn’t have such a piss poor attitude. What goes around comes around. If you were a carrier before you started kissing ass and moved indoors, I’ll bet you were a runner and a lousy fucking carrier who didn’t care where the mail landed, who lived where, didn’t forward mail properly, etc. In my 26 years, anybody who did come inside was a worthless back stabbing piece of shit. We as carriers don’t need you pushing numbers in our faces and harassing us. The public doesn’t need you – you’re just another dead weight who will lie to them and hope they go away. Your Postmaster is a lackey, too, and has no authority either. The Service will be in a lot better shape without hate filled people like you contributing nothing and getting overpaid for it.
    Incidentally, I have a 1200 stop route and I keep it in excellent condition. Does that sound lazy to you? I’ll bet you couldn’t keep up with me for an hour, much less a day.

  7. This is a plan that actually makes sense, but at a tremendous alteration of the existing delivery system as carriers would literally become a thing of the past.

    Consider this ugly scenario: as stations continue to close, they are replaced by CPO’s – Community Post Offices that consist of nothing more than a room filled with post office boxes and perhaps 2-3 windows staffed by a clerk to deliver larger parcels or accountable items. They could be staffed minimally 24-hours a day with full public access and extra security measures such as lighting/cameras would ensure a safe environment for customers. Mail would simply be sorted at an area P&DC and be walled by a handful of clerks.

    These operations could be installed virtually ANYWHERE: empty storefronts would be ideal; indeed, restructured existing post office buildings would be even better [my station lobby could easily handle banks holding another 500 P.O. boxes with minimal installation].

    A nasty possibility, but a very real one, folks!

    A side note: The MDC has stocked big banners saying “COMMUNITY POST OFFICE” for several years now [I order supplies and saw them available myself]… I used to wonder what they were for – now, I may have just found out!

  8. good idea, i dont know the cost to convert but another benefit is save carriers injuries,foot and back for the walking routes and knee injuries for the ones that drive, we are talking about an excellent idea, it shoud been thought years ago, and also another benefit safety for dogs and slips and falls.

  9. “And surprise, surprise….the USPS has been converting City Carrier Routes to Rural Routes all across America for years. Every conversion means one less Career City Carrier and one more non-career worker without a pension and bennies.”

    Uhhh.. rural carriers ARE carrier employees… The savings would be there. Curbside boxes vs. clusters in reference to the mail count.

    Combine that with the new FSS flat count at “43 per min.”

  10. A massive strike will happen before the worst will surface!!!!!!! No management will be crossing the strike line!!!!

  11. Excellent. Action should have been taken years ago. Reduces cost per delivery. Add deliveries to routes. Central delivery units cost effective. Key loss-lock problems charge a fee to repair. Excellent at gated communities if cannot get a mail room.

  12. Though I do not agree with this at all….and America that is used to seeing their Postal Carrier face to face every delivery day, will not appreciate a Rural Style mail box or Cluster Boxes in front of their homes….that said, the OIG is correct.

    And surprise, surprise….the USPS has been converting City Carrier Routes to Rural Routes all across America for years. Every conversion means one less Career City Carrier and one more non-career worker without a pension and bennies.

    They must be REALLY FRUSTRATED AND DESPERATE to have the OIG come out with a report like this.

    The USPS would save a very large bundle of money….but America won’t be happy at all.

  13. Good idea but I think it violates postal rules/law. Once a delivery method is established it must stay the same, at least that’s what I’ve been told for 30 years. But if the cluster box manufacturers have a good firm lobbying congress for it ($$$$) it will be no problem.

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