Georgia Congressman Says Moving Columbus To Macon Will Cause Mail Delivery Delays
Filed under: consolidations, delivery, postal, press releases, usps
Rep. Sandford D. Bishop Jr., D-Ga. , issued the following press release:
July 29 2010
Washington, DC – Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-2) today sent a letter to the Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Representative Edolphus “Ed” Towns (NY-10), regarding the U.S. Postal Service operations transfer from the Columbus Customer Service Mail Processing Center to the Macon Processing and Distribution Center. In the letter, dated July 28, 2010, Congressman Bishop stated a series of concerns about the transfer and its negative effects on the Columbus area.
“Attempts by the Postal Service to improve productivity and increase efficiency have resulted in new procedures which have severely impacted postal service in the Columbus area,” wrote Congressman Bishop. “Especially impacted is mail originating from Columbus, Georgia and destined for Columbus, Georgia.”
Congressman Bishop expressed his concern that the new system will force mail to be postmarked in Macon, 96 miles away, before it can be sent back to Columbus to be delivered, adding up to three days to delivery schedules. In addition, the transfer was approved May 26, 2010 and the process was to be completed by the first of this month.
“According to conversations with mail employees at the Columbus mail facility, there have been significantly more delays with mail, even though the Postal Service study suggested there would be an improvement in service,” wrote Congressman Bishop.
While a study of mail delivery systems in the Columbus area was conducted, it did not include Fort Benning, which is scheduled, under the BRAC process, to greatly increase in size. This increase in population, combined with the 96+ miles of mail travel distance will only further mail delivery delays.
“It appears that the Macon facility, which now has idle equipment, cannot deliver mail to Columbus in a timely fashion,” added Congressman Bishop
Plan to scrap Saturday mail delivering angst
It’s not just letters, bills or greeting cards that Joan Sherman of Ronan brings to her postal customers on her daily 110-mile jaunt through rural Lake County. Try checks from cattle sales, prescription medicines, parts for farming equipment — even live chicks once.
She won’t be making those deliveries on Saturdays anymore if the U.S. Postal Service has its way.
Full story: Plan to scrap Saturday mail delivering angst | greatfallstribune.com | Great Falls Tribune.
AT & T Ships Products To Postal Employees Using USPS Discount Program Via FedEx, UPS
The U.S. Postal Service has an “agreement with AT&T Wireless to provide discounted wireless phone service, phones, and accessories to postal employees.” However, whenever Postal Employees order products online at AT & T’s website, the items are shipped via FedEx or UPS. An AT & T representative explained that shipping costs are cheaper using FedEx or UPS.
So let me get this straight, Postal Employees order products from AT & T online and its boosts the shipping volume for its largest competitors? If USPS signs an agreement with a company (which may include shipping) shouldn’t one of the prerequisites be that products are shipped via the U.S. Postal Service?
The USPS also has wireless phone service, phones, and accessories agreements for its employees with Verizon Wireless, Sprint Nextel Wireless, T-Mobile Wireless and U.S. Cellular. It will be interesting to find out if any of these companies utilize USPS for shipping its products to Postal Employees.
AT & T Ships Products To Postal Employees Via Fedex, UPS
Chicago Mail Delivery Now Ranks among Nation’s Best
Consumer Advocate Praises Continued Performance Improvement
CHICAGO, IL—Despite continuing economic challenges, the U.S. Postal Service continues to deliver high levels of service – and the Chicago District has become a major contributor to that success. The district continued its outstanding recent record of service performance in fourth quarter of fiscal year (FY) 2009, from July 1 to Sept. 30, 2009.
The district’s score of 96 percent for on-time two-day delivery of Single-Piece First-Class Mail tied four other districts for the best score in the nation. The district’s 96 percent score for on-time overnight delivery of Single-Piece First-Class Mail and 94 percent score for on-time three-day delivery matched the national average in both categories.
“Last year the Chicago District reached progressive and sustained levels of performance,” Delores J. Killette, Postal Service Vice President and Consumer Advocate, said in announcing the scores November 13. “This year they exceeded those levels. Well done Chicago!”
In addition to achieving record high levels of service performance, the Postal Service has been named the Most Trusted Government Agency by the Ponemon Institute for five consecutive years.
“We are committed to providing customers with the trusted, reliable service they’ve come to expect,” said Chicago District Manager/Postmaster Gloria Tyson. “Our quarterly service performance measurement is our ‘report card’ and I am pleased to see that when it comes to serving our customers, we’re meeting and exceeding the national standards.”
Since 1990, the Postal Service has contracted with an independent company to measure First-Class Mail service performance. IBM Global Business Services tracks First-Class Mail from the time it arrives in a collection box or lobby mail chute until it is delivered to a home or business, allowing the Postal Service to monitor performance and improve service for customers.
“Despite noticeable improvements and record service performance results, the Postal Service remains focused on raising the bar,” said Tyson. “We’re the only company where every American is our customer, and service isn’t just in our name, it’s our commitment.”
The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
source: USPS
Time running Out To Pass Any Measure For 5-Day Delivery
From Federal Times
The clock is ticking on a host of measures pending in Congress that would have a big impact on are of high interest to high-impact items affecting federal managers and employees.
Finally, one measure that has virtually no chance of passing this fall would:
• Allow the Postal Service to cut back to five-day mail delivery.
Postal Service officials have been pleading with Congress to approve five-day mail delivery to reduce operating expenses.
The outlook is dismal. When many Americans are waiting anxiously for their Social Security or unemployment checks to arrive in the mail, cutting back mail service doesn’t seem like a popular idea to many lawmakers.
No one has even introduced legislation to enact five-day delivery. In fact, one pending House resolution, HRes 173, expresses the sense of the House that the Postal Service should do everything possible to ensure six-day delivery.
http://www.federaltimes.com/index.php?S=4273445
Postal Service Explores Options for Green Delivery Fleet
USPS Press Release
IRVINE, CA —The U.S. Postal Service plans to identify new, more environmentally friendly vehicle technologies that are less dependent on petroleum-based fuel sources to replace the 195,000 neighborhood delivery vehicles of its total 220,000 vehicles, the world’s largest civilian fleet. Today’s announcement came during a ceremony in which General Motors presented a Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell electric vehicle to the Postal Service for testing in a mail-delivery environment.
“We are looking for a vehicle that operates from a fuel source that reduces—or eliminates—our dependence on petroleum products, that is good for the environment, good for our customers and good for the Postal Service,” said Walter O’Tormey, vice president, Engineering, as he accepted the keys to the Equinox Fuel Cell that will be tested in Irvine, CA.
Moving forward with non-petroleum fueled vehicles is more important to the Postal Service than ever, O’Tormey said, since a one-cent increase in a gallon of fuel adds $8 million annually to Postal Service expenses. Fuel costs last year were $1.7 billion and are expected to increase this year by $600 million.
“The Postal Service has been an invaluable partner, and they put our fuel cell vehicles through some tough, daily workouts,” said Mary Beth Stanek, director of energy and environmental policy & commercialization at General Motors. “We are gaining valuable insight on how these vehicles perform in demanding, real-world situations. By participating in Project Driveway, the Postal Service also is demonstrating the need to develop a hydrogen infrastructure to support fueling these vehicles.”
A hydrogen fuel cell vehicle is twice as efficient as an internal combustion engine and is unique in that the fuel cell emits only water vapor which doesn’t harm the environment. Hydrogen’s greatest advantage as a fuel is that it can be made in many ways using both traditional and renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar and biomass energy.
“We are very encouraged by GM’s fuel cell technology,” O’Tormey added. “We also want to explore other options, such as hybrid electric, plug-in hybrid and other ‘green’ vehicles that will help us continue to provide our customers with reliable service while protecting the environment.”
The Postal Service leads the federal government in the number of alternate fuel vehicles it uses. More than 43,000 can operate on hybrid-electric, electric, compressed natural gas, liquid propane gas, ethanol (E-85), biodiesel and hydrogen fuel cell.