Where’s that tub? USPS’s flat tub shortage continues
The Postal Service’s flat tub shortage continues, forcing many processing centers to operate their automated flats sorting equipment without sufficient supplies of this important equipment.
Recent audits have revealed empty flat tubs often are held at retail and delivery units and not regularly returned to plants. The audits also reveal some units have been using flat tubs for records storage ― an unauthorized use of the equipment.
USPS encourages employees to help recover flat tubs. Here are some tips:
- Flat tubs are for use in automated mail processing equipment. There is no substitute.
- Return empty equipment to plants on a daily basis.
- Remove all records and supplies from flat tubs and trays and immediately return the equipment to plants.
- Don’t use flat tubs under carrier cases for hold mail or any other purpose.
Flat tubs cost $5 each and despite purchasing 40 million tubs since 2001, USPS continues to spend millions of dollars annually to replenish its inventory.
USPS News Link Story – Where’s that tub?.
Video: Woman gets her entire block’s mail for the 4th time
DENVER – If you’ve ever lost a piece of mail and wondered where it ended up, you might be surprised to learn where 9NEWS found some of it.
When Geina Horton arrived at her acupuncture studio in the Bonnie Brae section of Denver Monday morning, she found 60 pieces of mail sitting on her desk.
Turns out the mail carrier who delivers to the block left the entire block’s mail in her office. This might sound like an accident, but Horton says it’s the fourth time it has happened since November.
..Woman gets her entire block’s mail for the 4th time | 9news.com.
APWU Members Urged to Take Action As Senate Reviews Postal Reform
Postal reform is a hot topic in Congress as the Senate prepares to vote on the 21st Century Postal Service Act, and APWU President Cliff Guffey is urging union members to contact their senators and let them know: Senate bill 1789 is unacceptable in its current form.
|
As lawmakers review the bill, Guffey is asking union members to let their senators know that S. 1789 must be amended. “Supporters of the bill are also weighing in on the legislation, so it is crucial that we get our point across,” he said.
In its current form, the bill would give the USPS some short-term financial relief, but also would inflict long-term damage to the nation’s mail system, Guffey said.
“The bill would force the Postal Service to close hundreds of mail processing centers, shut thousands of post offices, and cause massive delays in mail delivery,” Guffey said. “By failing to give more substantial financial relief, the bill would weaken the Postal Service, kill jobs, and drive customers away,” he added. Read more
USPS Ranked No. 1 In The World
WASHINGTON — A review of the performance of universal postal service providers by the Oxford Strategic Consulting (OSC) firm ranks the U.S. Postal Service the best postal service within the world’s top 20 largest economies for access to services, resource efficiency and public trust.
“We’re proud to lead the world in postal services and we will continue to deliver superior performance for future generations,” said Postmaster General and CEO Patrick Donahoe. “Our best days are ahead of us. I have no doubt the Postal Service will overcome its current financial challenges and endure as the world’s leading postal service.” Read more
Postal Service Hiring Non-Career Positions in Kentucky and Indiana
Filed under: postal, postal news, postal support employee, usps
Deadline to Apply – February 10th
KENTUCKIANA DISTRICT — The U.S. Postal Service is hiring for non-career positions in Kentucky (Lexington, Louisville and Paducah) and Indiana (Evansville). Applicants must apply online at www.usps.com/employment.
Postal Support Employee (PSE) — Mail Processing Clerk
Salary $14.60 per hour
Deadline to apply is Feb. 3, 2012
Casual Mail Handler (Evansville, Lexington and Louisville only)
Salary $12.00 per hour
Deadline to apply is Feb. 10, 2012
A Postal Support Employee is a temporary position with limited benefits. A PSE performs a variety of clerk duties required to process mail using automated mail processing equipment or manual methods of sortation and distribution.
Casual Mailhandlers are a temporary position with limited benefits. They perform handling, processing, delivery, collection and transportation of the mail, and/or custodial functions.
Appointment periods are not-to-exceed 360 days. Subsequent appointments may occur after a five-day break in service, but are not guaranteed.
To apply a candidate profile and application must be completed online using eCareer at www.usps.com/employment. Click the “search our latest job openings” link, choose the appropriate state and then click “start”. Click on the job opening you are interested in and “apply.”
If reached for consideration, candidates will be required to pass all pre-employment suitability factors including, but not limited to: Postal Service Entrance Examination 473 (PSE), employment history background check; military history; criminal conviction history; drug screening, personal interview and if selected, medical suitability.
source: USPS
EquaShip The ‘New 4th Parcel Carrier’ Temporarily Suspending Customer Operations
Seattle, Washington (PRWEB) February 05, 2012
EquaShip, which launched in Q4, 2011 as the new “4th Parcel Carrier” catering specifically to small and medium sized e-commerce merchants, announced today that it is temporarily suspending all customers while it re-engineers its transportation network for faster package delivery times, larger geographic coverage and more service options.
Ron Wiener, CEO of EquaShip, said “Our customers clearly loved that fact that our prices beat FedEx and UPS by up to 80%, our real insurance coverage bundled with every parcel, and our outstanding customer service. However, in today’s ecommerce environment it’s not good enough for small and medium-sized merchants to offer Free Shipping. Shipping also has to be fast enough to compete with larger competitors like Amazon who ship from multiple distribution centers. What we heard loud and clear from our customers was that they needed faster transit times than we could deliver through our existing network of transportation partners.”
“Rather than limit our market only to shippers who could tolerate slower transit times we felt it would be better to stop now, switch out our transportation network providers, and come back with a service that is as fast as today’s online consumer has come to expect, but still priced far below the egregiously high rates that FedEx and UPS charge smaller shippers,” added Wiener.
Given the magnitude of systems integration work that is involved in changing out transportation partners EquaShip has elected to suspend customer operations after the final delivery of all remaining parcels in the pipeline, so that its management team can focus 100% of its efforts on bringing EquaShip back online as soon as possible. The company intends to expand its service offerings with new options for same-day, expedited and international services, in addition to its keystone postal consolidation ground service.
ABOUT EQUASHIP
EquaShip™ is a new kind of parcel delivery service designed specifically for small and medium-sized businesses. With transparent “all-in” pricing, EquaShip gives companies access to great service at prices well below UPS and FedEx residential ground rates. EquaShip provides fully-integrated track-and-trace, $100 of EquaSurance™ real, honest insurance coverage included with every package, and superior customer care, all with no hidden assessorial fees, special software or contracted volume commitments.
Related link:
EquaShip bundles discounted Priority Mail with real insurance for parcels (November 14, 2011)
Carper, Coons, Carney & Markell Write to PMG Urging Review of Hare’s Corner Proposal
Filed under: politics, post office closings, postal, postal news, press releases, usps
Officials highlight concerns regarding USPS’s proposal to revamp Delaware’s only mail processing and distribution center
February 3,2012
WILMINGTON – Today, Sen. Tom Carper, chairman of the Senate Subcommittee that oversees the U.S. Postal Service, along with Gov. Jack Markell, Sen. Chris Coons and Rep. John Carney (all D-Del.) wrote to United States Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe urging him to review the U.S. Postal Service’s proposal that would revamp Delaware’s only mail processing facility, causing a significant negative impact on Delaware. Specifically, the Postal Service has proposed transferring the mail processing functions from the Delaware Processing and Distribution facility at Hare’s Corner in New Castle, Del., to another facility in Bellmawr, N.J.
The letter highlights several concerns with the proposal and the process the Postal Service has employed when considering revamping the Hare’s Corner facility. It includes statements from businesses and state and federal agencies noting that this proposal would negatively impact their operations. It also urges the Postmaster General to reconsider the Area Mail Processing study that led to the current proposal, explore the concerns raised regarding the proposal, and consider the possibility of consolidating other operations into the Delaware Processing and Distribution facility. Read more
Alabama community finally gets mail service
Filed under: mail delivery, postal, postal news, USPS News Link
An industrial area near Mobile, AL, now has something it’s never had before — mail service.
Pinto Island, home to shipbuilder Austal USA and other manufacturers, is located across the Mobile River from the city of Mobile. Until now, it’s been the most industrialized area in the lower 48 states without mail service. That ended when Mobile, AL, Letter Carrier Alan Green made the Postal Service’s first delivery to the island last September.
Postmaster Veronica Johnson, U.S. Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL), and officials from Austal USA worked together to make mail service a reality. To celebrate the first day of mail delivery, the Mobile Police Department escorted Green and his vehicle to the island, where he was greeted by manufacturing employees, postal officials, congressional representatives, and reporters.
The island is home to some of Mobile’s largest employers, including Austal USA, which opened its shipyard in 2001 and began pursuing postal delivery on the island. Before September, the company had a PO Box in Mobile and paid a courier to bring mail to the shipyard.
Now manufacturers no longer worry about critical, time-sensitive documents on bids and pricing being received on time. Also, since most GPS systems rely on postal information, customers find it easier to navigate now that mail delivery officially has come to Pinto Island.
source: USPS News Link
Scammers Use USPS Online Change of Address To Steal Woman’s Identity
A local woman says someone from Nigeria stole her identity, opened multiple accounts in her name and took out a big loan, all things she says she probably would’ve caught except she stayed in the dark for weeks because scammers managed to stop her mail.
The culprits used a free online change of address service known as “Updater, Inc.” That website then forwarded the information to the postal service. Read more
For Ninth Straight Year FedEx Is USPS’s Largest Supplier
Husch Blackwell’s Postal Service Contracting practice group today released its list of the top 10 U.S. Postal Service suppliers for fiscal year 2011. For the ninth straight year FedEx claimed the No. 1 spot. Another air carrier, Kalitta Air, Inc., which transports military mail bound for Iraq and Afghanistan, claimed the second spot. The list is compiled by David P. Hendel, a partner in the firm who has served clients’ postal contracting needs for 30 years. A list of the top 150 postal suppliers can be found here. Read more