Door-to-door mail delivery on chopping block

[WestVirginiaRebel]

CBS News:

The House Wednesday is considering a proposal that would end door-to-door mail delivery and save the cash-strapped U.S. Postal Service billions of dollars per year.

 

The Postal Reform Act of 2013, which is being considered today by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, would end "to the door" delivery in favor of curbside service or neighborhood cluster boxes.

 

According to the committee, 28 percent of addresses now receive "to the door" service, while 42 percent receive curbside mail delivery and 30 percent received centralized delivery. The Postal Reform Act would require "to the door" service to be phased out over 10 years, saving an estimated $4 billion per year.

 

"A balanced approach to saving the Postal Service means allowing USPS to adapt to America's changing use of mail," said committee chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., who introduced the legislation.

 

In a report released in 2011, the Postal Service's Office of the Inspector General found that door-to-door delivery costs more than $353 per delivery point in cities, compared to $224 for curbside service and $161 for centralized service. There was a similar disparity in rural areas.

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Privatize it and be done with it already.

[pollyannaish]

I have no problem with this. Phase daily mail completely out. All you get any more is junk mail pretty much.

 

Let private companies create special delivery options like registered mail or other specialty services.. Companies sending junk could hire kids to do it like newspaper delivery if they think it works. The rest goes email and you're done.

 

We're propping up a dinosaur.