The mail is getting slower and Universal Service is in jeopardy, according to the former chairman of the Postal Regulatory Commission.
Ruth Goldway, who still serves on the commission, wrote a post for the “Congress Blog” of the DC newspaper The Hill this week.
As we reported in August, the USPS was set to resume its consolidation of mail processing centers this month after Phase 1 saw the closure of 141 mail processing facilities in 2012 – 2013.
Goldway said the U.S. Postal Service reduced its service standards for First-Class mail last week and eliminated nearly all overnight letter mail delivery. “Most mail will be delivered in two to three days – longer if weekends and holidays are involved,” she wrote. “During 2015, more than 80 processing plants serving small cities and rural areas throughout the nation will be closed in the Postal Service’s push to shrink its network.”
Analysis by the PRC indicates the Postal Service could undertake significant network improvements and reap large cost savings while preserving most current service levels, Goldway claimed.
She called for greater transparency and said the USPS should provide projections on the impacts on operational efficiency and solid estimates of financial savings before proceeding with the changes.
“In August, 51 senators signed a bipartisan letter asking the Postal Service to delay these announced service changes and plant closings because of continuing uncertainty over the impact on the public. The following month, 160 House members asked for a moratorium on the plant closures, expressing concerns over slowed mail,” she wrote.
You can read her full post on TheHill.com.
