Once upon a time, everything from bills to birthday cards were sent via the U.S. Postal Service. From Monday to Saturday, eager Americans have long looked forward to racing to their mailbox to retrieve hand written letters from family and friends, or the latest catalog from J.C. Penny’s. Except, modern technology and the invention of the Internet have made “snail-mail” all but obsolete. Which begs the question: Is it time to finally kill off the Post Office?
For many years, the U.S. Postal Service has been operating at a loss, despite the fact that it’s consistently raised prices, cut back on staff and even closed unprofitable neighborhood locations. But since bills and birthday cards are now more often than not sent online, paychecks are direct deposited and packages are frequently shipped by private companies such as UPS or Federal Express, is it possible for anyone to successfully argue why the postal service is still a necessity?
The Postal Service is already considering eliminating 3,700 post offices with low sales and few customers, possibly as early as January. According to Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe, most of the locations under review take in less than $27,500 a year and have only enough customers and mail to keep them busy 2 hours a day. If the post office were a private business it would have long since shuttered, the same way local “Ma Bell” telephone companies closed their doors when technology made them unnecessary.
Although the U.S. Postal Service is on life support, administrators don’t seem quite ready to pull the plug on it entirely. Among their plans to align the Postal Service with modern day needs, is a plan to cut back mail delivery at least 1 or more days per week (possibly eliminating Saturday delivery). Another plan is to close several stand-alone locations and set up “village post offices” in supermarkets and gas stations, so as to provide basic services such as stamps and flat-rate package shipping (similar to FedEx kiosks set up at street corners and shopping centers).
Whatever is decided, most officials are beginning to see the writing on the wall — that the need for post offices and daily mail delivery is an outdated concept that is dying a rapid death. Which (again) begs the question: Is it time to finally kill off the Post Office?
