[the_devils_advocate_666]

I also think they should get rid of a lot of the rural routes and just provide free (maybe a deposit for the key) PO boxes. And I say this because I live in the “sticks” and am amazed that they deliver mail out all these dirt roads...

[Abathar]

I live out in the sticks too, the lady gets really snooty when she has to drive the 3/4 mile long driveway for a certified letter.

If she has that attitude again I think I’ll send a certified letter to the guy on our route that breeds pit bulls, really give her something to b*tch about.

[muawiyah]

Clue ~ if we whacked the NCD Post Offices from their present 25,000 or so down to 5,000, and rejusted rural routes to work out of the most critical head-out offices within those 5,000 (or nearby city delivery post offices), the USPS could eliminate well over $3 billion per year.

Back when I did the original survey (19076/77) and analysis the savings were just right at $1 billion.

Rural delivery service could be advanced nearly a full day on average from present levels ('cause providing all those little bity post offices with rural routes going this way and that, with a lot of backtracking and empty hauls, slows down the mail!).

NOTE: I was never popular with the National League of Postmasters (http://www.postmasters.org/)

One of their past Presidents hated me so much he tried to get me fired ~ he later on ended up getting caught ripping off their medical insurance program and was, last I heard, sent to prison for a long time.

These are the people who prevent USPS from eliminating these problem offices and rationalizing rural delivery.

[NVDave]

Most of those “HC” routes in the west already get their mail only three times a week, in some places only two.