Get the 411 on the shocking, the funny,
and the truly unbelievable Postal and USPS news online.
11/6/09—
At a congressional hearing on the future of the U.S. Postal Service®,
members of a Committee on Oversight and Government Reform panel explored novel ways the Postal Service® might pull itself from deep debt.
11/5/09—
As a preview of his Nov. 20 presentation,
Alan Robinson lists eight challenges he believes the Postal Service® must handle for a postal business model.
11/4/09—
FedEx and competitor UPS have benefited on numerous occasions from "earmarks," which are specific projects that lawmakers add to spending bills.
11/3/09—
Vote! Should the Postal Service® eliminate Saturday city, rural, and contract delivery and collections mail services for all delivery units nationwide?
10/30/09—
In testimony submitted to the PRC,
economist Anita B. Morrison and APWU steward Michael T. Barrett enumerated significant deficiencies in the Postal Service’s methodology in selecting stations for closure.
10/29/09—
Camby postal carrier Tony Westmoreland walked away with $50,000—and more than 15 minutes of fame—for a two-day appearance on the television game show "Who Wants to be a Millionaire."
10/28/09—
The APWU has waged a continuing battle against the exorbitant rate reductions afforded large mailers and consolidators under the misguided premise that such “worksharing” practices are good for business.
10/27/09—
The U.S. Postal Service® is seeking permission to show lower retiree costs in upcoming annual financial results, after a delay in a law designed to relieve financial pressure on the mail agency.
10/26/09—
President of APWU William Burrus issues a challenge to Postmaster General Jack Potter: Discontinue the exorbitant postage discounts that are offered to large mailers.
10/23/09—
The Mailers Council has published a new white paper that warns of USPS® insolvency without significant new legislative reform. It suggests other non-legislative steps to avoid collapse.
10/22/09—
Some of the most popular functions currently available on usps.com are now available on cell phones and other mobile devices. The new features include Track and Confirm, and Post Office™ locator.
10/21/09—
The DMA has released The Power of Direct Marketing, an annual forecast of direct marketing’s economic impact on the US economy, including advertising expenditures and sales.
10/20/09—
Millions of Americans celebrating Christmas this year can mail their holiday greetings bearing the image of a rare piece of art:
Madonna and Sleeping Child by Sassoferrato stamp.
10/19/09—
Why does the catalog continue to thrive in the electronic age? Because glossy catalog pages still entice buyers in a way that computer images don't.
10/16/09—
The Postal Service® has completed an inventory of its greenhouse gas emissions, making it the first and only federal agency to measure and publicly report its carbon footprint.
10/15/09—
The president of the Association for Postal Commerce suggests that
“the time has come for postal employees to start sharing some of the sacrifices.”
10/14/09—
To help the families and friends of U.S. military personnel, the Postal Service® offers a discount on its largest Priority Mail® Flat Rate box. Overseas military installations should be mailed by Nov. 13.
10/13/09—
Under a phase-in plan okayed by Congress,
FERS employees who want to get full credit for unused sick leave will have to wait until January 1, 2014 to retire.
10/12/09—
Most customers only care about one thing: The fate of their neighborhood Post Office™. PMG Potter wants Americans to start talking about how the Postal Service® will exist into the next decade and beyond.
10/9/09—
A message on the NAPS member forum says that the postal service has “lifted the suspension of employee recognition and incentive awards.” The automated incentive program, eAwards, is once again available.
10/8/09—
Look out below! The weight of heavy rains caused a section of roof to collapse at the Kaneohe Post Office™ in Hawaii.
Neither of the two employees working inside the building was injured.
10/7/09—
SCUBA divers unveil the Nature of America: Kelp Forest collectible souvenir sheet stamps and stamped postal cards to launch National Stamp Collecting Month for October.
10/6/09—
The U.S. Postal Service® is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone who was responsible for the shooting death of one of its contract truck drivers.
10/5/09—
San Francisco, Newark and New York have signed up to receive paperless municipal mail with Zumbox, a free, secure mailbox for every residential address in the U. S. that emulates the easy and convenience of paper mail.
10/2/09—
The Postal Service® is facing trying times, as most businesses are throughout the world.
What lies ahead for the Postal Service? Read this overall summary report.
10/1/09—
Calling the union’s current circumstances “the best of times, and the worst of times,”
APWU President William Burrus outlined an ambitious agenda for the union’s future.
9/30/09—
So that's why they call it snail mail.
A US Postal Service® carrier enraged Upper East Side residents recently after he plopped down on a stoop in the middle of his route and fell asleep.
9/29/09—
Earth Class Mail™
and BankServ announce the launch of a first-of-its-kind service
that allows customers to deposit mailed checks into any U.S. checking account without having to touch the mail, endorse checks, or go to the bank.
9/28/09—
The PRC chairman seeks a national conversation on the future of mail and hardcopy communications in the US. In addition, the PRC asks for input on three major areas.
9/25/09—
Two local postal workers are irked at a decision by the Rhode Island postmaster to restrict employees from partaking in charitable endeavors during business hours, because it’s a “financial burden.”
9/24/09—
The US Direct Marketing Association, one of the world's largest trade bodies,
is considering repositioning its entire organization around interactive marketing, including a name change.
9/23/09—
The U.S. Postal Service® is warning Hoosiers of a scam that promises an edge in the job market, for a price. The Postal Service® is not hiring any full-time workers and the ads are not endorsed by them.
9/22/09—
NALC and the Postal Service® have reached a settlement of a national level dispute over management’s responsibility to provide retirement counseling to letter carriers.
9/21/09—
PMG John Potter says a 6-day mail delivery doesn’t make sense and that he is considering shutting down more mail facilities in this one-on-one interview.
9/18/09—
The U.S. Postal Service® will issue Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States a pane of four stamps, honoring the contributions of four Associate Justices.
9/17/09—
USPS® has prevailed in a dispute over the domain name USPS.mobi, in a case heard by National Arbitration Forum. The decision is written in Chinese, but a crude Google translation tells the story.
9/16/09—
The U.S. Postal Service® commitment to diversity received the stamp of approval for the third year in a row by Hispanic Business magazine.
It’s the only federal agency included in the magazine’s 2009 list.
9/15/09—
A federal investigation has been launched into a report that a Dexter postal worker pepper-sprayed a small dog Saturday and allegedly sprayed a young girl who came to the dog’s rescue.
9/14/09—
FedEx issued an upbeat new view of the economy last Friday, saying its earnings could end up nearly double earlier projections in part because of gains in international express shipping.
9/11/09—
Iconic actor Gary Cooper returned to a “stamping ovation” as the 15th inductee into the Legends of Hollywood collectible stamp series. All 40 million 44-cent First-Class™ stamps are now available nationwide.
9/10/09—
There have been many inquiries about the reduction in grade being implemented for some Postmasters to reflect their change in status from exempt to non-exempt.
Here are answers to possible questions.
9/9/09—
The U.S. Postal Service® joins the Thanksgiving Day parade this year with the issuance of four stamps designed by artist Paul Rogers, featuring iconic scenes of a Thanksgiving Day parade.
9/8/09—
What's remarkable about Mazerine Wingate isn't that he will turn 99 this month. It's that he still drives his 1989 Buick to his job at the Lexington Park Post Office™ six days a week.
9/4/09—
The Postal Service® should consider not accepting money from Congress so that it would be free to eliminate Saturday delivery and close rural post offices, a new report says.
9/3/09—
Should you have to pay to get your bills the old-fashioned way, through the mail? A growing number of companies are forcing their customers to get their bills online so they can save money on mailing.
9/2/09—
For a greater part of four decades, postal carrier James Hennessey would sing or whistle along his route, identifying the neighborhood he was in by singing songs connected to the ethnicity of the people living there.
9/1/09—
Which of the following statements best describes your opinion regarding the comparability of postal and private sector compensation.
Cast your vote here!
8/31/09—
Despite evidence that postal pay is a small amount compared to the postage discounts that the USPS® offers to private companies that perform postal work, the assault on postal bargaining continues unabated.
8/28/09—
The old Chicago Post Office at 433 W. Van Buren St. sold for $40 million to International Property Developers North America Inc., a global company whose principals chose not to be identified.
8/27/09—
Chevron Energy Solutions put $15 million into a retrofit of the USPS® San Francisco Processing Center, installing energy-efficient lighting, heating, air conditioning, a fuel cell, and solar panels. Was it a worthwhile investment?
8/26/09—
Thanks to the economic downturn and rising shipping costs,
junk mail volume was down 16 percent in the nine months ending in June compared with the same period a year earlier.
8/25/09—
In a request filed with the PRC, Gamefly, a company that rents game DVDs via the mail,
seeks to compel the US Postal Service® to provide information the USPS® says is off-limits.
8/24/09—
Surf’s up!
The U.S. Postal Service® celebrated the 50th anniversary of Hawai‘i statehood by dedicating the Hawai‘i Statehood stamp on August 21.
8/21/09—
President Barack Obama has named Commissioner Ruth Y. Goldway chairman of the PRC. Goldway, the former mayor of Santa Monica, succeeds Dan G. Blair.
8/20/09—
Walmart has entered the mail order prescription drug business by offering 90-day supplies of 300 different prescription drugs for just $10. The program is open to New Yorkers and residents in a total of 22 states.
8/19/09—
Email is a convenient way to communicate, but some correspondence requires the extra effort of a printed letter. With Snailmailr though, printed letters don't actually take a whole lot of effort.
8/18/09—
The DMM Advisory is extending implementation of the new deflection standards for flat-size mailpieces from September 8, 2009 to January 4, 2010.
8/17/09—
News First Investigates why a Post Office™ is paying extra to drive around one of their postal carriers—who has no valid drivers license stemming from a DUI—so he can deliver the mail on his route.
8/14/09—
A couple in Currituck County use their four-wheel-drive to deliver mail to 144 outdoor boxes in front of the Carova Beach fire station. The USPS® wanted to discontinue the route because it was difficult and dangerous.
8/13/09—
One of America’s most revered canines was among 20
television icons to be honored on the U.S. Postal Service’s Early TV Memories 44-cent commemorative First-Class stamp sheet.
8/12/09—
How would the change to a five-day delivery affect my retail business and/or mailing program? The answer is gray at best.
8/11/09—
What balance should the Postal Service® strike between finding the best value for the customer and maximizing revenue?
Cast your vote here!
8/10/09—
Everybody gets “junk” mail, but seniors are a special target for the direct-mail industry, and not just fraudulent scams. There is a growing movement to establish do-not-mail registries similar to the popular do-not-call lists.
8/7/09—
Continuing its proud tradition of honoring state and territorial flags,
the U.S. Postal Service® today dedicated the third set of the Flags of Our Nation stamp series.
8/6/09—
Get the highlights of yesterday’s USPS® Board of Governors meeting here. "We simply cannot afford these costs," Postmaster General John Potter said.
8/5/09—
The Board of Governors of the U.S. Postal Service® will meet in Washington, DC, at Postal Service™ Headquarters, Aug. 3-5.
The public can attend the open session, scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. Aug. 5.
8/4/09—
If there’s an upside to the down economy, it’s that you can probably get lower prices for some services—including parcel delivery. Right now, just like housing: It’s a buyer’s market.
8/3/09—
It will be sometime in September before federal workers and retirees learn the fate of a something-for-everyone package embedded in the Defense Authorization Bill.
7/31/09—
As part of an ongoing national expansion plan,
FedEx Ground is celebrating the opening of a major distribution hub in Perrysburg Township, Ohio, replacing its existing Toledo operation.
7/30/09—
U.S. Postal Service® executives won't be getting any big bonuses this year unless they figure out how to avoid a looming multibillion-dollar deficit under a measure approved by a Senate committee Wednesday.
7/29/09—
The DMA applauds the initiative and creativity of the USPS®
and commends the diligent and expeditious endorsement of the USPS Summer Sale by the PRC.
7/28/09—
To award or not to award? Should the Postal Service® be allowed to freely award employees for a job well done? You vote!
7/27/09—
The U.S. Postal Service’s international mail facility at JFK Airport has earned its second consecutive Certificate of Excellence
from a leading international association.
7/24/09—
Mail volume has sunk, off by billions of individual pieces.
More consumers are migrating from First-Class Mail® to the Internet, paying bills electronically. Mail-order merchants and direct marketers have cut back.
7/23/09—
Five lighthouses that withstood the fury of devastating hurricanes, in some cases while partially submerged, will stand tall on postage with the issuance of the Gulf Coast Lighthouses commemorative stamps.
7/22/09—
The U.S. Postal Service® celebrated another example of its environmental leadership as it dedicated its first and New York City’s largest green roof high atop the Morgan mail processing facility.
7/21/09—
Brainstorming ideas: Part 2.
Due to the tremendous response from last week’s poll question on how to fix the USPS®, another poll question has been developed.
7/20/09—
UPS has adopted a plan to cut the carbon emissions of its airline by an additional 20 percent by 2020, for a cumulative reduction of 42 percent since 1990.
7/17/09—
More than 150 Post Office™ employees in Cleveland were handed the dreaded news Thursday—not quite pink slips, but new job assignments up to 330 miles from home.
7/16/09—
A nose hair trimmer triggered a bomb squad response at the Central Square Post Office™. Postal workers got suspicious when the package wouldn’t stop humming and the Cambridge bomb squad was called in.
7/15/09—
The U.S. Postal Service® is drafting a plan for switching to five-day mail delivery—and for overcoming strong opposition to the idea from labor unions and Congress.
7/14/09—
How do you think the Postal Service® can save money or raise additional revenue?
Blog your ideas here!
7/13/09—
Mailers interested in tapping into the power of the mail to reach customers and optimizing their operations can take advantage of an Intelligent Mail® University series hosted by the National Postal Forum.
7/10/09—
The U.S. Postal Service® will conduct a one-for-one replacement of 6,500 vehicles
with 1,000 E-85 ethanol-capable and 900 gasoline/electric hybrid vehicles to its delivery fleet.
7/8/09—
An Eastpointe Postmaster is one of 30 winners of the “All Stars Among Us” contest, sponsored by PEOPLE magazine and Major League Baseball.
7/7/09—
Reverend Al Sharpton wants the US Postal Service® to issue a commemorative stamp honoring Michael Jackson. However, a stamp honoring Jackson cannot appear until five years after his death.
7/6/09—
FedEx Corp. and OfficeMax have announced a multi-year agreement to offer domestic FedEx Express and FedEx Ground shipping
in 900+ U.S. OfficeMax retail locations beginning in fall 2009.
6/29/09—
According to a new Gallup poll, most Americans are okay with having fewer mail days if it fixes the postal budget crisis. However, most oppose raising stamp prices and cutting postal services.
6/26/09—
The US Postal Service® has created a new augmented reality Web tool, called the Virtual Box Simulator, to promote the fact that Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes can make shipping easier.
6/25/09—
In response to the financial crisis facing the Postal Service®,
postal management has launched an internal study on the feasibility of eliminating Saturday delivery across the United States.
6/24/09—
UPS has been named to the 2008 Carbon Disclosure Project's "Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index" (CDLI).
The honor is just one of UPS's many environmental and sustainability recognitions.
6/23/09—
The APWU has given a straightforward response to a USPS® request for input regarding five-day mail delivery: “Don’t do it!” APWU President William Burrus says the act will dismantle the US mail system.
6/22/09—
The U.S. Postal Service® has marked hundreds of Post Offices across the country for closing. A final decision on the closures is only months away.
6/19/09—
Out with the old, in with the new. That’s the approach
the U.S. Postal Service® is taking in restocking the retail products it sells in Post Office™ lobbies across the country.
6/18/09—
The U.S. Postal Service® expects to have a list of Post Offices™ that will be "candidates for a full-blown study" for closing and consolidation by July 1.
Post Offices on the list are not guaranteed to close.
6/17/09—
The stamp collection amassed by Pittsburgh stockbroker Robert H. Cunliffe is expected to sell for more than $4 million when its puts it up for auction in New York City on Thursday and Friday.
6/16/09—
Educator, scholar, feminist and activist Anna Julia Cooper—who gave voice to the African-American community during the 19th and 20th centuries—has been immortalized on postage.
6/15/09—
Out with the old, in with the new.
That’s the approach the U.S. Postal Service® is taking in restocking the retail products it sells in Post Office™ lobbies across the country.
6/12/09—
A Class Action Lawsuit has been filed against the USPS® in Federal Court in Texarkana, Texas on behalf of all City Postal Carriers in Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma.
6/11/09—
In a surprising change of heart, the USPS® is now reducing rates for high density flats mail effective July 19, saving the newspaper industry an estimated $3 million by the end of September.
6/10/09—
The U.S. Postal Service® plans to remove 296 mailboxes in San Diego, CA to cut costs.
Other areas of the county could suffer similar cutbacks when additional Postal Service™ usage tests are conducted.
6/9/09—
The Postal Service® currently is examining the possible consolidation of delivery and retail functions among some of its larger (EAS-24 and above) stations and branches.
6/8/09—
The DMA applauds the initiative and creativity of the USPS® and commends the diligent and expeditious endorsement of the USPS Summer Sale by the PRC.
6/5/09—
FedEx says it will book a total of $1.2 billion in charges in its fiscal fourth quarter as write-downs on the value of two acquisitions ended up being bigger than originally anticipated.
6/4/09—
Thinking of pulling a prank? Read the bottom of the box!
A senior prank lands a handful of students in trouble with federal authorities after they filled the hallways of their school with 5,100 Priority Mail® boxes.
6/3/09—
Motomail, which was introduced only a few years ago, is
a letter that can be delivered to deployed Marines 24 to 48 hours after it’s submitted on the Internet, at www.motomail.us
6/2/09—
Despite the difficult economic times throughout the nation,
Americans donated a record 73.4 million pounds of non-perishable food in the Letter Carriers National Food Drive on May 9.
6/1/09—
Residents of Ocean Avenue Extension, a neighborhood in Maine,
no longer receive mail from the Post Office™ after their street was converted into a one-way lane.
5/29/09—
Everything needed for care package will fit perfectly in one of four different sized Priority Mail® Flat Rate boxes—and will ship for one flat price no matter the weight or destination.
5/28/09—
74 percent of Americans say it is at least “somewhat likely” that the price of a First Class postage stamp will be $1 or more within the next 10 years. 46 percent say it’s “very likely.”
5/27/09—
Two Franklinville U.S. Postal Service® employees were stamped as heroes by the township committee after the long-time letter carriers each delivered a lifeline to the door of a township resident.
5/26/09—
The USPS® will partner with a supplier to introduce a range of greeting card formats to be sold at postal retail locations. Interested suppliers will use their expertise on how best to sell greeting cards.
5/22/09—
Is the catalog industry broken? It is according to Robert Bernstock, president of shipping and mailing services for the U.S. Postal Service®.
5/21/09—
Already facing a $6 billion budget deficit for this fiscal year,
the U.S. Postal Service® could find itself in an even deeper hole if fuel prices continue to rise.
5/20/09—
Today the Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Postal Service™ and the District of Columbia will hold a hearing entitled, “Nip and Tuck: The Impact of Current Cost Cutting Efforts on Postal Service Operations and Network.”
5/19/09—
The latest generation in the evolution of barcode technology — the Intelligent Mail® barcode (IMb) — “goes live” today with the Test Environment for Mailers.
5/15/09—
A famed Hollywood dog trainer and a descendant of one of the world’s most popular dogs are teaming with the USPS® to bring attention to a major campaign in America: Dog bite prevention week.
5/14/09—
To most Americans, the Postal Service® is a seamless operation. But behind the service are 620,000 employees, each with their own stories to tell — on and off the job.
5/13/09—
While 2008 was not a good year for mail volume in general,
one source of optimism for the future is the continued growth in mail tied to spending on political campaigns.
5/12/09—
Despite the recent rate increase, opportunities abound to deliver efficient, cost-effective direct mail campaigns. Marketers can further reduce their mailing costs by using the latest in Intelligent Mail® technologies.
5/11/09—
Droves of people rushed to local post offices last week to buy Forever Stamps™ before the price for First-Class stamps rose today.
Were you one of them?
5/8/09—
Self-serve mail at the Spring Hill Post Office™. Although the Aviation Loop postal branch has closed, mail had already been delivered there and customers are left to pick out and sort what’s theirs.
5/7/09—
A “stampede” of one billion Simpsons stamps began escaping from America’s 34,000 Post Offices after the issuance of The Simpsons stamps and stamped postal cards today.
5/6/09—
A look at 10 of the geekiest ways the Postal Service® has delivered the mail.
Since the first Postmaster General was put in place in 1775, the USPS® has changed its structure and delivery methods numerous times.
5/5/09—
This coming Mother’s Day, make Mom proud.
Join thousands of postal carriers and millions of Americans in participating in the nation’s largest, one-day food drive on May 9.
5/4/09—
Postal Service™ customers who shell out extra bucks to send letters by Priority Mail® aren't getting their money's worth, the Daily News has found.
5/1/09—
The big debate:
Which is more sustainable, physical mail or email, a magazine page or a web page, a book or an ebook? Which has the larger carbon footprint?
4/30/09—
You’ve got no mail.
Starting on May 9th, New York’s main post office will close its overnight window. Other post offices round the country may close down completely.
4/29/09—
Letter-size booklets--aka slim-jim catalogs—will soon be a bit more difficult to open, as the first of the new standards published by the U.S. Postal Service takes effect in two weeks.
4/28/09—
The U.S. Postal Service® has earned the R. Gene Richter Award for “Leadership and Innovation”
for optimizing the use of bidding software that resulted in savings of more than $57 million from 2005 to 2008.
4/27/09—
The U.S. Postal Service® is accepting questions for the next Intelligent Mail® Technical Integration Webinar
set for Friday, May 1, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. EDT.
4/24/09—
The Postal Service® has informed the APWU that the deadline for eligible employees who wish to apply for Voluntary Early Retirement (VER) effective June 30 or July 31 is June 19.
4/23/09—
The USPS® announced last year its success in cutting annual transportation costs by more than $5 million.
Fuel consumption has been reduced by 615,000 gallons per year.
4/22/09—
The APWU has initiated a national-level dispute over the Postal Service's failure to provide the union notice of proposed changes to PS Form 1723, which directly relates to wages, hours and working conditions.
4/21/09—
Its finances deteriorating, the U.S. Postal Service® faces another hurdle as a major cities advance restricting a key revenue stream for the agency, and the printing industry—direct mail.
4/20/09—
The APWU is supporting H.R. 22 by reaching out to lawmakers and rallying in front of facilities
threatened by the Postal Service’s precarious fiscal situation.
4/17/09—
Mail Moves America has been making progress against the public debate of extremists determined to ban advertising mail at the expense of thousands of jobs.
4/16/09—
The March/April MailPro is available now on usps.com/mailpro. You’ll find extensive information on the May 11 Mailing Services price change, including FAQs.
4/15/09—
The Postal Service® has extended the deadline to elect the VER option for eligible carriers until June 19.
These are carriers who are 50 with at least 20 years of service, or any age with at least 25 years of service.
4/14/09—
Encouraged by a 90 percent customer approval rating,
the U.S. Postal Service® will make the recent Intelligent Mail® University Symposiums available through its RIBBS website.
4/13/09—
The cash-strapped U.S. Postal Service®, looking for new sources of revenue, is considering banking services—already a common line of business for postal services in Europe.
4/10/09—
The U.S. Postal Service® has released the portraits of characters from "The Simpsons," the long-running animated franchise, that will begin appearing on postage stamps on May 7.
4/9/09—
The Postal Service® reached an agreement today with its city letter carriers that will make it easier to adjust delivery routes if mail volumes continue to fall — a process that could eliminate thousands of routes.
4/8/09—
The U.S. Postal Service® could reach an agreement with one of its largest unions as early as this week to consolidate letter carrier routes in the face of dropping mail volume.
4/7/09—
Legislation that would provide the Postal Service® temporary relief from a crushing financial crisis is gaining wide support in Congress.
More than half of the members of the House of Representatives have signed on as co-sponsors of H.R. 22.
4/6/09—
On Friday, Rep John McHugh (R-NY) reported that 252 of his House colleagues joined in cosponsoring H.R. 22, emergency legislation
to refinance U.S. Postal Service® contributions to pre-fund its retiree health costs.
4/3/09—
If the current inflation trend continues,
catalogers may see a postal rate increase of less than 1% in 2010, according to Dan Blair, chairman of the PRC.
4/2/09—
At the U.S. Postal Service® the downturn in the economy has drawn increased attention, and calls for a restructured business plan aimed at helping the agency regain its financial footing.
4/1/09—
Postal workers won an important legal victory March 30, when a district court judge upheld the right of the APWU and the NALC to pursue a lawsuit against the Postal Service and the USPS OIG.
3/31/09—
In response to customer feedback,
DMM Advisory will not implement the mandatory tray-based preparation for First-Class Mail® automation flats.
3/30/09—
The USPS® is trying to lure 140,000 craft employees (and a smaller group of executives) to take early retirement.
The issue is what would it take to get you to go?
3/27/09—
Bank of America told the Postal Regulation Committee that letter mailers deserve the same sort of break as catalog mailers when the U.S. Postal Service® decides on its next cost increase.
3/26/09—
PMG Potter urged lawmakers to provide the Postal Service® with greater flexibility with regard to mandated retiree health benefit payments.
The Postal Service asked for no financial assistance from Congress.
3/25/09—
The Postal Service®
is seizing this opportunity by consolidating more than 87,000 city delivery routes
— which could affect as many as 50 million addresses nationwide.
3/24/09—
The Postal Service® has informed President Young that
city letter carriers will be included in its new Voluntary Early Retirement offer.
3/23/09—
The U.S. Postal Service’s website, usps.com, lets customers skip the trip to the Post Office™
and conduct Postal Service® business with the click of a mouse.
3/20/09—
Despite gaining new customers from the shrinking U.S. presence of DHL and lower fuel prices,
the world's two largest package delivery companies prepare for weak global economic conditions to get even worse.
3/19/09—
The USPS® wishes to pre-qualify suppliers who can develop, implement, manage and analyze information for a national Mystery Shopper Program.
3/18/09—
An incentive-based social network that pays users to receive regular direct mail has been launched. Called PeopleString, it generates revenue for users through an opt-in direct mail program.
3/17/09—
For anyone sending packages the Postal Service® can help you stay on budget. No matter the final destination, a delivery is a delivery, and there are no hidden surcharges.
3/16/09—
There are more than 740,000 employees in the Postal Service®, the work place of some of the longest-serving public employees in the nation, according to a review of employment data.
3/13/09—
Thanks to the U.S. Postal Service®, low fuel prices, and the depressed paper market,
publishers should take another look at using heavier paper to save money.
3/12/09—
House Resolution 22 would save the Postal Service™ an average of $3.5 billion per year over the next eight years. Under current law, any remaining liability in 2016 would be amortized over 40 years.
3/11/09—
The DMA has released the 2009 Response Rate Report. This report provides key budgeting and performance benchmarks to help marketers develop comprehensive, results oriented campaigns.
3/10/09—
A white paper conducted by the Winterberry Group discusses the U.S. vertical market trends in direct mail with a forecast on what’s to be expected for 2009.
3/9/09—
The Newspaper Association of America warns that a May 11 USPS® hike will favor direct mailers over newspapers. The NAA has filed comments with PRC to determine if the rates are illegal.
3/6/09—
February employment figures filed by the US Postal Service® show career staffing levels are down 4.4% from a year ago. The decline of 29,960 was across the board, affecting all employee categories.
3/5/09—
PWU members staged informational pickets protesting USPS® mail-processing proposals in several locations in north-central Ohio on March 2.
3/4/09—
Rising postage rates and fewer solicitations from banks and credit-card companies have conspired to drive down direct mail in 2008 and the falloff will accelerate to 9% in 2009.
3/3/09—
Much to the relief of some Orange County, CA residents,
the Postal Service® told the city of Aliso Viejo it won’t be building a massive 350,000-square-foot mail processing center in their town, citing lack of finances.
3/2/09—
A dispute over the rights to the images of the historic Post Office™ murals almost forced the State Museum of Pennsylvania to pull the plug on the "Common Canvas" exhibit.
2/27/09—
A noted author, a philanthropist and a racehorse champion are among the subjects featured on the Postal Service’s 2009 price-change stamps.
A new Forever personalized stamped envelope is also available.
2/26/09—
The Postal Service® plans to undertake a significant transformation of their entire Bulk Mail Center network-likely the biggest change since the 21 BMCs were created more than 30 years ago.
2/25/09—
These days ads are on everything, but the one place you'd never expect to see one is on those blue street corner postal boxes where folks mail letters. Rare but possible: Ads on postal boxes.
2/24/09—
Congress will hold a hearing next month into why PMG Potter has gotten a nearly 40% pay raise since 2006, even as the USPS® faces a multi-billion dollar shortfall that threatens a day of mail delivery.
2/23/09—
The USPS® announced a $751 million net loss for the month of January, almost double the $384 million lost in the first three months of the fiscal year which began October 1, 2008.
2/20/09—
UPS announced it had deployed 300 new delivery trucks powered by Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to seven cities in Colorado, Georgia, Oklahoma, and California.
2/19/09—
Nearly 60 years ago, Rockland Postmaster John Parker gave one of his carriers a different route and caused an uproar across the entire country.
Find out how it all ended here.
2/18/09—
These are tough times for the Post Office™
but apparently not for the Postmaster General, whose $135,000 performance bonus is raising eyebrows after last year’s $2.8 billion USPS® loss.
2/17/09—
Mary Ann Bennett, president of the Bennett Group, says
the new postage rates that are effective May 11, 2009 are the first nail in the coffin containing the Intelligent Mail® Barcode (IMB).
2/16/09—
When given a choice of three options for helping the U.S. Postal Service® out of its financial difficulties, a majority of Americans prefer cutbacks in services.
2/13/09—
In a letter, chairman of the PRC,
Dan G. Blair, strongly recommends that the Postal Service®
provide Congress and the Commission with monthly financial reports.
2/12/09—
The UPS Board of Directors today elected William R. Johnson, the chairman, president and CEO of the H.J. Heinz Co., as a new independent director of the company.
2/11/09—
UPS is piloting a new returns service with a few pre-selected retailers that allows consumers to return items shipped via UPS by placing them in their own mailboxes for pickup by the U.S. Postal Service®.
2/10/09—
The US Postal Service® faces its most serious threat in more than 75 years. As the real economy has spiraled downward, so has the Postal Service’s core business.
2/9/09—
Postmaster General Potter recently testified before a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs subcommittee stating that, "If current trends continue, we could experience a net loss of $6 billion or more this fiscal year."
2/6/09—
Postmaster General John E. Potter’s appeal to Congress last week to allow
the U.S. Postal Service®
to cut back to five-day delivery has a lot of mailers—and consumers—up in arms.
2/5/09—
National on-time performance scores for the delivery of First-Class Mail®
reached 96 percent and 93 percent of customers gave the U.S. Postal Service® highest satisfaction marks as the Postal Service® debuted a new, national standards rating process.
2/4/09—
More than a dozen Post Offices™ in communities with loved-themed names across America are offering special postmarks for Valentine’s Day, making the envelope itself a treasured keepsake.
2/2/09—
The book entitled "Handbook Of Worldwide Postal Reform" has been published.
This book brings together a number of contributions directed at understanding developments in the field of postal reform.
1/30/09—
Five-day mail delivery? Not so fast.
The chances that Congress will allow the Postal Service® to cut one delivery day each week are growing slim.
1/28/09—
Football fans looking to send souvenirs or a pair of cleats can hand off their shipping needs to the USPS® for the right option play of convenience, delivery speed, package size, and economical price.
1/27/09—
Joseph Corbett will be the new U.S. Postal Service Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President.
Corbett replaces H. Glen Walker who will be moving on to a new role in the Postal Service®.
1/26/09—
Postmaster General John Potter creates a motivational Power Point presentation on future changes to the USPS®: New Rules, New Game, New Opportunities.
1/23/09—
FedEx Corp. has once again been named to FORTUNE magazine’s list of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in the United States in 2009. The company is ranked 90th overall.
1/22/09—
A large majority of small-business owners are optimistic about their company's financial future,
despite a steady stream of grim economic news, according to two nationwide surveys sponsored by UPS.
1/21/09—
Postal Connections of America (PCA) has announced that its franchise network has further increased in size, thanks to the addition of new owners to its franchise network.
1/20/09—
The DMA has released the first-ever “Future of Direct Marketing” qualitative report.
The report provides insights into what leaders in the DM community think about the short- and long-term future.
1/19/09—
Commercial Plus pricing launches today, with up-front price incentives for qualifying shippers
using USPS® overnight and 2- to 3-day expedited services.
1/16/09—
Edgar Allan Poe was immortalized on a USPS® stamp today, on the 200th anniversary of his birth.
He was the father of mystery novels and one of America’s most extraordinary poets and fiction writers.
1/15/09—
Superstar Cher wants her late ex-husband, Sonny Bono, immortalized on a commemorative U.S. Postal Service® stamp. The top USPS® folks are considering the idea.
1/14/09—
The US Postal Service® gives a breakdown of how it will work on Inauguration Day. A list has been complied of mail receptacles that will be removed and retail offices that will be closed.
1/13/09—
University of Washington Professor Richard B. Kielbowicz has published a collection of his papers on postal history and policy. Most have electronic versions available for download.
1/12/09—
Swift changes in recent years to the ways people must send letters and packages to one another are affecting everything from pickup locations to lengths some locals must go to purchase postage stamps.
1/9/09—
Think you know what time your mail arrives each day? Think again.
The USPS® is reviewing city routes nationwide and changing some of them to cut costs because mail volume is dropping during the recession.
1/8/09—
The U.S. Postal Service® dedicated the Celebrating Lunar New Year: Year of the Ox commemorative 12-stamp souvenir sheet today as the second in its 12-year Celebrating Lunar New Year series.
1/7/09—
A federal appeals court has sided with APWU in the latest round of a long running Address Management System dispute.
The dispute dates back to the 1990’s.
1/6/09—
Postal commentator Gene Del Polito comments on the difficult year that lies ahead for the U.S. Postal Service®. Polito has 25 years experience as the chief staff executive for the APC.
1/5/09—
NALC and the USPS® have agreed to extend the deadline for finalizing adjustment packages pursuant to the Interim Route Adjustment Process to February 20.
12/31/08—
The DMM Advisory has posted its
2008 Annual Compliance Report and the
November/December issue of MailPro.
12/30/08—
With a nearly $3 billion loss in fiscal '08, and a projected deficit of up to $5 billion in the current year,
the USPS® is close to not being able to sustain a national postal service system to the public.
12/29/08—
Mail is being delivered later and later, but improvement is on the horizon. The Postal Service® blames competition from Federal Express, UPS, fax machines, and e-mail.
12/24/08—
Congress writes a letter to Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, requesting her to push financial relief for the USPS®. The bill would assist the USPS® in addressing financial constraints while protecting jobs.
12/19/08—
FedEx Corp. cut Chief Executive Officer Fred Smith’s pay by 20 percent and will trim smaller amounts from U.S. salaried employees, as the package shipper struggles with the longest recession in a quarter century.
12/18/08—
Deflation of consumer prices means that next year's postal rates will almost certainly average less than 4%, rather than the 5% that most commentators were expecting until recently.
12/17/08—
Two treasured wonders of the American landscape will be celebrated Jan. 16
when the U.S. Postal Service® issues the $17.50, Old Faithful and $4.95, Redwood Forest definitive stamps.
12/16/08—
Postal workers and customers of the Southwest Philadelphia Postal plant are seeing progress in mail flow. Postal workers credit new regional manager, Jim Gallagher, for the improvements.
12/15/08—
U.S. Rep Bob Brady has called for an investigation of the Southwest Philadelphia Postal Service's processing plant
by the U.S. Government Accountability Office.
12/12/08—
APWU President William Burrus met with a member of President-Elect Obama’s Transition Team, to “engage in a thoughtful conversation about the future of the U.S. Postal Service® and postal workers.”
12/11/08—
Demand for express shipping is deteriorating rapidly with the economic downturn, overwhelming the benefits from DHL's withdrawal from the U.S. market and from lower fuel prices.
12/9/08—
The newly appointed regional postal manager has two goals: to serve customers better and improve working conditions at the U.S. Postal Service's troubled processing plant in Southwest Philadelphia.
12/8/08—
After five days of Daily News stories about lost and missing mail at the processing plant in Southwest Philadelphia, the U.S. Postal Service® fires the district manager.
12/5/08—
Looking for a unique stocking stuffer that’s of appeal to everyone from age seven to 97? Then give the gift that chronicles the creation of the most popular stamp series in U.S. Postal Service® history.
12/4/08—
The Postal Service's weeks-late and missing-mail problems are causing havoc with the medical diagnosis of some patients, as more complaints pile into the Philadelphia Daily News.
12/3/08—
Philadelphia residents respond to a front-page
Daily News story, documenting severe mail backlogs this year at the chronically understaffed U.S. Postal Service® processing plant in Southwest Philadelphia.
12/2/08—
The first phase of the Flats Sequencing System (FSS) will save the U.S. Postal Service® hundreds of millions of dollars annually and result in thousands of job eliminations.
12/1/08—
It's just the economy.
Fewer letters and packages mean fewer seasonal workers for delivery services during the Christmas season.
11/26/08—
Big business for UPS and FedEx?
Although the end of DHL’s domestic operation isn’t scheduled until Jan. 30, there is already a fight for thousands of daily parcel shipments.
11/25/08—
BtoB Marketing Magazine interviews vice chairman of the PRC, Nancy Langley, on the evolving nature of direct mail and recent changes at the USPS® that impact direct marketers.
11/24/08—
With 19 billion cards, letters, and packages expected to be delivered this holiday season,
the U.S. Postal Service® has some tips to help get gifts to their destination swiftly and safely.
11/21/08—
Complaints about direct mail made up a third of all complaints received by the Fundraising Standards Board (FRSB) last year, its new report shows.
11/20/08—
Talk about a slap on the wrist!
Mailman Steven Padgett received a probationary sentence from a sympathetic judge for failing to deliver years worth of junk mail on his Apex route.
11/19/08—
The DMM Advisory has announced the January 18, 2009 prices are available online.
This pricing change is the first to separate shipping and mailing services.
11/18/08—
Beware of scams involving U.S. Postal Service® jobs. The Postal Service® isn't hiring right now, despite the claims of websites that say they can help people find work there.
11/17/08—
Next up for bailout? It may be the USPS®. Add the U.S. Postal Service® to the list of ailing businesses seeking help from Congress this week.
11/14/08—
Pricing for shipping services will change on Sunday, Jan. 18, the Postal Service® announced yesterday, following a vote by its Board of Governors.
11/13/08—
The Postal Service® has been recognized for exceptional leadership in information technology, by national industry publications in FY 2008.
11/12/08—
The U.S. Postal Service® is seeking a software-as-a-service product
to help it standardize, automate and streamline buying supplies, services, and equipment.
11/11/08—
The Swiss say their postal carriers are tops!
This is the result of a survey of 15,400 Swiss Post customers who gave delivery quality a score of 91 out of a possible 100 points.
11/10/08—
New postal regulations that take effect Nov. 23 will require companies that do First-Class mass mailings to “clean” their databases more frequently and will expand the requirement to Standard Mail® and other categories.
11/7/08—
APWU President William Burrus has asked the Postal Service® to provide documentation
that will help the union track the amount of craft work performed by supervisors in small offices.
11/6/08—
In the wake of Sen. Barack Obama’s convincing and historic victory,
Postmasters should be attentive to changes that a new Administration can bring to postal governance.
11/5/08—
Although the 2006 Postal Reform law restored a semblance of normalcy to annual postal rate increases, many catalogers are wondering what they can expect in terms of a rate hike in May 2009.
11/4/08—
It’s a long way to Tipperary.
When mailing holiday gifts, faraway family and friends can be as close as a personal computer — making it easy to mail to places far from home from your home.
11/3/08—
Mailers Council Executive Director Robert E. McLean warns the USPS® not to harm business partners for the sake of revenue.
10/31/08—
NAPS and Postmaster organizations say “no” to foregoing or deferring the upcoming NPA payouts scheduled for January 2009, as proposed by the U.S. Postal Service®.
10/29/08—
A New York-based manufacturer has launched its first product line consisting entirely of designs inspired by U.S. Postal Service® stamp art — the "P.S. Collection by Arjang&Company™".
10/28/08—
It’s show time!
The U.S. Postal Service® has unveiled the first six subjects highlighting its 2009 commemorative stamp program.
10/27/08—
Several Hudson County politicians plan to join postal union leaders today to
protest plans by the USPS® to privatize bulk mail centers across the country.
10/24/08—
Allowing private courier services to deliver items into mailboxes could hamper efforts by the U.S. Postal Service to safeguard the nation’s mail, according to a new Rand Corp. study.
10/23/08—
In an open letter to Postmaster Potter,
APWU President William Burns says, “the current USPS business plan is not working and cannot be expected to work in the future.”
10/22/08—
The Direct Marketing Association laid off nearly two dozen individuals on Monday, including several high-level employees. Outside estimates range from 18 to 21 workers.
10/20/08—
Since deploying a transportation optimization system two years ago,
the United States Postal Service® has saved $10 million through consolidating delivery trips.
10/17/08—
Exclusive: Top Federal Postal Cop Retires in Wake of ABC News Investigation.
The abrupt departure comes two weeks after being questioned about his travel expenses and gambling habits.
10/16/08—
In a Powerpoint presentation given at last month’s AVP/MOS meeting,
the USPS® outlined “aggressive” tactics for delivery cost savings.
10/15/08—
New Zealand Post today launched a nationwide postcode reminder campaign to 1.6 million householders.
The reminder comes after a ZIP Code™ switch more than two years ago.
10/14/08—
Forget rain, sleet or snow:
The bite of a venomous snake didn't keep 66 year-old mail carrier Efrain Arango from finishing his appointed rounds.
10/13/08—
The U.S. Postal Service® has accepted more than 3,000 voluntary early retirements
as part of the first of three rounds of cutbacks extended to 156,000 workers across the country.
10/10/08—
Hispanic Business magazine has again named the U.S. Postal Service®
to its annual “Diversity Elite 60” list of best companies for Hispanics, the only federal agency included in the magazine’s 2008 list.
10/9/08—
DMA head John Greco Jr. discusses his expectations for next week's DMA show in Las Vegas, legislation, and what role marketers should take in the green movement.
10/8/08—
To help the families and friends of military personnel send holiday gifts,
the Postal Service™ is offering a discount on its largest Priority Mail® Flat-Rate box.
10/7/08—
Direct marketers are making deep cuts in their hiring plans for the remainder of 2008, according to a survey by Bernhart Associates. 110 companies participated in the survey.
10/6/08—
Federal unions usually endorse presidential candidates, but they usually stop short of actually telling union members how to vote. But these are unusual times...
10/3/08—
Several criminal gangs have acquired administrative log-in credentials for more than 200,000 Web sites, including the one used by the U.S. Postal Service®.
10/2/08—
To postal workers, no mail is “junk.”
Rain, sleet and gloom of night may seem like the least of mail carriers' problems, as revenues continue falling and consumers opt out of junk mail.
10/1/08—
President of APWU William Burrus outlines the USPS’ bleak financial picture in correlation to the upcoming presidential election. How does it affect you?
9/30/08—
Smile! You’re local mail carrier could be watching.
Mail carrier's camera phone catches thief in the act.
9/29/08—
The Justice Department should block a proposed deal between UPS Inc. and DHL Express because it would violate antitrust laws and eliminate thousands of jobs, according to a pair of Democratic senators.
9/25/08—
Absentee ballot applications are no longer available at local post offices due to a “directive” from the U.S. Postal Service® prohibiting the presence of the election forms in post office lobbies.
9/24/08—
Postal Service® vs. Aliso Viejo: Who has facts on the proposed plant—city officials or residents?
Take a closer look at the controversy surrounding this OC town.
9/23/08—
COO Pat Donahoe’s latest edition of Field Updates takes a look at several cost-reduction strategies for fiscal year 2009. Overall, the plan is expected to save the USPS® $1.4 billion.
9/22/08—
Postal employees have been ordered to upsell pricey Express or Priority Mail® services to anyone sending anything more than a letter, according to an anonymous tipster.
9/19/08—
In the centennial year of her birth, American film diva Bette Davis becomes the 14th honoree of the coveted Legends of Hollywood stamp series, issued by the U.S. Postal Service®.
9/18/08—
Team Houston, take a bow!
After Hurricane Ike hit, employees in the Houston District worked together to restore postal operations to the nation’s fourth largest city and surrounding area.
9/17/08—
Shipping and mail services were getting back to normal in the Greater Houston area Tuesday, just days after Hurricane Ike. Operations have resumed throughout the Houston District.
9/16/08—
Australia Post, one of the largest indigenous employers in the country, will offer 100 school-to-work traineeships for indigenous Australians over the next 12 months.
9/15/08—
All Post Offices™ and Postal Service™ operations within the City of Houston (ZIP Code area 770) are set to reopen today, after the interruption of mail services due to Hurricane Ike.
9/12/08—
Five letter carriers have been selected as winners of the 2008 "Hero of the Year" Award, after helping rescue nearly 100 people from a three-alarm fire at a senior citizens' apartment building in Oakland, CA.
9/11/08—
APWU President William Burrus has notified
the Postal Service® of significant errors in information the USPS® provided to employees eligible for Voluntary Early Retirement (VER).
9/10/08—
Citing tight finances and a bad economy,
the U.S. Postal Service® is putting on hold the planned construction of new post offices in the inland area of California.
9/9/08—
Royal Mail is continuing its drive to deliver innovation in marketing by launching a new advertising and communications solution named “Matter”, which literally puts brands into consumers hands.
9/8/08—
Federal Times has received more than 50 emails from Postal Service™ employees, with most saying they won’t retire early without a monetary incentive. In 1992, postal employees were offered $25,000 to retire early.
9/5/08—
A recent survey by Multichannel Merchant magazine reveals that print catalogs still rule. Of the 106 merchants polled by the DMA, 62% consider catalogs their primary sales channel.
9/4/08—
The League of Postmasters is asking its members to take a survey on working conditions. The only problem is that the survey is open to anyone who goes to the web site.
9/3/08—
The U.S. Postal Service® continues its proud tradition of honoring state and territorial flags with the dedication of the second set of the Flags of Our Nation stamp series.
9/2/08—
National Mail Service updates for flooding and hurricane-hit states.
8/29/08—
Bowing to high fuel prices, UPS will change its policies on parcel service guarantees Sept. 2, and no longer include the fuel surcharge in its refunds to customers.
8/28/08—
The number of parcels and packages that postal workers are toting around the country has declined sharply, opening the prospect of fresh liabilities for the U.S. Postal Service’s private-enterprise rivals.
8/27/08—
In a letter to the Editor,
a former postal carrier writes an eye opening personal experience on why mailers should be mailing their packages through the U.S. Postal Service®.
8/26/08—
On the final day of the APWU 19th Biennial Convention, delegates adopted a resolution
calling on the union’s national leadership to “lead and organize resistance to any/all attempts to privatize the parcel business.”
8/25/08—
The price of aviation fuel in rural Alaska may curtail the $150 million a year bypass mail system, according to aviation industry leaders and elected officials.
8/22/08—
Nearly 200 people packed an Ohio legislative meeting this week to hear testimony on the impact of DHL plans to switch to UPS cargo delivery—eliminating 8,000 jobs in the small city of Wilmington.
8/21/08—
More than 3,200 APWU delegates unanimously endorsed Sen. Barack Obama after the presidential candidate delivered an inspiring message to the union’s convention over a live satellite video feed.
8/20/08—
The FTC issued its final Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) amendments regarding prerecorded calls today. Two TSR amendments were passed.
8/19/08—
YouTube Meet The Postal Service®.
Today marks the release of “Mark of the Eagle,” four, direct-to-Internet webisodes that put a new twist on an honorable tradition.
8/18/08—
The US Postal Service®
now offers customers the option to manage Post Office™ (PO) Boxes Online. For customers who already have a PO Box, paying their fees is even easier.
8/15/08—
Political mail is political mail, according to a newly clarified U.S. Postal Service® policy, regardless of whether the race is partisan in nature.
8/14/08—
Many federal and postal workers are unaware of the "Windfall" law until they retire and start drawing Social Security benefits. Then it gets ugly.
8/13/08—
Women now head up operations in UPS's top markets in the Americas Region. A career development program is being launched and aimed at retaining and advancing female managers globally.
8/11/08—
The next rate increase will most likely be in May 2009, and the maximum under the law, due to the USPS® year-to-date net loss of $1.13 billion.
8/8/08—
The devil is in the details.
An astute stamp collector discovers that one of the Old Glory stamps in the U.S. Postal Service's "Flags 24/7" series, appears to have 14 stripes.
8/7/08—
The FBI releases federal documents outlining a pattern of bizarre and deceptive conduct by scientist Bruce E. Ivins, and that he was solely responsible for mailing the deadly anthrax letters that killed five people in 2001.
8/6/08—
A report by ForestEthics pegs junk mail's contribution to climate change at the equivalent of more than nine million cars, seven US states combined, or the emissions generated by heating nearly 13 million homes for the winter.
8/5/08—
Is Netflix destroying the environment? Probably not.
Renting a DVD by mail is probably a greener choice than going to your local video store.
8/4/08—
F.B.I. investigators suspect that motive for Anthrax attacks is to draw public attention to a dire threat, attracting money and prestige to a once-obscure field.
7/31/08—
Gas station employee Javed Iqbal has been accused of running up an 87K bill for the U.S. Postal Service® between March and June of this year.
7/30/08—
The USPS® is unable to demonstrate that it saves money by outsourcing, according to a recent GAO report, because it has no comprehensive mechanism to measure savings.
7/29/08—
A $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Daniel Gonzalez Rodriquez has been issued. He is wanted in connection of the death of local mail carrier, Donnie Evett.
7/28/08—
A direct-mail pioneer fights back as his catalog business struggles. 79 year-old Jack Miller attempts to save his company by transforming it from a catalog- to a Web-based business.
7/25/08—
Would have loved to be a fly on that wall!
Listen to testimonies given from yesterday’s hearing on the USPS® Network Plan.
7/24/08—
In his shoes:
Reporter Steve Marroni spends a day with mail carrier Kevin McKenrick, to get an inside look into the world of a postal letter carrier.
7/23/08—
Direct mail goes green.
The Green Marketing Coalition’s guidelines include using chlorine-free recycled paper, proofreading marketing materials using Adobe PDF files, and taking advantage of tax benefits from certain green initiatives.
7/22/08—
Mail carrier versus dog: the eternal conflict.
Richfield, MN postal carriers are now banned from giving treats to dogs on their carrier route.
7/21/08—
Mail your hazardous waste.
Garbage giant Waste Management is using the Internet and USPS® to create a mail kit that customers can mail their hazardous material in.
7/18/08—
Go jump in the lake!
51-year-old Keith McVey, a letter carrier from Barberton, OH, rescued a young girl on his letter carrier route that was drowning in a nearby lake.
7/17/08—
The USPS® goes to bat for nonprofit organization “Pitch In For Baseball®” that collects “gently used” equipment and distributes it to children in need.
7/16/08—
Who’s really benefiting?
APWU President William Burrus is advising union members to delay making a decision as long as possible on voluntary early retirement.
7/15/08—
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is slated to make a speech at the Letter Carriers’ Convention in Boston, July 21-25. Over 8,800 delegates will attend the event.
7/14/08—
Most experienced letter carrier in America clocks out for the last time. At 84 years young, Bob Slama has worked the Southeast Cape Coral mail route for 27 years, never once calling in sick or clocking in late.
7/11/08—
Anti-junk mail celebrities are sending their own! Leonardo DiCaprio, Adrian Grenier, Daryl Hannah, and Alicia Silverstone are listed in the complaint.
7/10/08—
Is it hot in here or is it just me?
Canton Post Office™ has been without air conditioning all year. Worse, none of the windows in the lobby area can be opened.
7/9/08—
The U.S. Postal Service® is preparing to offer voluntary early retirements to up to 20,000 clerks and mail handlers as part of a nationwide reorganization of its delivery network.
7/8/08—
To catch a carrier.
Union leaders discover security breaches after a hidden camera crew followed a Beaverton postal service "contractor" for several days.
7/3/08—
Taking a bite out of crime!
Two men suspected of robbing a mail carrier and leading a high-speed chase were captured when police dogs took bites out of them.
7/2/08—
Bah hum bug!
Direct mail fundraising campaigns are feeling the heat this July as they gear up for the holiday mailing season with conservative campaigns.
7/1/08—
Postmaster Potter to catalogers: "You got hammered."
Potter says the USPS® needs to take more risks with pricing, and that catalogs need to be looked at in a more holistically way.
6/30/08—
No post? No way!
Residents in a tiny town in Royalston, MA, vote to create a revolving account for Post Office™ expenses, after the town’s only postal operator leaves her position.
6/27/08—
The House Committee has approved an amendment offered by Congressman Jack Kingston for
the USPS® to study the cost-effectiveness and fuel consumption of a five-day delivery system and consumer demand of Saturday postal delivery.
6/26/08—
USPS® seeks "home-based independent contractors" to perform EEO investigations. An investigator will be paid on a “per case” basis of $1100, upon successful completion of the case.
6/25/08—
The EMA Foundation releases the 2008 Economic Jobs Study, revealing approx. 8.4 million jobs and over $1 trillion in revenue are associated with the mailing industry.
6/24/08—
Capital One claims that the U.S. Postal Service® is breaking the law by refusing to agree to a Negotiated Service Agreement, similar to the deal it implemented with Bank of America earlier this year.
6/23/08—
With severe flooding resulting in evacuations throughout the Midwest, the
USPS® is trying to locate the temporary addresses of displaced residents, so mail can continue to be delivered.
6/20/08—
Smile, you’re on camera!
If you live in Makiki, Hawaii, a thief may have your tax stimulus check in addition to your identity.
6/19/08—
FedEx Corp. posts its first quarterly loss in 11 years, due to rising fuel costs and a slowing economy. The shares dropped 2.1 percent.
6/18/08—
Go figure.
Postal Reform needs reform itself in the near future, due to overbearing costs and continued mail volume decline.
6/17/08—
Flooding in Iowa and Wisconsin closes Post Offices until further notice. Get the skinny on temporary facility locations.
6/16/08—
Mystery surrounds postal worker deaths.
The Post Office™ in Euless is still reeling from the mysterious deaths of two Postal Service™ employees last weekend.
6/13/08—
When it rains, it floods. In the wake of flooding and power outages,
Cedar Rapids, Iowa is suspending all mail service in the Des Moines-based Hawkeye District.
6/12/08—
"Ultimate Factories: UPS," will premiere at 9 p.m. tonight on the National Geographic Channel. It looks at the inner workings of United Parcel Service Inc.'s Worldport air cargo hub at Louisville Int. Airport.
6/11/08—
Higher gas prices deliver postal woes.
With gasoline now $4, the U.S. Postal Service® is paying an extra $8 million in order to fuel its nationwide fleet of vehicles.
6/10/08—
You’ve got mail—no you don’t, because you’ve opted out.
Catalog opt-out programs spark debate.
6/9/08—
A look back at “Missile Mail” attempts.
On June 8, 1959, a U.S. Navy submarine launched 3,000 letters via missile from Virginia to Florida.
6/6/08—
“It’s in the mail”…or maybe not.
A Middlebury, VT postal worker is charged with stealing mail, after 21,000 pieces of undelivered mail were found in her home.
6/5/08—
Want easy access to the 2008 voter registrations applications and vote-by-mail requests? You won’t find it at your local Post Office™.
6/4/08—
They can’t get no satisfaction.
The American Postal Workers Union is organizing opposition to an air freight carrier's plan that could eliminate 6,000 jobs in Wilmington, OH.
6/3/08—
Mail thieves, mail thieves, whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do when they come for you?
Three postal employees have been arrested for theft and/or delay of mail in unrelated cases.
6/2/08—
Hey, whatever works.
Financial services companies are backing off their seemingly relentless direct mail efforts to acquire new customers.
5/30/08—
All in a day’s work.
U.S. postman Henry Gutierrez rescued an elderly man who was pinned under the front tire of his full-size pickup, while delivering mail on his Thursday mail route.
5/29/08—
Delivering mail and saving lives.
Hundreds of postal workers sign up with the National Marrow Donor Program, a drive organized and run by the U.S. Postal Service® since 1997.
5/28/08—
It started with a little white powder…the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the U. S. Postal Service® broke the law when a Destin postal supervisor threatened an employee for filing a labor complaint.
5/27/08—
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s…your mail?
A small plane carrying 4,000 pounds of mail crashed in Montana, strewing mail in a swath two miles long and 150 yards wide.
5/23/08—
Is junk mail really a treasure trove?
The New Community Coalition thinks the U.S. Postal Service® is making money off of paper waste.
5/22/08—
Freedom of the press—limited to only those who own it?
Mailing rate hikes pinch small magazines; blame placed on Time Warner.
5/20/08—
A Q&A interview with U.S. Postal Service® executive Jim Cochrane,
looks at new pricing and the competitive landscape.
5/19/08—
Houston, we have a problem.
Houston, Texas leads the nation in Postal Carrier dog bites. The announcement kicks off Dog Bite Prevention Week.
5/16/08—
Scandal in Europe!
The Daily Telegraph and Postcomm locked horns this week over whether Postcomm was or was not proposing the abolition of Saturday deliveries.
5/15/08—
E! Television series: Offensive to postal workers?
The APWU President thinks so. He wants “Going Postal: 15 Shocking Acts of Violence,” pulled from promotion and broadcast.
5/13/08—
Missing your mail?
Thousands of pieces of undelivered mail have been found at the home of a former U.S. Postal Service® employee.
5/12/08—
Could eliminating Saturday mail keep postage costs from rising in the future? Executives ponder the cost-cutting alternative.
5/9/08—
I want my money!
Social Security checks go missing for an entire ZIP Code™ of people in Easton and Bangor, Bethlehem.
5/8/08—
Say what?!
Dr. Alex Wodak, director of alcohol and drug service at St Vincent's Hospital, says selling cannabis can save Royal Mail.
5/7/08—
Who got hit harder by last July’s shape-based postal rate structure?
Check out the postal debate between two magazines: Time Inc. vs. The Nation.
5/6/08—
His parents must be proud!
Nine-year-old newspaper delivery boy proclaimed hero after saving elderly woman’s life.
5/5/08—
Want to support U.S. troops fighting in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere overseas?
Take advantage of programs offered by the U.S. Postal Service® and the Adopt a U.S. Soldier program, online at www.adoptaussoldier.org.
5/2/08—
What happened to promoting recycling!??
Gary Adler of Castle Rock, Colorado, is battling with the U.S. Postal Service® over re-using Priority Mail® cardboard boxes for his nonprofit organization.
5/1/08—
Postman to the rescue!
Letter carrier George Kustka saves a wheelchair-bound senior from her burning home.
4/30/08—
An Irving postal carrier, fed up with loose dogs, claims responsibility for placing a Chihuahua in a makeshift box on the doorstep of Mayor Herbert Gears.
4/29/08—
Think you’ve got it bad?
Postal workers in San Francisco, CA will be picketing on May 2 to have their supervisor removed for his alleged harassment and discrimination.
4/28/08—
Pissed at the post office. Mail carriers say skewed system steals money out of their pockets.
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