People are aware of how the recession is affecting banks and automakers, but now, is the U.S. in danger of losing the mail? Postmaster General John E. Potter sat before the House Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Postal Service and District of Columbia and delivered a simple, but stark message: The United States Postal Service (USPS) needs help to survive. With the current economic crisis, the USPS has seen a drastic drop in mail volume and a major shortfall of revenue has occurred.
Unlike the banks and automakers, Potter didn’t come to Congress with his hand out for monetary support for the self-funded USPS, but instead, with a plan and an earnest call for assistance. Among the actions to be taken, some of which are already implemented, include a reduction in work hours, a new process of evaluating city routes, improved fleet management and fuel usage, and expanded energy efficiency throughout the USPS.
USPS issued an official statement and has a fact sheet on its Web site detailing the problem and the planned solution.
From the USPS:
U.S. Postal Service Details Economic Viability Strategy
Postmaster General Testifies on Capitol Hill, Urges Congress to Act
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Postal Service today presented to Congress a comprehensive strategy for ensuring its long-term viability, despite recent sharp declines in mail volume caused by the current economic environment.
Postmaster General John E. Potter, in testimony before the House Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Postal Service and the District of Columbia, additionally urged lawmakers to provide the Postal Service greater flexibility with regard to mandated retiree health benefit payments. The Postal Service, a self-funded government entity, asked for no financial assistance from Congress.
“I come before you today with only one agenda – asking for your support in preserving an effective, affordable Postal Service, capable of serving every American in every community, and one that remains an important economic driver for many years to come,” Potter said. “These are extremely challenging times – for the nation and for the Postal Service. We have done a great deal to preserve the future of our nation’s mail system. But there is more to be done and we must do it together.”
As a result of the economic recession, the Postal Service has predicted that mail volume will likely plunge to 180 billion pieces by the end of fiscal year 2009, from 212 billion pieces as recently as 2007. At the hearing, Potter described Postal Service actions to sustain long-term economic viability, including reductions in fixed, variable and non-personnel costs over the next three years.
Specifically, Potter outlined ongoing elements of the Postal Service’s strategy to help close the budget gap – a “chasm, widening each day,” he said – created by the agency’s revenue shortfall. These include:
– A new process for evaluating and adjusting city delivery routes
– Reduction of employee work hours and overtime by pursuing even greater efficiencies throughout the organization
– Halting construction of new postal facilities and directing funds to the sites with the most critical needs (i.e., buildings badly damaged or destroyed by natural disasters)
– Improved fleet management and delivery routing to reduce fuel usage
– Expanded energy efficiency to reduce energy use throughout Postal Service facilities
– Reductions in employee travel budgets through the use of web and video technology to conduct meetings and conferences
– Renegotiations of supplier contracts to reflect reduced needs
To strengthen the Postal Service’s efforts, Potter asked Congress to pass H.R. 22 and modify the method by which it is required to fund retirement health care benefits. This legislative change would reverse a policy that was instituted when the Postal Service experienced large surpluses – and result in at least $2 billion in annual savings over an eight year period. There would be no costs to the taxpayer were H.R. 22 to be enacted.
“Even with our aggressive cost-cutting measures, our situation is critical,” Potter said. “We cannot overcome the economic forces without help from Congress.”
Potter also said the Postal Service would initiate a public policy discussion with Congress, regulators, major customers, the business community and the American people regarding adjusting its delivery
schedule from six to five days. The removal of a legal requirement regarding days of delivery could result in annual savings of $3.5 billion, according to the Postal Service. The requirement for six-day delivery service was mandated by Congress in 1983 when technology and consumer access were much different than they are today.
For a copy of Postmaster General Potter’s testimony, visit http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/testimony/2009/pr09_pmg0325.htm
USPS Fact Sheet:
BACKGROUND
Postmaster General John E. Potter, in testimony today before a House subcommittee, 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.
As a result of the economic recession, the Postal Service has predicted that mail volume will likely plunge to 180 billion pieces by the end of fiscal year 2009 (Sept. 31), from 212 billion pieces as recently as 2007. At the hearing, Potter described Postal Service actions to sustain long-term economic viability, including reductions in fixed, variable and non-personnel costs over the next three years.
The $900-billion mailing industry employs 9 million Americans in businesses ranging from catalog sales to paper manufacturing and printing. The industry is the conduit for roughly $1 trillion in commerce annually, represents nearly 7.5 percent of the GDP and drives our nation’s economy. The Postal Service is at the center of the mailing industry, playing an invaluable role in the United States economy and maintaining an economic presence in every community in America.
POSTAL SERVICE STRATEGY
Describing the current Postal Service budget gap created by the agency’s revenue shortfall as a “chasm, widening each day,” Potter outlined elements of the Postal Service’s strategy to help close that gap:
– A new process for evaluating and adjusting 90,000 city delivery routes
– Reduction of employee work hours and overtime by pursuing even greater efficiencies throughout the organization
– Halting construction of new postal facilities and directing funds to the sites with the most critical needs (buildings badly damaged or destroyed by natural disasters)
– Improved fleet management and delivery routing to reduce fuel usage
– Expanded energy efficiency to reduce energy use throughout Postal Service facilities
– Reductions in employee travel budgets through the use of web and video technology to conduct meetings and conferences
– Renegotiations of supplier contracts to reflect reduced needs
WHAT PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW
– The Postal Service plays an invaluable role in the Unites States economy and the lives of our citizens.
– The Postal Service, like virtually every other American business, is currently facing enormous financial challenges created by the most difficult economic conditions in decades
– The leadership of the Postal Service continues to respond to the economic challenges we face, but legislative action – at no cost to taxpayers – is also needed now to provide us with the operational flexibility needed to help insure that we maintain our invaluable service to the American public and economy
– We’re doing everything we can today to protect tomorrow
