Postal Chief warns of service cuts

[elangomat]

For those of you planning on using mail drops be aware the USPS may be changing to 5 day service.
http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/28/news...ion=2009012820

[fiddlehead]

This is bad news indeed for the hiking community.

Apparantly emails have cut into their profits. Good for the environment, but bad for hikers who like to receive stuff in the mail.

Possibly hostels/hotels/restaurants/outfitters/etc. along the way can take up the slack as a place to send stuff???

[Gaiter]

damn another excuse for a zero

[Pedaling Fool]

damn another excuse for a zero

Ha Ha Ha, That's the way I see it

[papa john]

I hope that the day they cut out is the one that all my bills are delivered on!

[Jack Tarlin]

If you use Priority Mail (and you should!) this probably will have little or no affect on hiker mail. It'll still take two or three days to get anywhere.

[Gaiter]

If you use Priority Mail (and you should!) this probably will have little or no affect on hiker mail. It'll still take two or three days to get anywhere.

doesn't help much if the post office isn't open on a saturday when u get into town

[4eyedbuzzard]

This from Mrs. Buzzard, a postal person. The inside dope is that it will be carrier deliveries that are suspended for one day a week, probably Tuesdays. Offices, however, will continue to be open 6 days per week, though hours may be cut, such as opening later, closing earlier, and closing at lunch times. This will happen on an individual office basis as determined by mail volume, staffing levels, employee hours, etc.

[SGT Rock]

My guess is more people will reort to mailing to hostels and other hiker service providers.

[RadioFreq]

I've got nine "manadatory" maildrops (maps, etc.) planned for my thru. Three of them involved post offices. Anyone got any suggested alternatives for the POs in Waynesboro, VA....Peeksville, NY....and Dalton, MA?

T-minus 29 days....and counting

[Frosty]

I've got nine "manadatory" maildrops (maps, etc.) planned for my thru. Three of them involved post offices. Anyone got any suggested alternatives for the POs in Waynesboro, VA....Peeksville, NY....and Dalton, MA?

T-minus 29 days....and counting

You guys have it backwards. The article says they might suspend delivery one day a week, not operations.

So as far as mailing maildrops and picking them up at the POST OFFICE, nothing will change. They will be open every day to accept packages for mailing and for you to pick up PO Box and Gen Del mail.

However, if you use altnerate places, like motels and hostels, the Post Office might not deliver to them every day.

So your best bet is to either use the Post Office, or call the alternate place to see if they have a PO Box or have their mail delivered.

As long as they have a PO Box, they can pick up their mail every day. But if their mail is delivered, there might be one day a week that they will not receive mail. So if you go with an alternate source, make sure to mail early enough for it to get there a couple of days early (which you should do anyway).

[Sly]

If you use Priority Mail (and you should!) this probably will have little or no affect on hiker mail. It'll still take two or three days to get anywhere.

Are we ready to have the PM vs parcel post debate? I'm up for it.

[Sly]

I've got nine "manadatory" maildrops (maps, etc.) planned for my thru. Three of them involved post offices. Anyone got any suggested alternatives for the POs in Waynesboro, VA....Peeksville, NY....and Dalton, MA?

T-minus 29 days....and counting

Don't worry about it, just time it a bit. What's ironic is some people will mail to hostels then end up going to the PO anyway. Treat your PO person kindly, and always smile.

Have a great hike.

[Blissful]

I've got nine "manadatory" maildrops (maps, etc.) planned for my thru. Three of them involved post offices. Anyone got any suggested alternatives for the POs in Waynesboro, VA....Peeksville, NY....and Dalton, MA?

T-minus 29 days....and counting

Might see if Rockfish Gap Outfitters in Wanyesboro takes mail drops? Not sure about that. You could give them a call.

At any rate, always mail early is your best best. Not sure how cutting out day will disrupt a PO - it would home delivery disrupted. You should be fine.

[phillycheze]

imagine no post office. try that. old school!

[fiddlehead]

Cutting hours could suck.
I remember getting up at 4 and hiking as fast as possible to get to the PO in Pinedale WY to get there by noon on a Saturday.
Did it! mad it with 7 minutes to spare. ONLY to find out that that particular PO closed at 11:45 on a sat. Unlike most that close at noon.
Since Monday was a holiday, we had to wait until Tuesday as we had badly needed maps included in the drop.
Oh well. Just another blowdown on the trail.

[Montana Mac]

Anyone got any suggested alternatives for the POs in Waynesboro, VA....Peeksville, NY....and Dalton, MA?

T-minus 29 days....and counting

I will be starting two days after you and also have some PO mail drops including Waynesboro.

Right now it sounds like it is just in the discussion stage. Knowing how the govt works any changes probably won't happen until 2011.

[Max Power]

Fontana Dam's Post Office said that as of the 21st the retail unit would be closed on Saturdays.
This means their windows will be closed. They will have staff in the back that may answer if you knock on the window between 10:30 and 12:00 on that day. They will not send postage out though.

[Sly]

Fontana Dam's Post Office said that as of the 21st the retail unit would be closed on Saturdays.
This means their windows will be closed. They will have staff in the back that may answer if you knock on the window between 10:30 and 12:00 on that day. They will not send postage out though.

There was a PO at Copper Mountain, CO that was closed on Sat. Still, the postmistress let us have our packages and let us pay to have have our outgoing packages mailed on Monday. I haven't met many PO employees as accommodating as she was.

[boarstone]

thank god for UPS and Fed-Ex...