Not Rain, Nor Sleet, But Deficit

Last week Postmaster General John E. Potter asked lawmakers to lift the requirement that the agency deliver mail six days a week in an effort to save the agency from its mounding debt. IN 2008 the post office was $2.8 billion in the red and mail volume was down more than 9 billion pieces from 2007--largest single volume drop in history. A 2008 study done by George Mason University estimated that going from six-day to five-day delivery would save the post office more than $1.9 billion annually.

The final decision on changing delivery would be made by the postal governing board. But a discussion on this same topic last year gave hope for flexibility in the future. So it could happen.

The Post Office is looking at which day to cut and will choose the lowest volume. Saturday and Tuesday are each being considered with the Tuesday looking likely.