Midlanders React to No More Mail on Saturdays
By: Marianne Elisak
Updated: February 7, 2013
MIDLAND---Getting mail on Saturdays is about to come to an end because the United Stated Postal Service (USPS) had a $15.9 billion dollar loss last year and they are trying to save money.
The USPS Spokesperson, Sam Bolen, says that eliminating weekend service will save them about "$2 billion a year once fully implemented".
At a news conference on Wednesday morning, the U.S. Postal Service announced that they will no longer be delivering mail on Saturdays, bringing the regular six day service to five days.
People in the Permian Basin have had some mixed feelings about losing weekend delivery.
"Usually I get my mail on Saturdays" says Midlander Coy Hubbell, "that's usually when I pick up my mail".
Bolen says it's expected to start the first week of August and because the struggles that the independent agency faces they're using this as another step to cut costs.
USPS officials have been pushing to eliminate mail and packaged delivery on Saturdays for the past few years, but recent numbers show that stopping packages would be too great a loss.
"We've seen there's a 25% decline in letter mail but we're seeing an increase actually in our package business" says Bolen.
Still, getting packages is important to most people, but as far as letter mail is concerned, not everyone minds waiting until Monday.
"I think I can wait" says Midlander, Vicky Wilson. Wilson says that it might even be a good thing because "it's going to give me a little more free time to not have to do something else".
Whether people see it as good or bad, the U.S. Postal Service says Saturday service plans to end by first week of August 2013.
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