Open Letter to the U.S. Postal Service By Damon Knight February 12, 2014
You can talk about it all day long, BUT, the 1st Class Mail service has slowed by an ADDITIONAL minimum of 2-3 business days (A letter-sized package mailed from Ketchikan's main Post Office, sent to Bend, Oregon, for instance, now takes a solid 7 business days). Their "Priority Mail 3-Day" product, has also added an average of an additional 2 business days (3-5 business days). "Priority 2 Day Express" has been doing "okay" from my experience, with a 3-4 business day average time (west of the Mississippi). It is quite pricey, though. The old option of overnight U.S.P.S. "Express Mail", has vanished as an option, no longer offered by the Postal Service in our southern Alaska panhandle city of significant size (and growing). "Priority 2-Day Express is about $45.00 for a 14x16x12 inch, seven pound six ounce package, and takes 3 full business days or more. I suggest UPS as the next, best option, but only if you can afford it! (Fed Ex is non-union, and their track record does not even compare in my opinion). I have a GREAT IDEA, let's MOVE SORTING of Ketchikan's MAIL BACK TO KETCHIKAN. Let's "Just Say No", and not accept any more silly EXCUSES from the U.S. Postal Service as to why they cannot fix the problem THEY CREATED here in our town. Let us not accept their (actual) excuse that the machine broke, and it's "too old" to repair, and that a new one "wouldn't fit in the building" This is per the U.S. Postal Service official spokespeople. I've got a great idea: Build a BIGGER BUILDING! Even temporary, modular structures... like the government uses for applications where extra square feet is needed quickly... as in a disaster, which this is rapidly turning in to. When you are on an isolated island in Alaska, especially in the panhandle, one with businesses, and the important economic activity and jobs they create, those businesses really NEED RELIABLE and EFFICIENT Postal services to STAY COMPETITIVE. Please, just fix the problem, Mr. Postmaster. You could do it with a couple phone calls, and our U.S. Delegation's help. We are not asking you to move a mountain, sir. Thank you for your time. p.s.: If you'd like to pay an extra fee, I'll offer you my "Express 2 Day Letter Reading Service" so you don't have to read this yourself-oops-too late! Damon Knight About: "A recent transplant to the area, who happens to use the services of the post office more than a typical family. I notice the recent changes, and their various services every nuance" Received February 11, 2014 - Published February 12, 2014
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