Senator Snowe calls on PMG to consider small businesses when reviewing six day delivery options
TweetPress release:
U.S. Senator Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, today sent a letter to John E. Potter, the Postmaster General of the United States, urging him to consider the impact on small businesses of reducing the United States Postal Service’s (USPS) delivery week from six days to five. Snowe cited the potential negative consequences such an action could have on America’s roughly 27.2 million small businesses.
“America’s small businesses depend on reliable and consistent service from the USPS, and they could suffer significant setbacks by a shortened mail delivery week, such as lost sales, order backlogs, and job cuts,” said Senator Snowe. “While I understand the Postmaster General’s desire to reduce costs, it is imperative that his actions not have a detrimental effect on consumer spending or the small businesses that make up the backbone of our economy.”
Postmaster General Potter announced the possibility of shortening the USPS’s delivery week in late January, citing his agency’s potential $6 billion deficit this fiscal year and the difficult economic climate. The United States Postal Service, which is the nation’s second-largest employer, is the only mailing service that delivers to every address in the country.
The text of the letter is below:
Mr. John E. Potter
Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer
United States Postal Service
Dear Mr. Potter:
In light of your recent announcement that you are considering cutting postal delivery by one day per week, I am writing to request that you consider the potential harmful impact this action could have on America’s 27.2 million small businesses.
A six-day delivery week is essential to ensuring that our nation’s small businesses are able to reach their customers in an appropriate and well-timed manner. According to the United States Postal Service’s (USPS) website, on average the USPS delivers to 9 million businesses each day your trucks are operating. As Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, I am concerned that reducing your delivery week by one day may have devastating consequences for mail-order and internet-based businesses, newspapers, and the millions of small companies that utilize the USPS for timely mail delivery.
In my home state of Maine, thousands of businesses – large and small – depend on reliable and consistent service from the USPS. From retail clothing and outdoor specialist L.L. Bean to the dozens of Maine fishermen and lobstermen who ship fresh seafood across the world – and companies in between – Maine businesses simply must have access to a postal service that can deliver on a regular basis. These firms could all suffer significant setbacks by a shortened mail delivery week, from lost sales, to order backlogs, to job cuts.
While I understand your desire to slash costs and your overall concern given the tremendous economic crisis our country is facing, it is imperative that your actions not have a detrimental effect on consumer spending or the small businesses that make up the backbone of our economy. I hope that you will keep me informed of your findings as you weigh the consequences a shortened mail week would have on our country’s small firms.
March 25th, 2009 11:05
Our friend from Maine must have cabin fever—-the fact is she is plagued with the same disease infesting our great nation which can be summed up very simply; “Americans want to go to heaven, but not one will die to achieve the goal”. The fact is this country is bankrupt but nobody has told the Congress. We have $63 Trillion in unfunded commitments moving forward and this woman from Maine talks of 6 day a week delivery for the USA? If this is the best Maine has to offer—they need to get out of the cabin and recall this moron! We need to move to 3 day a week delivery ASAP and reduce rates by 40%—-this will solve the problems better in Maine than anything she has suggested. Hey Olympia—get back in the cabin!
March 27th, 2009 18:15
6 day a week delivery is important. I have several elderly veterans that receive their medicines by mail, because it is too far for them to travel every week to the nearest VA hospital for their medications. I deliver supplies to diabetic senior citizens that can’t get them locally. I deliver packages to customers that cannot get to town to purchase items. The people that live in the city forget that the farmers that we deliver parts and clothing to are the ones that are growing the food that they eat. Rural delivery is vital to this country. If everyone lived in the city, there would be no food to eat. Everyday I come in and UPS has dropped a load of parcels for me to deliver the next day, because they don’t want to drive all the roads I cover. That is revenue for the USPS. The USPS is what keeps the USA going. I know in this technological age, the city folks think it is all about computers, but it is not. We still deliver the electric bills, and pick up the payments. We still collect and deliver the letters from 90 year old brothers and sisters that keep in touch every week, by mail. We still deliver the actual pictures of babies, weddings, etc. We still deliver the weekly newspaper. We still deliver the daily Wall Street Journal. Let’s keep the mail and parcels moving. Let’s show the people that we care, and that we are there for them, to get the important things of life into their hands, like the birthday card from the other side of this great country.
April 3rd, 2009 21:42
Senator Snowe doesn’t have a clue on the daily operations or customers of the USPS. The majority of business’ are closed on Saturdays and have their mail held at the post office for Monday delivery. If the postal service went to no delivery on Sat. & Sun. it could save the postal service billions. The window could still be open for customers to mail, pick-up packages, etc. If 6 days are so important then why do we get holidays off, or maybe I should say, so many holidays off? People adjust, mailer adjust and would have to make sure the meds are delivered during the week. UPS doesn’t run on Saturdays – how do people survive? Lets save the USPS.
April 4th, 2009 17:52
City Carrier, the problem is that Potter wants no delivery on Tuesday. What kind of since does that make. Sun – No, Mon – Yes, Tues – No, Wed – yes, Thurs – Yes, Fri – Yes, Sat – yes.
And when we have a Mon Holiday, No on Sun, Mon, & Tues. WOW What O Wednesday that will be.