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LBBJ Proposed Similar Action in 1988

By Kendra Ablaza, Staff Writer

February 6, 2013 - After suffering a $15.9 billion net loss for fiscal 2012, the United States Postal Service announced a halt to Saturday mail delivery beginning August 5.

The postal service expects to save about $2 billion annually from its new delivery schedule, it announced today. Post offices will remain open on Saturdays, while mail addressed to P.O. boxes and all packages will still be delivered 6 days a week.

“The postal service is advancing an important new approach to delivery that reflects the strong growth of our package business and responds to the financial realities resulting from America’s changing mailing habits,” Postmaster General and CEO Patrick Donahoe said in a statement.

However, Business Journal Publisher George Economides suggested an identical delivery plan in a “Publisher’s Perspective” article 25 years ago: “The postal service seems to be ready to increase postage fees so it can maintain its current level of service. Rather than an increase in rates – which seems to always be government’s answer – a more efficiently-run operation is in order. And cut Saturday delivery – we can wait until Monday to get that credit card invoice.”

“I guess when dealing with government agencies, good ideas take a bit longer to run through the system?,” Economides said after hearing about the new schedule.