COLUMBIA, MO. -- Your mail carrier may soon have Saturdays off.
That’s because Postmaster General John Potter is asking Congress to shorten the post office’s work week from six days to five days in order to save money.
Local postal officials said none of the proposed changes are set in stone.
More people are using the internet to deliver messages and fewer people are using mail carriers or what some people call “snail mail”.
Postal service officials said mail volume is expected to be down about 10 billion pieces this year because of e-mails and private delivery companies. Right now, no one knows if they will stop delivery on Saturdays or some other day. is the .
“As far as it affecting us locally, the only difference is that you will not receive delivery at your home on that specific day," Customer Relations Coordinator at the Columbia Post Office Cheryl Hudson said. "We will still have all of our offices open. We will still be there to deliver your mail in your P.O. boxes. We will still do business as usual in the retail units.”
Postal Service Officials would save more than $3 billion in one year by getting rid of one day of mail delivery.
According to a recent survey, a majority of Americans prefer five day delivery over higher postal rates or going back to a taxpayer system.
Other proposed money saving changes include a new campaign to sell more stamps, a change in delivery schedules and restructuring retiree health benefits.
“We may see some of our standard mail volume going up, that’s our direct mailings and things like that, but first class mail, it’s not coming back,” Hudson said.
With congressional approval, the proposed changes for the post office could take affect as soon as next year.
Postal Service Officials predicted record profits for this past holiday season.
It didn’t happen.
The post office lost nearly $300 million between October and December of last year.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKRCG