Tag Archives: postage

A Brief Note to the Postmaster General

Dear Postmaster General:

I live in what likes to call itself, at least in information generated by its tourist bureau, a major metropolitan area of the United States. New Orleans, Lousiana, to be precise. The local branch of my post office is located roughly seven blocks from my house. The delivery route for my neighborhood is approximately 8 city blocks square. Not much area, all things considered. And yet, the schedule for mail delivery to my residence on a daily basis varies from about 10:00 a.m. at best, to roughly 6:00 p.m. (today’s delivery) to sometimes, not at all. That’s right — sometimes there is NO daily delivery. While there is a regular delivery person (who is very nice and personable), often our mail carrier is a substitute. Often, these substitutes do not even wear any piece of clothing identifying them as a USPS employee.

By contrast, when I lived in rural Ohio, on the Hardin and Wyandot County borders, I was approximately 10 miles from the nearest post office, and roughly 15 miles from any town with a population greater than 7000 people. My carrier’s route was probably about 15 square miles. And yet, regardless of the weather (you know, neither rain nor sleet nor snow nor hail, etc.), you could set your watch by the arrival of the mail. It never varied more than 10 minutes either direction EVERY morning EVERY day.

This disparity in service seems strange to me.

Just thought you’d like to know. Not expecting anything whatsoever.

Share This: