This week, Vermilion Parish residents and residents throughout the state and nation received a letter from the U.S. Postal Service requesting that residents who have mailboxes on their home, now put a mailbox along the road.
The Postal Service gives no time table as to when door-to-door service would end in the parish or nation.
The Postal Service explains in the letter that there are many advantages of curb line delivery. One difference is that it is quicker for the postman to deliver the mail, and your mail is not exposed to rain or snow. It also eliminate dog bites.
The post office is requesting that customers in the parish and state begin relocating their mailbox to the curb.
The letter gives the phone number to the Abbeville Post Office (898-9602) for anyone who has questions about the letter.
The letter explains what height to place the mailbox and how far from the road surface to place the box.
The big reason to stop house to house delivery is to save money.
The post office recorded an $8.5 billion loss in 2010, which forced it to consider seeking an increase in its $15 billion debt ceiling or face insolvency.
“This strategic plan would significantly reduce delivery costs and could be implemented internally through policy changes. It would not require congressional approval, unlike other significant cost-savings initiatives, such as moving from 6- to 5-day delivery,” the Office of Inspector General said in 2011.
Cost of Door-to-Door Postal Services
Door to door postal services cost the agency more than $12 billion every year, and getting rid of them could erase half of its multibillion-dollar annual deficit. The Postal Service delivers mail to the front doors of precisely 30,370,776 homes and 4,687,611 business, according to the Office of Inspector General.
Dumping Door-to-Door Postal Services
The inspector general suggested dumping door to door postal services, or at the very least charging a fee.
“Converting existing door-to-door to curbside delivery could save the Postal Service more than $4.5 billion,” its study found. “If the Postal Service converted all delivery modes to centralized delivery, it could save an additional $5.1 billion.”
The inspector general added: “With the current financial situation the Postal Service is facing, mail volume declines, and financial losses, the Postal Service may need to consider charging customers a fee to receive mail delivery at their door versus at the curbside or at a centralized delivery point.”
History of Door-to-Door Postal Services
The Postal Service first began delivering mail to home addresses in 1863, when the U.S. Congress allowed it in cities where local postal income was sufficient to pay for such door to door service, according to the Office of Inspector General. In rural areas, door-to-door postal services began in 1902.
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