JackFlash

Get the fuck out of here, they are glorified paper boys.

It's always easy to say that of a job that you've never done. I know enough about the job that I wouldn't want to do it. Expectations of management and how carriers are treated is enough to make the job undesirable. The internet is full of stories about postal management and how employees are treated.

I also know enough about supervision to not go into it unless my health becomes such that I can no longer do the job I do now. I'm often asked to think about it but I refer to their office as a snake pit where they are always stabbing each other in the back.

Some jobs are not worth the money.

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But, the Treasury loans them money - it's the same damn thing. And privatization would allow them to bypass Congress to become competitive.

But, hey, let's not interject common sense into the discussion.

Maybe so. I don't know how all that works.

As far as privatization, I think it would all just crumble away. They would sell it off, piece by piece. If they had to pay taxes like a real business, they wouldn't know what to do.

All the truck driver's jobs are gone. They are all working at other postal jobs and truck driving has been contracted out. Piece by piece, little by little, it is getting slimmer and trimmer. Wanna buy a part of it? Make an offer to do the custodial work. I'm sure it will go as soon as they can get rid of it.

The people in charge wouldn't know how to run a real business and couldn't stay competitive. The big package handling businesses are years ahead of the USPS. Their volume is massive and they have an infrastructure in place to absorb all of the package business of the USPS, probably without a blink. The catch is, they don't want to go to every door, every day. There are days when the postman stops at every door.

So, there are deals made between the USPS and the others to deliver in exchange for cargo space on planes, etc.

One day, it will all be gone. Perhaps the USPS will just end up delivering for the others. Who knows. I just hope they last another 15 years.

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This has been long overdue.....now they just need to demand privatization and off of the federal tit.

They don't use tax dollars. It's self supporting. But, since congress controls the post office, they can't change their prices like UPS or FEDEX can without an act of congress, and we all know what it's like to get them to act in a timely fashion.

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I don't think I would carry mail for any amount of money.

1. Dog bites
   
2. Extreme weather
   
3. Leg and foot problems
   
4. Back problems
   
5. Hand and arm injuries
   
6. Violence
   
7. Upset customers
   
8. Steps
   
9. Rusty mailboxes with sharp edges
   
10. Toys, tools, extension cords or hoses in the grass
    
11. Dog piles – they’re slippery
    

Read it for yourself: http://www.nalc-branch78.org/pdf/articles/The_Hazards_of_Door_to_Door_Mail_Delivery.pdf

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Carrier's hours will not be reduced unless it's to lessen overtime expenses. What will be reduced is the number of people required to do the same amount of work.

From what I understand, the largest fit is being thrown by the postal unions and maybe a little from businesses that need to mail out merchandise or receive deliveries from the post office.

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Sounds like a good use for electric vehicles if you ask me.

How about this?

In the past, electric vehicles have been tried and used:

http://about.usps.com/who-we-are/postal-history/electric-vehicles.pdf

You haven't noticed that complaining about what other people make is a constant theme around here?

A lot of people aren't making what they think they are worth.That tells me that...A)The whole lie that non-union bosses will reward great effort is,of course,a lie...or B)These people that complain aren't as shit hot as they think they are.

Everywhere that I have worked, those who have cried the loudest about their workload did the least work and put the most effort into getting someone else to do half of their job.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeZastf0wcM

I can't believe I found one.

I was looking for a Sky King video to post here but found this instead.

http://www.americanflyers.net/Entertainment/above_and_beyond.htm

When I win the lottery and quit my job, I'll get that sailboat to live on and go to school here:

http://www.americanflyersftlauderdale.net/school_videos.htm

EDIT:

This is the closest I can find to the Sky King TV show from way back.

http://www.skyking.com/

BUT...

Here's a very funny twist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1eSaRCSD4k

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Heck they even get little cool cars like pocket rockets in my area, and thats GROVEPORT, our subdivisions are lots of about 50-75 feet total frontage, yet they have a little car.

That is probably considered a rural route which means that a rural carrier owns that car and contracts with the post office to deliver mail.

The Retirement packages are a bit ridiculous.

The retirement system is a 1% of base pay that is put in. You can save more out of your pay if you like. If you do, the post office will match the next 2% and 1/2 of the next 1% you want to put in. It all goes into the market according to how you decide, through the Thrift Savings Plan. I think the Military has a similar plan. You can throw more in if you like.

They're still overpaid, over-pensioned, and over-benefitted for the work they do...and that's from a "skill and value" viewpoint as well as "relative to the company's bottom line".

The USPS is burdened by the cost of their employees.

The pay scale has been restructured for new employees entering the Post Office, to reduce that burden.

That bottom line is that the Post Office is not to be a profitable enterprise. It's to serve the public good at what it costs to do so.

Payroll is one of the most expensive costs of any business. That's why there are so many machines to do the different jobs that it used to take several people much longer to do. I work on those machines and keep them running. There are few I haven't worked on. Drive by 2323 Citygate Dr. in Columbus. It's over 800,000 sq ft of processing space that opened in 2001. I wish I could walk you through when it is in full swing, which is all night long.

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I think it was half price to join at the museum when I was there. I looked back on my CC statement and it shows a $29 charge for the AMA. I paid cash to get into the museum, if I remember right.

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It's the middle of my work week, a two hour drive, 111.8 miles one way, and it's not riding weather.

I wish I could.

the postmaster has been asking for years to drop service to 5 days a week. So congress fucking around has wasted even more billions that we dont have

Crap, bills, and birthday cards. Unfund that union drain.

Actually, the Post Office doesn't use tax dollars to operate, they claim.

There is more than one union and none of them are worth a crap for the employees, locally. Everyone hates them but fears not having them, due to management and supervision's tactics of totally disregarding the labor contracts when they can get by with it.

Its about time to put a tourniquet on and stop the bleeding. The USPS has been gushing money out for years while providing crap service. There's a good reason why they call it 'snail mail'. But we're probably the only country in the world with such a system that, basically, still works.

Our PO here in town will not take a credit card unless its signed on the back, even though I wrote on the space -ask for ID. So they will take one that is signed, but never ask for ID. Its policies like this that make it a losing proposition, profits wise.

It's not that they really give a crap. It's more like they have had problems with credit card companies when they have accepted cards not signed, that may have been stolen from mailboxes, or that since they handle the delivery of these cards to credit card customers, it would be a legal conflict of interest issue if they couldn't demonstrate that they were actually possessed by a customer before they were used for postal services. The signature of the customer would be adequate to show that they were actually delivered to the customer's address and not stolen by a postal employee when the item was in the mail stream.

Not sure if I recall correctly, but isn't the required pre funding of retiree's health benefits the main issue?

$5 Billion dollars a year. No other business has to do that. Blame Congress. It really cripples their ability to stay afloat.

I won't miss Saturday delivery in the least if fact, deliver 4 times a week and if I really want the remaining day, have me pick it up.

I'm thinking that one day, on the corner of your city block, there may be ganged mailboxes that you will go to, to pick up your mail, instead of receiving it at home. That's how it is at apartment complexes. It speeds up delivery and reduces the number of carriers needed. The "+4" number they added to your 5 digit zip code some years ago identifies a corner (a fourth) of your "city block". That how I understand it. Your "+4" number would identify your delivery box.

They piss money away on stupidity, idiotic and ever-changing regulations, needless gimmicks and wasteful services....and this is on top of the unworkable pension and benefit structure.

This will not fix their problems, but at least it's a start.

Got any details on that?

This will be interesting.

It seems that a "day off" (like a Monday holiday) really throws off the carriers. We have curbside delivery, and the carrier flies through here like a tasmainian devil on a NORMAL day/ week. When there is a holiday early in the week, the next day has her typically running 2-3 hours later than she normally does.

One day less will really backlog things for them on Monday.

I'd hate to be a carrier. Under any circumstances.

They need to get out from under Congressional control, which they've been asking for for years.

Fedex and UPS have great tracking of their millions of packages, but just try to track something via USPS.

Government screws up all that it touches, and the USPS is a prime example. Inefficiency in action.

^^^^^^

Mail contractors get paid loaded and empty always seemed odd. Clerks are over paid. I don't remember the website but I looked up what the postal employees make and my jaw dropped. I will try to find the site. No Saturday delivery is no big deal. I guess I will get more junk mail on Mondays.

php.app.com/fed_employees11/search.php

$50k+++ for a small town customer service clerk vs $8-10hr for bank tellers. Hmmmm

They worked their way up through the years to that pay level that the union claims to have negotiated.

With regards to junk mail: I was given this idea years ago. Open up unsolicited junk mail, and if it has a prepaid envelop I stuff EVERYTHING back in and drop in mailbox. USPS gets to charge again (I believe), reduces my clutter and the sender gets the honor of getting something they didn't ask for.

I do the same! I put return to sender on all the political crap mail I got too.

Regarding undeliverable Standard Rate (used to be 3rd class) mail, it all goes into the recycle bin. Outer post offices sends it all to Columbus for recycling, which they get paid for by the company picking it up. They also recycle pop cans, plastic drink bottles, and shrink wrap. It's a big deal with them. They make a lot of operating money for recycling.

about time.... it will cut some jobs though.

Luckily, there has been no need for layoffs. They offer "early outs" for those close to retirement and sweeten the pot by offering an insulting cash bonus amount (payable over two years) for those who will leave. It benefits those that were planning on leaving the most. Many are not replaced and others are asked to do more. It knocks those at the top of the pay scale off. New hires come in at a much lower cost and are on a different pay program than existing employees, to lower expenses.

Here's something you don't think about: Fuel Costs. I picked this up on some website:

A one-cent movement in fuel prices increases national costs for the post office by $8 million annually, or $667,000 a month, according to Greg Frey, a Postal Service spokesman. So if prices rose $1.50 per gallon, from, say, $3.50 to $5, fuel costs for the post office would increase by $100 million per month. A sustained period at $10 a gallon for gas would add billions in fuel costs. Frey says another risk also would be inevitable: "During the recent recession, the USPS experienced significant declines in mail volume and revenue. Should the U.S. economy slip significantly again due to spikes in fuel prices, it would certainly again adversely impact our revenue and cost base."

Mail volume is affected very much by the economy. Businesses don't want to waste money on postage by sending out ads if there is little chance of sales.

And how much have fuel prices raised since Chairman "O" has been in office?

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Concours14 will run circles around that BMW...

I like the Connie 14 but height-wise, it doesn't like me. I was told that it couldn't be lowered as much as I would need, for reasons that I don't remember.

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You'll like the magazine too.

I picked up a few back issues at their office. For anyone who has never been to the Motorcycle Hall of Fame, right there by the AMA office, you are missing a real treat. Plan to be there for at least three hours to begin to appreciate it.

Perhaps Ohio Riders should plan a day to visit as a group. I'm sure they would be delighted to have us.

Feedback?

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The blue one is faster, just so you know. You got to get your own ride but you need to know that important fact. And you want the GTL I think.

I've looked at both of them at Motohio (http://www.motohio.com/). I like the sportier look of the GT best.

And I gotta say. The 1600 is looking pretty awesome when decked out with the touring package. I might have found my next bike.

That's my dream bike. You have to like it. With a trunk on the back, I may never come home.

K 1600 GT

It is unreal in the snow!! I've got Bliztac's on it right now..

I'm on my 2nd Outback Wagon and I'll be looking for another after this one. I am considered essential personnel and my arrival is critical regardless of the weather. There has been no road condition that has held me back. Remember the blizzard in March a few years ago? A Subaru laughs at snow. I usually can't tell the road is slippery with the grip my car gets.

I have Nokian WR G2 winter tyres.

You won't have any problem in the winter with these on a Subaru. I just wish I could also have a WRX STI for the fun factor.

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...and we all know imma hooligan.

I just can't stop laughing at the thought of................Midget Hooligan.

Is there anyone who will deny that it seems to be fitting?

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Bottom line, if you're not passing someone in the PASSING lane, kindly move over or don't get all panty twisted because someone passes you in the right.

Here's another thing I hate. You're driving along and you're passing a few cars. Another car creeps up behind you, so you move over to let him by, except he never really passes. You are then approaching a slower car in the right lane but the bozo that was passing you is only a little ahead of you and now you have to slow down to get behind him and he no longer proceeds at the speed you were going when he was creeping up behind you. You were polite and got screwed.

He wanted you to be the fast guy so that you could run interference for him but when he's in the front, he doesn't want to be the lead fast guy even though it was fine for him to be nearer your rear bumper than you are comfortable with. You give him the lead and he slows down, blocking your passing.

I no longer immediately get over in the right lane if there will be a car up ahead that I will get pinched behind, until I pass that car. Once I clear that car, let me get far enough ahead to safely get over to the right instead of squeezing through between us with only inches to spare and then flying by on my right. I'm getting over if you will let me.

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You'd only have something to worry about if your a shit bag or a dick. The second part the backup cop will not step on the others toes unless your being a complete dick. So if your a shitbag with something to hide or a dick and don't want a ticket its easy don't give them a reason to pull you over.

Well, I'm always respectfull and polite to authority because I know they hold all the cards and even if I've done nothing, I can still be held for what, 48 hours without charges, or something like that?

Regarding other cops stepping on toes of each other, I don't know how that works but I can see an old timer wanting to show a new guy "how it's done" and I don't want to be his example.

So, though I have nothing with me that I'm not permitted to have, I also don't want to treated like I'm suspected of having something. And you may not do that, but there are those who seem to, maybe not in your department, but in others. We are not all bad guys but it seems that many LEOs have an attitude of it's them against us and all citizens are suspect.

As far as giving you a reason to pull me over, I may drive a little briskly at times, in a straight line, but I am carefull in traffic and not a hazard on the roads. I also don't drink or use substances to impair my driving.

Anything a leo cites you for is your fault not theirs...

There are a couple of Columbus cops that have a different idea about that. I've met a few.

...if you have a problem with the laws hate on the people that demand the laws be put in place or the people who have screwed it up by making those people feel the law is needed.

People are inherently evil and greedy which is why we need laws and those people enforcing them.

I agree. You guys will do what the law allows. We just think the law allows too much, freedom wise and you are viewed as a agent of the government for revenue collection. Nothing personal, of course.

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I've had the polar opposite happen. Never been happier to see a second cruiser with Mr. Smiley behind the wheel. Got me out of some serious shit.

C'mon Don, tell us your story. Don't keep us guessing.

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Even a rough trade-in lists at $17,425. That's with $450 added for low mileage.

...provided road conditions are acceptable, I always set the cruise at 9 over. 64 in a 55, 74 in a 65, etc.

On the bike...I try and keep my speeds at around 10 over...

I think most roads can be driven on safely at 10 mph over the posted limit. I figure that, though it may be safe to drive them at ten over, if a 35 was posted at 45, and it was a safe speed for that road, some idiot would drive it at 55 where it is not safe, and that a slower posting than what is safe allows for a buffer zone for safety, for those who limit their speed to 10 or so over, like I usually do.

I'm personally ok with speeding if the combination of equipment, skill, road surface, weather, and traffic density is all proportionate; and I write very, very, very few speeding tickets because of that and because of my own propensity to speed. I make a lot of speed stops, but that's to sniff out what else might be going on.

So, though I may not get a speeding ticket, I can still expect speeding to be a "reason" to be pulled over so that a witch hunt can ensue in hopes that I can be found guilty of something stronger.

Sadly, the OSP is so wrapped up in writing speeding tickets that they fail to enforce a lot of traffic laws that would truly promote safety and improve traffic flow.

Right. We don't believe for a minute that it's about safety. We do believe it's about revenue, another tax.

Maybe that's why some speed limits seem to be arbitrarily under posted. The temptation and human nature to drive at a more reasonable speed overwhelms our patience and we press our luck through those areas until we become a victim of an engineered revenue collection zone. (i.e. Granville St. in Gahanna, a 25 mph four lane at 3 a.m. with no other traffic)

...the speed limit is the limit. Well, I mean, technically it's the limit....

Still, I don't want to be pulled over by you. And though you may be an alright guy, the second cop, the one riding shotgun, or the one in the car behind you who just pulled up because they were close by, he or she may be having a bad night and an attitude to match and not be so cool.

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I really wish I could get alcohol delivered!

Maybe you can. Are you wearing a towel?

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