Postal service vs shutdown?

[Richard K]

Don't remember if they stopped service during the last government shutdown. Anyone know?

[TFOGGER]

The post office is a government owned corporation, not a part of the government. They didn't shut down last time, and shouldn't this time either.

[hollohas]

USPS funds itself, no?

[Richard K]

Thanks guys, I was just trying to decide if I should drive into my PO box tomorrow during a heavy snowstorm.

[Martinjmpr]

Post office will be operating normally.

[Gman]

USPS funds itself, no?

No. Not by a longshot. They've been billions of dollars underwater for years. They keep requesting Congressional bailouts. Based on the volume of mail I get, they don't charge near enough for junk mail. But, if they had lower volume, they wouldn't need as much union labor to move that junk around, so they can't let that happen.

Postal Service Losses By Year

Postal Service Net Income/Loss By Year

• 2015 - $5.1 billion loss
• 2014 - $5.5 billion loss
• 2013 - $5 billion loss
• 2012 - $15.9 billion loss
• 2011 - $5.1 billion loss
• 2010 - $8.5 billion loss
• 2009 - $3.8 billion loss
• 2008 - $2.8 billion loss
• 2007 - $5.1 billion loss
• 2006 - $900 million surplus
• 2005 - $1.4 billion surplus
• 2004 - $3.1 billion surplus
• 2003 - $3.9 billion surplus
• 2002 - $676 million loss
• 2001 - $1.7 billion loss

Trump, Amazon and the Postal Service: The story behind the tweet

On Friday morning, President Donald Trump decided to take on the U.S. Postal Service.

"Why is the United States Post Office, which is losing many billions of dollars a year, while charging Amazon and others so little to deliver their packages, making Amazon richer and the Post Office dumber and poorer?" he wrote on Twitter. "Should be charging MUCH MORE!"

The tweet gave Trump the opportunity to slam Amazon (AMZN), which has been a frequent target of his ire. But with the tweet, the president also waded into a long-running, Byzantine debate over how much the Postal Service should charge for its services.

In short: Trump is likely right that the Postal Service charges less than it really costs to deliver packages, and Amazon is one of its biggest customers. But that's not the root of the agency's fiscal problems.

The USPS is another fustercluck created by Congress.

[hollohas]

No. Not by a longshot. They've been billions of dollars underwater for years. They keep getting Congressional bailouts. Based on the volume of mail I get, they don't charge near enough for junk mail. But, if they had lower volume, they wouldn't need as much union labor to move that junk around, so they can't let that happen.

I understand they can't pay the bills, just like the rest of the gov, but they actually generate money, unlike the rest of the gov.

Most to the reason they can't pay the bills is because they are required to put a crazy amount into the pention fund.

[electronman1729]

Well this gives hope that my tax stamps are in the mail

[theGinsue]

I saw a USPS delivery truck pass my home today (yes, on a Sunday).

[Great-Kazoo]

I saw a USPS delivery truck pass my home today (yes, on a Sunday).

That's for Amazon package deliveries.