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> Is Amazon going to run ships around the Great Lakes to deliver mail to vessels moving between ports? No, because using planes to deliver to regional distribu

by sdinsn 6y ago

> Is Amazon going to run ships around the Great Lakes to deliver mail to vessels moving between ports? No, because using planes to deliver to regional distribution centers is much more efficient. > Is FedEx going to send a truck an a four-hour round-trip to deliver a single letter to someone on an indian reservation for 50¢? The USPS does not deliver mail directly to the majority of reservation residents. Most have to fetch their mail at the closest office, which could be upwards of 1 hr away from them. This is because most reservation residences don't actually have an address (which also prevents them from registering to vote, which is another related issue). > Is UPS going to charter bush planes to deliver mail to remote outposts in Alaska, Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands? The USPS doesn't either. The USPS's Alaska Bypass has a minimum order weight of 1000 lbs, it's designed for retailers. The USPS does not serve normal consumers in very rural areas with standard mail features.

reaperducer 6y ago
No, because using planes to deliver to regional distribution centers is much more efficient. How do planes and distribution centers get mail to people at sea for months at a time? The USPS does not deliver mail directly to the majority of reservation residents You're not wrong. But there are plenty of people in remote places on the rez who do get mail hours from the nearest trading post. Just because they're not the "majority" of people doesn't mean they don't deserve to be served. The USPS does not serve normal consumers in very rural areas with standard mail features. Either you and I define "rural" differently, or you haven't spent as much time in rural places as I have.
- Rebelgecko 6y ago
  Since they mentioned the Alaska bypass, they're probably talking about areas that are only accessible by air. There's a situation kinda similar to the epacket thing with China. USPS subsidizes package delivery in isolated areas to the point that it's cheaper for the sender than deliveries to urban areas

by sdinsn 6y ago

reaperducer 6y ago

No, because using planes to deliver to regional distribution centers is much more efficient. How do planes and distribution centers get mail to people at sea for months at a time? The USPS does not deliver mail directly to the majority of reservation residents You're not wrong. But there are plenty of people in remote places on the rez who do get mail hours from the nearest trading post. Just because they're not the "majority" of people doesn't mean they don't deserve to be served. The USPS does not serve normal consumers in very rural areas with standard mail features. Either you and I define "rural" differently, or you haven't spent as much time in rural places as I have.

Rebelgecko 6y ago
Since they mentioned the Alaska bypass, they're probably talking about areas that are only accessible by air. There's a situation kinda similar to the epacket thing with China. USPS subsidizes package delivery in isolated areas to the point that it's cheaper for the sender than deliveries to urban areas