Proposed Postal Service changes are bad for Wyoming

For several generations, the unofficial postal carrier motto was “Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail shall keep the postmen from their appointed rounds.”

These days, the United States Postal Service motto – at least at the top level – seems to be “You’ll get it when you get it, and if you don’t like it, too bad.”

Of course, as with all blanket overstatements, there are many exceptions to the rule. We know that there are many postal carriers who take pride in their work and still consider mail delivery to be a noble profession. We agree with them, which is why the recently announced “modernization” of the postal system and the changes expected to result from it are so frustrating.

Before we dig into those issues, though, let’s pause to say we don’t have a dog in this hunt as it relates to our business. Thankfully, periodicals like the print edition of the Wyoming Tribune Eagle are handled differently than other types of mail. In our case, we print each subscriber’s address directly onto the newspaper, then bundle them by postal route at our printing facility on West Lincolnway before delivering them to the main post office on Converse Avenue very early Wednesday through Saturday. They are then given to each carrier, who is expected to deliver them with the rest of the mail that day.

But just because our publication won’t make the trip to Denver and back doesn’t mean we’re any less concerned about the fact other mail will.

What the changes mean

As announced March 26 in a news release headlined “USPS to Improve Mail Operations at Cheyenne Processing Facility,” the postal service plans to invest up to $3.5 million in the local facility to modernize it into a “Local Processing Center.” Unfortunately, the release doesn’t tell us how that will be different from what’s there now. It just says the investments are “for modernization efforts and deferred maintenance” and “will result in expanded and streamlined package processing and distribution capabilities in the local market.”

Oh, and employees will enjoy “new lighting, as well as renovated bathrooms and break rooms.” How exciting!

In bold type, the release emphasized that “the facility will remain open” (we didn’t know USPS was considering closing it) and “there will be no career layoffs as part of this initiative” (which could mean a lot of different things, as we’ll discuss in a bit).

How it will impact you

What this means is that nearly all outgoing mail will be trucked the hundred-plus miles to Denver, sorted and then sent to its final destination. If that destination is Cheyenne, it will be put on a truck headed back to Wyoming and given to local carriers to put in your mailbox.

In other words, the often single-day turnaround for sending a letter or bill payment across town will now be at least two (for those rural residents whose mail passes through Cheyenne, it will be even longer). And while a statement in the USPS release that most mail sent from Cheyenne is destined for locations outside of the local area may be true, there’s no disputing the fact this change is a negative one.

For example, if you’re homebound and ask a local pharmacy to mail your prescription medication to your home, you’d better plan ahead, since it’s likely to take at least two days to receive it. If the rent payment is due on the first of the month and you usually pay it with a check through the mail, you’d better give yourself at least three days to make sure it arrives on time.

One of the largest voices of opposition has been Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray, who says this is yet another reason to worry about election “integrity.” In a statement to the Wyoming Tribune Eagle the day of the USPS announcement, Mr. Gray said he is concerned by the delay in delivery of absentee ballots and other ways the change could “impede the integrity of the upcoming 2024 Election and future elections.”

We agree that sending ballots out of state and back is a bad idea, and could cause some not to be counted unless rules requiring them to be received in the clerk’s office by 7 p.m. Election Day are changed. (Maybe now he’ll back off his opposition to the secure absentee ballot drop box outside the Laramie County courthouse.)

Reasons for concern

Denver-based postal service spokesman James Boxrud reminded a WTE reporter that the USPS standard “right now is two days for first-class mail, even if it’s Cheyenne-to-Cheyenne.” Notice the two key words in that sentence – “right now.” Who’s to say the standard won’t slip to three, four or more days after this change is implemented and officials realize they can’t meet that two-day turnaround?

After all, the Rocky Mountain region is notorious for unpredictable weather, which can cause delays and road closures. Then there’s the ever-increasing traffic on Interstate 25, along with never-ending construction. In making the system more efficient, they might actually be making it less resilient.

Last December, when USPS held a meeting in Cheyenne about the proposed changes, staff from Denver came to Wyoming’s capital city to say they have enough problems there already without adding Cheyenne’s mail to the mix. That doesn’t instill us with a lot of confidence.

Then there’s the issue of staffing. The March 26 news release tries to reassure us that no one will lose their job here. But it does say that “All career bargaining unit reassignments, as well as any reduction in any number of pre-career employees, will be made in accordance with respective collective bargaining agreements.”

Translation: Some long-term employees may be reassigned, either here or to Denver, and there’s no guarantee for those who aren’t full-time employees. Ever spend any time waiting in line at a local post office? Do you really believe that wait time will get shorter after this “modernization”?

The bottom line

For us, the key question is whether these changes – which are being proposed across the country as part of a $40 billion strategy – will really result in enough savings to protect the USPS from its past financial troubles.

How can it be more efficient to send mail to Denver and back instead of across town? What about the increased wear and tear on trucks, higher fuel costs and more carbon emissions? Why aren’t the details of this plan being shared with the patrons being asked to go along with it?

Mr. Boxrud told a WTE reporter there’s no specific timeline for implementing these changes, so it’s unclear if it will be a matter of weeks or months, or whether it will be before or after the November election. However, he did say it is “under review,” which means the decision may not be final. If that’s the case, we respectfully suggest that everyone email [email protected].

Or, for 68 cents, you can send it through the mail to:

Louis DeJoy, Postmaster General

USPS Headquarters

475 L’Enfant Plaza SW

Washington, DC 20260-0010

Just don’t count on a response, and don’t expect it to get there by any specific day.