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POSTAL SERVICE REPORTS SECOND QUARTER LOSS Despite aggressive cost-cutting measures, the Postal Service ended the second quarter with a net loss of $707 million, driven by a continued decline in mail volume resulting from the current national economic climate. For the first six months of the fiscal year, the Postal Service essentially broke even, reporting a net loss of $35 million on revenue of $39.3 billion. Mail volume for the quarter ending March 31 totaled 51.3 billion pieces, a 3.3 percent drop from the previous second quarter. First-Class Mail volume decreased by 3.1 percent and Standard Mail volume was down 3 percent. Year-to-date total mail volume is down by 3.1 percent compared to the same period last year. If the trend continues, this will be only the seventh year total mail volume has decreased in the last 50 years and could be the largest decline since 2002. “Weakness in the housing and credit markets, both of which are heavy users of mail, are leading the declines in mail volume,” said Postmaster General John Potter. “While mail volume may rebound with the economy, it is clear we need to accelerate our efforts to seek new structural and process changes to remain economically viable and to further improve customer service.” Meanwhile, on-time delivery of First-Class Mail continued at record levels. National overnight service was 96 percent on-time, a record high for four quarters in a row. Two-day service was 94 percent and three-day service was 92 percent on-time. All these scores are the highest ever achieved in quarter two. First-Class Mail performance is measured independently by IBM Global Business Services. The process measures First-Class Mail from the time it is deposited into a collection box until it is delivered to a home or business. USPS AGAIN CHOSEN AS MOST TRUSTED The Postal Service is the most trusted government agency for the fourth year in a row, according to the premier privacy trust study in America. More than 86 percent of those surveyed by the Ponemon Institute ranked the Postal Service first among federal agencies when it comes to keeping their information safe and secure. The Postal Service has increased its privacy trust score every year since the survey began four years ago. “We have a 230-year tradition of trust. Americans depend on the security of the mail and they trust the Postal Service to protect their privacy,” said Delores Killette, vice president and consumer advocate. “Our employees work hard to maintain that trust. They earned this honor and recognition for their contribution to the value that trust brings to the organization, and to the country.”
A dragonfly is featured on the new 62-cent stamp, which is for First-Class Mail nonmachinable single pieces, such as square greeting cards. |
MailPro About 107 million adult Internet users shop online, spending about $100 a month and averaging 36 purchases a year. |
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NEW 62-CENT STAMP NOW AVAILABLE
