Post office suspensions at issue

There is an interesting article from The Associated Press that looks at a couple of the 97 post office branches where services have been suspended under emergency suspension processes over the past five years.The article points out that the suspensions have disproportionately fallen on poor, rural communities where the post office plays a vital community role. And where the next nearest branch is often many miles away, causing hardships for residents.

The Postal Service is facing its own hardships with a drop in revenue and mail volume forcing it to look for ways cut costs. Consolidating its post office network is one the strategies under consideration. At issue, here, however, is whether the Postal Service suspended post offices for extended periods without giving the public the rights guaranteed by law. Suspensions do not carry the same requirements as closings, which require an accounting of the reasons for the decision and an opportunity for residents to appeal, among other things.

The Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC)initiated an investigation in November into the Postal Service’s practice of suspending post offices after receiving information that the suspensions had occurred solely because of lease expirations.

Of the 97 branches that were suspended over the past five years, 25 subsequently were closed, five are pending closure, two were reopened and 65 remain in suspension.
The PRC recently extended the initial comment and reply period in its investigation, with initial comments from the public now due by February 16.

Click here and scroll to the bottom to see a list of the 97 suspended offices.