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Monday, December 05, 2011

Postal service abandons goal of next-day delivery; new three-day goal likely to hurt rural areas

The U.S. Postal Service plans to end next-day delivery of first-class mail beginning this spring, choosing to focus instead on a commitment to deliver anywhere in the continental U.S. within three days. This move, along with other changes, will save the struggling USPS an estimated $2.1 billion annually, spokesperson David Williams said in a media conference call today. This decision will likely mean longer waits for first-class mail delivery, especially to and from rural areas.

The end of next-day delivery is part of a broad restructuring plan that includes possible closings of 250 processing facilities and elimination of about 28,000 additional jobs, Mark Memmott of National Public Radio reports. Other changes include reducing the current 12-hour guarantee on two-day standard mail to a 4-hour window. During the call, Williams said closures of small town post offices and elimination of Saturday delivery are still being studied. (Read more) For The Associated Press video summary of the proposed changes, click here. For the Postal Service press release, go here.

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