Save the US Postal Service

[Volkonski]

Kyle Griffin
@kylegriffin1
Reminder: Today, the House Oversight Committee will hold a hearing on Postal Service Reforms. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy is a witness.

[Volkonski]

MSNBC
@MSNBC
.
@JoyAnnReid
: Trump appointee Louis DeJoy is still dismantling the United States Postal Service, and he’ll be there because President Biden can’t directly oust him.

[noblepa]

Before the election, when it was revealed that DeJoy had ordered the removal and disposal of "unneeded" mail sorting machines, I didn't understand.

I assume that the machines were paid for and that there was no mortgage on them. I also assume that they have very little residual value, since there is, basically, only one organization that uses them.

If lower demand truly made them redundant, why couldn't they simply be turned off? That way, when a peak period occurs, like, say, mail-in ballots or Christmas mailings, they could be turned back on. Money could be saved by not using them and not paying workers to run them at less than full capacity, but no additional savings would be realized from their removal. They probably had to pay someone to haul them away. Letting them sit there, unused, would not cost anything.

We just got a Christmas card last week, that was mailed on Dec. 17. I received my SSA-1099 from Social Security yesterday. I assume that it was mailed on time, but there was no postmark, so I can't be sure.

[raison de arizona]

New trucks are out.

► Show Spoiler

Under the contract’s initial $482 million investment, Oshkosh Defense will finalize the production design of the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV) — a purpose-built, right-hand-drive vehicle for mail and package delivery — and will assemble 50,000 to 165,000 of them over 10 years. The vehicles will be equipped with either fuel-efficient internal combustion engines or battery electric powertrains and can be retrofitted to keep pace with advances in electric vehicle technologies. The initial investment includes plant tooling and build-out for the U.S. manufacturing facility where final vehicle assembly will occur.

The NGDV vehicles will include air conditioning and heating, improved ergonomics, and some of the most advanced vehicle technology — including 360-degree cameras, advanced braking and traction control, air bags, a front- and rear-collision avoidance system that includes visual, audio warning, and automatic braking. The vehicles will also have increased cargo capacity to maximize efficiency and better accommodate higher package volumes stemming from the growth of eCommerce.

https://jalopnik.com/this-is-the-next-u ... 1846339591

[raison de arizona]

AZ Rep. Andy Biggs continues to be a dumbass.

[AndyinPA]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics ... li=BBnb7Kz

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy offered a public apology before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday for recent mail delivery delays during the peak holiday season.

DeJoy, making his first appearance before the panel since a combative hearing last summer over his cost-cutting measures at the agency, acknowledged that the Postal Service experienced delivery delays that were particularly pronounced late last year over the holidays.

"We must acknowledge that during this peak season, we fell far short of meeting our service targets," DeJoy said in his opening statement before the Oversight Committee.

"Too many Americans were left waiting for weeks for important deliveries of mail and packages. This is unacceptable and I apologize to those customers who felt the impact of our delays," DeJoy said, pledging that the Postal Service would "strive to do better in our service to the American people and we will do better."

[noblepa]

New trucks are out.

► Show Spoiler

Under the contract’s initial $482 million investment, Oshkosh Defense will finalize the production design of the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV) — a purpose-built, right-hand-drive vehicle for mail and package delivery — and will assemble 50,000 to 165,000 of them over 10 years. The vehicles will be equipped with either fuel-efficient internal combustion engines or battery electric powertrains and can be retrofitted to keep pace with advances in electric vehicle technologies. The initial investment includes plant tooling and build-out for the U.S. manufacturing facility where final vehicle assembly will occur.

The NGDV vehicles will include air conditioning and heating, improved ergonomics, and some of the most advanced vehicle technology — including 360-degree cameras, advanced braking and traction control, air bags, a front- and rear-collision avoidance system that includes visual, audio warning, and automatic braking. The vehicles will also have increased cargo capacity to maximize efficiency and better accommodate higher package volumes stemming from the growth of eCommerce.

https://jalopnik.com/this-is-the-next-u ... 1846339591

Here in Cleveland, the big story as I was driving to work was that Lordstown Motors, the startup company in GM's old Lordstown assembly plant did NOT get the USPS contract.

Lordstown Motors is gearing up to produce all-electric trucks. So far, they have hired about 400 people. I'm not sure if they have started real production yet, although they did recently display a pre-production model. Their plan is to sell to fleet buyers, rather than retail customers, at least to begin with. That is why they were hoping for the USPS contract.

At its peak, GM employed several thousand workers at the plant that began life in the 1960's building Camaros and Firebirds. In the 1970's it built Chevy Vegas and most recently, the Chevy Cruse.

[AndyinPA]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business ... BL2ZQAFVO4

President Biden will nominate a former U.S. Postal Service executive, a leading voting rights advocate and a former postal union leader to the mail service’s governing board, according to three people briefed on the nominees, a move that will reshape the agency’s leadership and increase pressure on the embattled postmaster general.

Biden will nominate Ron Stroman, the Postal Service’s recently retired deputy postmaster general; Amber McReynolds, the chief executive of National Vote at Home Institute; and Anton Hajjar, the former general counsel of the American Postal Workers Union, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal policy.

If confirmed, the nominees would give Democrats a majority on the nine-member board of governors, with potentially enough votes to oust DeJoy, who testified Wednesday before a House panel that his new strategic plan for the mail service included slowing deliveries.

[raison de arizona]

Here in Cleveland, the big story as I was driving to work was that Lordstown Motors, the startup company in GM's old Lordstown assembly plant did NOT get the USPS contract.

Ah, Workhorse. Yes, I read somewhere that they were expecting to get at least a PIECE of the contract, and they are walking away with nothing. Their stock has dropped like 50%, which I understand isn't as bad as it sounds because it's still up over the year or something. Also, I read something- geez, I should just find it.

Workhorse’s loss of U.S. Postal Service contract may have legacy Trump politics behind it; ‘shocked,’ Cowen analyst says
Workhorse stock extends previous session’s near-record selloff as one of Wall Street’s most bullish analysts downgrades the EV maker

Shares of Workhorse Group Inc. kept falling Wednesday, extending the previous session’s near-record plunge, amid disappointment over losing out on the U.S. Postal Service delivery trucks contract prompted one of the more bullish analysts on Wall Street to downgrade the electric-vehicle maker.

The stock WKHS, -8.11% slumped 3.9% toward a four-month low in midday trading even as it had pared an earlier loss of as much as 17.8%. On Tuesday, the stock took a 47.5% dive, its second biggest one-day selloff ever, and the biggest since it dropped 51.1% on Aug. 22, 2011.
<snip>
Osborne said politics may have played a role in the USPS’s decision. That suggests there’s a possibility the award could change, or be split. “Coming away with nothing is a surprise; however, we note we likely have political variables at play here — a legacy Trump holdover as postmaster general of the USPS (Louis DeJoy) and two politically sensitive states (Wisconsin for Oshkosh and Ohio for Workhorse),” Osborne wrote.

Workhorse said Wednesday it asked the USPS for “additional information” about the contract award, and plans to “explore all avenues that are available to non-awarded finalists in a government bidding process.”

Cowen’s Osborne said there may be “political intervention” from the Biden administration, given that the decision goes against President Joe Biden’s executive order in which federal agencies were directed to procure carbon-pollution-free electricity and clean, zero-emission vehicles.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/workh ... 1614176639

Oshkosh is doing like half electric, Workhorse's proposal was all electric.

[raison de arizona]

Rep. Katie Porter to Louis DeJoy: "I've heard that you have a new strategic plan, but I'm really concerned that this plan may neither be strategic nor a plan."

[sad-cafe]

disjoy is a human garbage pos


I just saw a clip of him telling a congress person to get it right.

he is full of himself

[Liz]

There is something evil about people with last names beginning with De.
DeJoy ... DeVos ... each the worse ever at their service.

I do my part to Save the USPS by getting paper statements for all my accounts. It's not much, but if everyone quit the Paperless option it might make a difference ... Paperless save companies the cost of postage. envelopes, paper and ink.... and I recycle the paper and can still see all account details online even before I get the mailed statements.

[Reality Check]

There is something evil about people with last names beginning with De.
DeJoy ... DeVos ... each the worse ever at their service.
:snip:

DeSantis

[qbawl]

There is something evil about people with last names beginning with De.
DeJoy ... DeVos ... each the worse ever at their service.
:snip:

DeSantis

DeVille

[AndyinPA]

Grrrrrrr.

I got a cancellation notice on an insurance policy that was due last month. I paid it, along with another policy. I expect to get a cancellation notice on that one soon. I'm not having too many problems with packages, but I am having a lot of problems with bills. Small local utilities, etc., are paid automatically from one of our checking accounts. I just can't do that with other credit cards that can vary wildly, mostly because of travel costs. Of course, there aren't many of those these days. This must be as big of a pain in the butt for the credit card companies as it is for those of us mailing those payments, sometimes weeks in advance these days.

[slq]

Grrrrrrr.

I got a cancellation notice on an insurance policy that was due last month. I paid it, along with another policy. I expect to get a cancellation notice on that one soon. I'm not having too many problems with packages, but I am having a lot of problems with bills. Small local utilities, etc., are paid automatically from one of our checking accounts. I just can't do that with other credit cards that can vary wildly, mostly because of travel costs. Of course, there aren't many of those these days. This must be as big of a pain in the butt for the credit card companies as it is for those of us mailing those payments, sometimes weeks in advance these days.

Could you look at your statements online during these crazy times when mail is not reliable?

[AndyinPA]

Grrrrrrr.

I got a cancellation notice on an insurance policy that was due last month. I paid it, along with another policy. I expect to get a cancellation notice on that one soon. I'm not having too many problems with packages, but I am having a lot of problems with bills. Small local utilities, etc., are paid automatically from one of our checking accounts. I just can't do that with other credit cards that can vary wildly, mostly because of travel costs. Of course, there aren't many of those these days. This must be as big of a pain in the butt for the credit card companies as it is for those of us mailing those payments, sometimes weeks in advance these days.

Could you look at your statements online during these crazy times when mail is not reliable?

Yeah, probably. I'm not crazy about banking online. I'm willing to do a lot on online, but I don't trust that. That also goes for credit card companies. I may have to rethink a few things. The life insurance cancellation really ticked me off. Thanks.

[MN-Skeptic]

Grrrrrrr.

I got a cancellation notice on an insurance policy that was due last month. I paid it, along with another policy. I expect to get a cancellation notice on that one soon. I'm not having too many problems with packages, but I am having a lot of problems with bills. Small local utilities, etc., are paid automatically from one of our checking accounts. I just can't do that with other credit cards that can vary wildly, mostly because of travel costs. Of course, there aren't many of those these days. This must be as big of a pain in the butt for the credit card companies as it is for those of us mailing those payments, sometimes weeks in advance these days.

My utility bills and health insurance bills are paid automatically from my checking account, but virtually everything else - house and car insurance, credit cards, etc. - I pay online. I've done that forever with no problems whatsoever. I have a spreadsheet (former accountant here) listing all the bills I pay online. It shows the amount due and the date due. I update it when I pay the bill. I'll go online to the credit card site. I've already entered in my banking information; they remember that. Then I'll I say "I want to pay this bill." They'll ask how much? I'll typically say "Last statement balance." I used to have two different checking accounts to select between. Now I just have one. They'll ask what date do you want this to be paid, so you enter that. Then they'll recap what you've selected so you can double check it. They select Yes to complete. I think I have all of them set up to send me an email when I complete the selection so I have a record of what happened. Like I said, never any problems.

[AndyinPA]

Grrrrrrr.

I got a cancellation notice on an insurance policy that was due last month. I paid it, along with another policy. I expect to get a cancellation notice on that one soon. I'm not having too many problems with packages, but I am having a lot of problems with bills. Small local utilities, etc., are paid automatically from one of our checking accounts. I just can't do that with other credit cards that can vary wildly, mostly because of travel costs. Of course, there aren't many of those these days. This must be as big of a pain in the butt for the credit card companies as it is for those of us mailing those payments, sometimes weeks in advance these days.

My utility bills and health insurance bills are paid automatically from my checking account, but virtually everything else - house and car insurance, credit cards, etc. - I pay online. I've done that forever with no problems whatsoever. I have a spreadsheet (former accountant here) listing all the bills I pay online. It shows the amount due and the date due. I update it when I pay the bill. I'll go online to the credit card site. I've already entered in my banking information; they remember that. Then I'll I say "I want to pay this bill." They'll ask how much? I'll typically say "Last statement balance." I used to have two different checking accounts to select between. Now I just have one. They'll ask what date do you want this to be paid, so you enter that. Then they'll recap what you've selected so you can double check it. They select Yes to complete. I think I have all of them set up to send me an email when I complete the selection so I have a record of what happened. Like I said, never any problems.

I'm sure I could do all that. I'm a little leery. My husband is nuts against it, so between my distrust and his distrust of anything computer, it's probably not going to change. I only get to pay utility and health insurance because it comes out of my account. I'm married to a man who helped develop the first computers in cars, but can barely keep track of his email. Go figure.

[Sunrise]

Grrrrrrr.

I got a cancellation notice on an insurance policy that was due last month. I paid it, along with another policy. I expect to get a cancellation notice on that one soon. I'm not having too many problems with packages, but I am having a lot of problems with bills.

Andy, I had a cancellation notice for my car insurance, also because of late mail delivery. I called my agent who then called the company. By that time they had received my check and I was immediately reinstated. I hope you have as good luck.

[AndyinPA]

Grrrrrrr.

I got a cancellation notice on an insurance policy that was due last month. I paid it, along with another policy. I expect to get a cancellation notice on that one soon. I'm not having too many problems with packages, but I am having a lot of problems with bills.

Andy, I had a cancellation notice for my car insurance, also because of late mail delivery. I called my agent who then called the company. By that time they had received my check and I was immediately reinstated. I hope you have as good luck.

So far everyone I've had to deal with has been fine about it. I just never dreamed it would go on this long.

[Slim Cognito]

Grrrrrrr.

I got a cancellation notice on an insurance policy that was due last month. I paid it, along with another policy. I expect to get a cancellation notice on that one soon. I'm not having too many problems with packages, but I am having a lot of problems with bills. Small local utilities, etc., are paid automatically from one of our checking accounts. I just can't do that with other credit cards that can vary wildly, mostly because of travel costs. Of course, there aren't many of those these days. This must be as big of a pain in the butt for the credit card companies as it is for those of us mailing those payments, sometimes weeks in advance these days.

Could you look at your statements online during these crazy times when mail is not reliable?

Yeah, probably. I'm not crazy about banking online. I'm willing to do a lot on online, but I don't trust that. That also goes for credit card companies. I may have to rethink a few things. The life insurance cancellation really ticked me off. Thanks.

Yes you can. I'd made almost everything paperless except the light bill because you never know when you'll need a utility bill with your address on it. But now I'm rethinking some of those bills. Maybe I'll switch at least a few of them back to paper. But first I'll have to make a list and set up a date to go on line to check their status in case it doesn't show via USPS.

I also order five forever-stamped priority flat eps every few weeks. With delivery as it is, I like anything important to have a tracking number. And the side quests my stuff takes on its way to its destination can be almost entertaining.

I'd ordered a video game from GameStop (cuz I'm trying to support them) and it was mailed out. They gave me a tracking # which said it made it to my local post office, but not to me. Two weeks later I contacted said post office who basically called GS liars regarding the tracking #. I'd set text alerts to that tracking # but bupkis. I then called GameStop who said give it until today. If it didn't show, they'd deal with it then (my plan was to get a refund and go in person to buy the game). But guess what showed up in my mail box yesterday? The tracking # never did track beyond the local PO.

Fuck dejoy.

[noblepa]

How come I received a Christmas card, only last week, that was postmarked Dec. 17, yet the check I mailed to the IRS for my 2020 income tax on Monday, cleared my bank yesterday?

Granted the check only had to go from Cleveland to Cincinnati, but the fact that it cleared on Thursday, means that they received it no later than Wednesday.

I have also received catalogs and sales flyers two days after the sale ended.

[Volkonski]

U.S. lawmakers introducing bill to give USPS $6 billion for EV delivery vehicles

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa- ... ce=twitter

The bill sponsored by Representative Jared Huffman and seen by Reuters would require at least 75% of the new fleet be electric or zero-emission vehicles.

Last month, the USPS said it was committed to having electric vehicles make up 10% of its next-generation fleet as part of its multibillion-dollar plan to retire its 30-year-old delivery vehicles, but could boost that if it received billions of dollars in government assistance.

The legislation is backed by some key Democrats, including Representative Peter DeFazio, who chairs the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and Representative Carolyn Maloney, who chairs the Oversight and Reform committee that oversees USPS.

The bill would also require no less than 50% of medium/heavy-duty vehicle purchases be electric or zero-emission through 2029 and all new USPS vehicles be zero-emission after January 2040.

Good.

[Foggy]

Need to get rid of DeJoy before giving the USPS a lot of money for him to misspend.