USPS Plans to Deliver Changes to Mail Services

USPS Plans to Deliver Changes to Mail Services

April 24, 2021
Anita Lee-Post, Ph.D.

The US Postal Service (USPS) is planning a service overhaul to stem its losses.

The overhaul includes replacing one-to-three-day first-class mail with one-to-five day, consolidating mail processing and postal locations, cutting hours at some retail locations, moving more first-class mail by trucks instead of airplanes, going all-electric for last-mile delivery, and increasing postal rates.

A previous OM in the News post explained additional changes being made, as part of its overall efforts to redesign services, to cut costs and revamp USPS operations.

Video Spotlight: 

This post is based on the Reuters article, U.S. Postal Service proposes revamp; plan would slow some mail, by David Shepardson, March 23, 2021, and the YouTube video in the Spotlight. Image source: Scott A. Frangos

Discussion Questions:

1. What are the issues that USPS is able to address by revamping its services?

Guidance: To address delivery delay, USPS is standardizing the first-class mail delivery requirements from one-to-three days, to one-to-five days.  To reduce costs of operations, more first-class mail will be moved by truck, mail processing and postal locations will be consolidated, and all-electric fleets will be Continue reading →

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The Post Office Reinvents Itself with Banking and Alcohol Deliveries

The Post Office Reinvents Itself with Banking and Alcohol Deliveries

April 16, 2021
CMKaruppan

Message in a bottle. Money, it’s a hit. Can they save the Post Office?

Loss of revenue from first class mail, competition, and a mandate to prepay retirement benefits 75 years into the future have created a financial crisis for the US Postal Service. Because Congress has shown little appetite to repeal the mandate, many solutions have been proposed to alleviate the financial woes of a well-liked institution. Recently, two proposals have been gaining traction: allow the USPS to deliver alcohol and reinstitute postal banking to provide much-needed revenue.

Video Spotlight: Postal Banking

This post is based on the NBC News article, Postal Banking, Alcohol Delivery Could Save the U.S. Postal Service, Experts Say, by M. Pflum, March 27, 2021, and the YouTube video, Saving the Post Office?, by CNBC Television, June 28, 2019. Image source: Erol Berberovic/Getty Images.

Discussion Questions:

1. Contrast Postmaster Dejoy’s proposals to save the US Postal Service and those described in the article? Discuss their respective merits and how they create value for postal customers.

Guidance: Postmaster Dejoy’s proposals involve increasing revenue with higher postage rates and lowering costs with slower first-class mail. Both approaches would improve the financial situation Continue reading →

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J.B. Hunt: Transforming Logistics Through Data Centralization

J.B. Hunt: Transforming Logistics Through Data Centralization

April 2, 2021
Anita Lee-Post, Ph.D.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services is partnering with Google to provide improved shipping and logistics experience for shippers, carriers, and service providers.

Under the partnership, J.B. Hunt will centralize data across its supply chain, including capacity use, pricing, and transportation delivery, using advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning tools from Google Cloud.

The partnership is expected to transform transportation services by digitally matching shipments with capacity, increasing efficiency and visibility.

Video Spotlight: 

This post is based on the Talk Business.net article, J.B. Hunt, Google partner to develop new supply chain technology, by Jeff Della Rosa,  February 18, 2021, and the YouTube video in the Spotlight. Image source: vitpho/123RF

Discussion Questions:

1. What is the operational significance of the partnership between J.B. Hunt and Google?

Guidance: By leveraging Google’s technological expertise in cloud computing, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, J.B. Hunt will be better able to integrate its supply chain, capacity use, pricing, shipping, logistics, and delivery systems.  The result is increased supply chain visibility, shipments and capacity alignment, operational efficiency, and workflow reliability for J.B. Hunt.

2. Continue reading →

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