Post Office May Only Deliver Mail 5 Days A Week

WASHINGTON (AP) - Postmaster General John Potter says the
massive deficits facing the post office could force the agency to
cut out one day of mail delivery per week.
In testimony for a congressional panel Wednesday, Potter asked
for an end to the requirement that the agency deliver mail six days
a week.
It doesn't mean that Saturday would be the day that's lost.
Previous post office studies have looked at the possibility of
skipping another day when mail flow is light -- such as Tuesday.
The post office, which is dealing with smaller mail volume and
rising costs, lost $2.8 billion last year. And Postmaster General
John Potter says the loss could reach $6 billion this year.
Potter says he needs to consider "every option." He says
cutting back delivery to five days a week wouldn't necessarily
happen right away -- adding that the agency is working to cut costs
in other ways.
He says it would be up to the postal governing board to make the
final decision on changing the delivery schedule.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)