Published: September 25, 2007 11:59 am      

Singin' The Blues

Postal Service adjusts collection times on sidewalk mailboxes

CUMBERLAND - Terry McKenzie couldn't believe it last week when he arrived at work only to learn the post office, without warning, had switched its pickup time on the blue mailbox outside his office.

Instead of late afternoon, it was now 11 a.m.

"Are you kidding me?" McKenzie of Century 21's Gold Team on George Street said of his first thoughts. "We do mailing every day. This is not Los Angeles. If I mail you a deed, surely I'd like to think if it was by 5 p.m. today, surely you should get it tomorrow."

Many businesses, he added, don't process their mail that early, making the morning time inconvenient and unreasonable. It also didn't help that the change was made without anyone knowing.

"Nobody told us a darn thing," McKenzie said, noting he did complain to the mailman about the change.

Such feedback has prompted the post office to make a few changes already.

"We're in the process of working it out," David House, acting postmaster at Cumberland, said. "We knew there would be some bugs. ... We had feedback from some businesses in town and we've been working with them."

As an example, the box near district court will be picked up at 3:45 p.m., 100 Baltimore St. at 4 p.m. and Aber's Hallmark at 4:30 p.m. instead of 11 a.m.

House said signs noting those changes were to be posted beginning Monday.

McKenzie said the later time would be more reasonable but that "the whole downtown needs to go back to 5 p.m."

He said the U.S. Postal Service is looking at the process nationwide, with Cumberland one of the last offices to do so. The concept, he said, is to make one or two people accountable for all the boxes rather than anywhere from three to 20 employees.

It also would cut the collections to one instead of about three, with the pickup beginning at 11 a.m. and continuing until all have been collected.

The need for the blue mailboxes also is being examined. Known as a density test, the Postal Service is looking to see how many boxes are necessary or if some need to be moved to higher traffic areas.

House said once that number, which currently is about 80, is determined, the collection route will be studied to decide not only the most expeditious, but also the safest travel path.

When it comes to safety, the route is designed to decrease or eliminate any backing up, left turns or U-turns.

What it all comes down to is the ability to provide the "most efficient and economic service possible."

Freda Sauter, a spokeswoman for the Postal Service, said the agency is mandated by the new Postal Law to operate like a business.

"Therefore, we seek the most cost-effective ways to deliver mail to an ever-growing network that is expanding by nearly 2 million deliveries a year," she responded by e-mail. "We receive no tax dollars to fund its operations. We have an obligation to the public to use the most efficient and effective means of delivery to keep costs down."

When it comes to those blue mailboxes, that's no longer the way most people send mail. The majority, Sauter said, send from home or work.

Specific criteria is in place in deciding which boxes to move or eliminate. Those that receive 25 or fewer pieces of mail a day are considered. But one box for every square mile or so is to remain in residential areas.

The Postal Service has enacted a number of ways to mail, including Automated Postal Centers that are self-service mailing kiosks that weigh and determine the postage rate for small- and large-sized envelopes and parcels.

The postal service also will come right to your door with Click-N-Ship, which allows individuals to schedule free package pickup.

For more information, visit www.usps.com.

Maria Smith can be reached at msmith@times-news.com.