So I have some more nostalgia prone friends who nearly teared up at the news that the United States Postal Service is ending letter delivery on Saturdays, though they will retain package delivery for now to comply with Congressional legislation. It's time when USPS is much maligned and may suggest it should be given the ax or entirely privatized In the wake of the Saturday delivery news, Joshua Keating writes up a 2011 study by Oxford Strategic Consulting that ranks the best post services among the G-20 countries. Guess who was number one? USA! USA! USA!
Rounding out the top six are Japan, Korea, Australia, Canada, and Germany. Notably, Germany is the only one of the six that is entirely privatized. There are a lot of ideas to extend upon postal services that the US should maybe consider. Japan and Korea have a postal service that also offers simple bank products like savings accounts. Australia, dealing with rural delivery issues, actually sells "franchises" in rural areas for a town's general store to manage postal delivery. Meanwhile, Canada allows people to handle electronic transactions through Canada Post.
Personally, I think the Australia model could be a great way for the US to go. In those more rural areas, sell franchising rights to the general stores and commissaries that keep the more wide open portions of this country stocked with supplies. Maybe include an opt-in delivery option, where you need to request home delivery. If you aren't worried about home delivery, you could always pick up your mail when you go into town. Apparently the GAO wants the USPS to do the bill pay stuff Canada Post does. I haven't looked into it deeply, but I'm not sure how much that would help the USPS.
Anyway postal carriers, hold you heads a little higher. You're the best in the world. Oh, and enjoy your weekends.
