No wonder Postal Service is struggling

It’s curious that the U.S. Postal Service complains about business being bad when using it has been made as inconvenient as possible. That many letter boxes have been eliminated and the closing of several post offices does little to help customers use it. Their discussions of a plan to suspend service one day a week, while somewhat understandable, does little to accommodate its customers. This equates to a large retail store in a shopping mall closing the mall entrance and all the parking lot entrances except one, and closing one or two days a week, then complaining that business is suffering.

In my case, a mailbox was about a block from my house. I used it often. Seemingly, the postmaster had it installed as a relay box to lighten the load of the letter carrier on that route. On the carrier’s retirement it was taken away. The next-closest mailbox, three times as far from my house, was in front of a shopping center. That shopping center relocated, and the mailbox has been removed with no sign of it reappearing at either the new shopping center or near its old location. Another mailbox was in front of the village hall. The village hall relocated, and the mailbox disappeared.

While the post office is across the street from the former location of the box, Dundee Road must be crossed to access it. The closest crosswalk with a traffic signal is more than a block away.

On occasion I visit the post office and am often met with clerks who seem more interested in their next break or the business of other customers than my concerns. I now pay as many bills as possible in person or on the Internet and have virtually eliminated letters in favor of email.

David Lackowski

Wheeling