USPS Could Close Thousands More Post Offices

Updated
Automated Postal Center could allow USPS to close thousands more post offices
Automated Postal Center could allow USPS to close thousands more post offices

Fifty years ago there were gas stations on every corner, pharmacies and small groceries every few blocks, and post offices in every neighborhood. Today, all that has changed; except post offices, of which there are still about 32,000. As the Post Office continues to hemorrhage money, it's not surprising that one idea on the table is to close thousands more post offices, the ones that lose money every year.

The reasons that the Post Office loses money are many. The volume of mail peaked in 2006, then tanked as the recession took hold, down 3.5% in fiscal year 2010 alone. In 2000, the Post Office brought in an average of $1.80 per delivery. By 2009, that revenue was down to $1.40, and is projected to reach $1.00 by 2020.

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