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The big ones they're closing are Albuquerque's Old Town and Downtown stations (2 each), and Alameda's. Undersized parking lots must be the primary determinant for ABQ metro.
Looks like the majority are for extremely rural areas where the post office _is_ the town. I had to look half of them up on the map because even I'd never heard of the towns they were in.
I remember when there were far more of the corner drop boxes and far fewer branch post offices - specifically in large cities. Having individual post offices in small rural towns seems to make more sense than having branch post offices only a few miles apart in larger metro areas.
The Ruidoso area is a case in point, and it's nowhere near being a "metro" area in size. Within 10 miles of the main post office, there are at least three branch post offices. Alto, Hollywood and Ruidoso Downs that I can think of. The main post office is underused, in my experience. It's rare that I have to wait in line for service, and then only for a few minutes if there are a few others before me.
The Ruidoso area is a case in point, and it's nowhere near being a "metro" area in size. Within 10 miles of the main post office, there are at least three branch post offices. Alto, Hollywood and Ruidoso Downs that I can think of. The main post office is underused, in my experience. It's rare that I have to wait in line for service, and then only for a few minutes if there are a few others before me.
According to the official list, that's probably why they're closing Hollywood.
There are lots of rural post offices within a few miles of the next post office. These should be consolidated. There should be a set distance from post office to post office. More drop boxes are needed. Maybe vending machines that sell stamps. Those are basically the only reasons I go to the post office.
Thanks for the list Zoidberg. I was sorry to see the Weed, Sacramento and Sunspot offices closing! Those places are pretty rural, and probably have no mail delivery (Pick up at PO Box only). I wonder if they will be expected to travel to Timberon or Cloudcroft to pick up their mail. Unless these are branch post offices of course, but I'd be surprised if they are - those are very small towns.
Looks like the majority are for extremely rural areas where the post office _is_ the town. I had to look half of them up on the map because even I'd never heard of the towns they were in.
Agreed. Southeast NM is as rural as one could get. Considering the deficit, I'm not surprised that this was coming down. I've been through a good share of the eastern portion of the state. People who live in the Dora/Pep area will have to travel to Portales, which is about a 20 to 25 minute drive if you live just in town. Loco Hills is about 25 minutes from Artesia, and Maljamar to Lovington is a similar distance. Was through Encino earlier this year on my way to visit friends south of Roswell. There are few people who live there and those folks would have to go to Vaughan. I wouldn't want to make that trip in January, once I had to spend the night in Vaughan because of a nasty snowstorm.
Still, the USPS has to do something. I think the next cost cutting measure coming is not having Saturday delivery.
When I lived across the street from the post office just S of Central
on Cornell ( near the Frontier ) I found it annoying that if I ever got
a package, I had to get to the "real" post office to get it.
It seems that post offices located in prime locations like that should
close and sell the property for big money and use that money to
keep some of those rural post offices open - at least a couple days
a week. There could be rotating staff ...
Agreed. Southeast NM is as rural as one could get.....from Artesia, and Maljamar to Lovington is a similar distance. Was through Encino earlier this year on my way to visit friends south of Roswell. There are few people who live there and those folks would have to go to Vaughan. I wouldn't want to make that trip in January, once I had to spend the night in Vaughan because of a nasty snowstorm.
Still, the USPS has to do something. I think the next cost cutting measure coming is not having Saturday delivery.
Beautiful downtown Maljamar has a post office?!?
Yep, they have to do something. If they do close on Saturday, I suppose they would have to extend their working hours on other days of the week for those who cannot get to a PO while on the job during the week.
I for one am SO disgusted at the post office in general right now. For some stupid reason, my PO box in Alamogordo was classified as a BUSINESS, rather than personal use. This, after FOUR years of use.
They refused to forward my mail. Said it was against the rules, and couldn't be done. I initally went by the PO there to fill out the form in person. Front counter said to do it online, more convenient, easier, etc.
So I get home, attempt to do it online, completely refused. The business brouhaha came up.
So I go back to the PO the next day, tell them what happened, and fill out two forms (one for the house, one for the PO box).....the one for the house goes through. The one for the PO box still insisted it was a business, and no mail was forwarded.
The Alamogordo PO let my mail stack up for 6 weeks, and did not close my box. I complained twice more online, and got an email that it would be forwarded. Uh huh, yeah, right. I finally called the Alamo postmaster after I had already moved, and complained very bitterly about what had happened. Since they didn't do anything while I was there in person, I didn't expect too much when I called.
But....the postmaster finally takes some pity on me, sends me the stacked-up mail (caused me a lot of grief on some items to straighten out), and fills out ANOTHER form for me to get the mess straightened out.
My first question was....why the hell couldn't they have done that when I went back to the Alamogordo office IN PERSON to tell them what happened?
It's OK now, but....
What a freaking, bureaucratic mess. I hate the USPS.
Last edited by Cathy4017; 07-28-2011 at 10:57 AM..
It seems that post offices located in prime locations like that should
close and sell the property for big money and use that money to
keep some of those rural post offices open - at least a couple days
a week. There could be rotating staff ...
I think many of the post offices in the prime locations may lease, rather than own, the space. In that case, there is no big money to realize.
90% of the functions of a post office can be handled by an NDCBU and a stamp vending machine. 98% of their functions can be handled by a contract business in the local supermarket/gas station/hair salon. I applaud the USPS for pushing in that direction.
These rural post offices (which according to the USPS are earning less than $25k per year, equiv. to 2 hours per day operating costs) can't even justify rotating staff.
Plus, when you think about it, wouldn't everything be better at the remaining post offices if they had more counter staff? More money available for that if that clerk doesn't have to man a counter in BFE.
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