Reactions varied on plan to cut USPS service by one day

Angie Shand said she will survive if she doesn't receive mail six days a week.

"(The government) should be making cuts where it can, and that's a good place to start," said Shand, of Jacksonville. "I think it's great - if it saves the government money, it saves us money."

Shand and some others in the area are behind Postmaster General John E. Potter's plan to limit USPS service to five days a week. Federal law has mandated the six-day schedule since 1983, but Potter asked Congress Wednesday to reconsider that Postal Service requirement to save money.

Shand thinks eliminating Saturday delivery is a good place to start.

"A lot of times on Saturday they hire substitute drivers from what I understand, which costs more," she said. "It is better to have five-day delivery. It would save on gas, the number of trucks on the roads, upkeep on their vehicles."

If a change happens, it does not necessarily mean an end to Saturday mail delivery. Previous post office studies looked at the possibility of skipping some other day, such as Tuesday when mail flow is light, according to an Associated Press report.

Most agreed with Shand that cutting out one day of mail delivery, particularly Saturday, would be perfectly acceptable.

"I really don't think it would affect me that much at all, maybe birthdays or holidays when you are expecting something last minute. But no, I don't think it would bother me that much," said Erika Foster of Holly Ridge.

Robin Hill of Jacksonville was more even more pragmatic.

"I think everybody should have two days off a week," Hill said. "And mail is certainly not the first thing on my mind on Saturday, so it would not bother me."

Pete Yadlowsky said it wouldn't bother him either way.

"I read about (the postmaster's request) in the newspaper this morning, and I think it is a good idea," the Jacksonville resident said. "If they are down in losses, they have got to do something."

Latarsha West of Jacksonville said mail deliver six days a week doesn't seem that vital to her.

"I just don't think it would matter much if you didn't get mail on Saturday ... If they need to do it to save money it's a good idea," she said. "Maybe it would affect someone running a home business, but I really think people can wait a day to get mail."

However, Norma Ludlow and Sheila Seabright said they would prefer for the USPS to continue delivering six days a week.

"I don't want them to cut delivery at home or here at the library," said Ludlow, an Onslow County librarian. "I am in charge of (periodicals), and we like to keep things on the shelves as up to date as we can - our patrons would miss it if we didn't get a Saturday delivery of newspapers and things we normally get."

She said she would also miss the home delivery that she looks forward to on Saturdays.

Seabright said she was surprised to hear the Postal Service is being affected by the economy.

"They are the last I thought would be affected," said Seabright, of Jacksonville. "I don't want them to stop delivering mail on Saturday. I like knowing if somebody is going to send me something - I like having the ability to receive it on Saturday and not have to wait till Monday.

"I like it the way it is right now."

From a business prospective, those interviewed said they could deal with the five-day delivery, but would choose Saturday over a weekday if it were up to them.

"I think it would be fine (if they need to reduce the number of delivery days), though I'd rather they continue to deliver six days," said Michael Arnold, the owner of Pineapple Photography in Jacksonville. "I would much prefer they cut out Saturday rather than a weekday - it would fit more into a normal work week."

Terry W. Yopp, Jr., a certified public accountant in Jacksonville, agreed.

"I would prefer, if they were going to have to (eliminate a day), that they pick Saturday - during the week would be the worst for us, with mail-outs and deadlines," said

Contact Topsail area reporter Suzanne Ulbrich at sulbrich@freedomenc.com or 910-219-8454.