tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6615285628064623043.post3567578450326728286..comments2024-03-27T22:06:35.339-10:00Comments on Dead Tree Edition: Mathematically Challenged: Burrus Proposal Doesn’t Add Up for USPSD. Eadward Treehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01300353143826844617noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6615285628064623043.post-32866067539943787602009-10-29T11:15:05.584-10:002009-10-29T11:15:05.584-10:00Oh ... and one more thing: if the assessment penal...Oh ... and one more thing: if the assessment penalties for privately MISsorted mail has been recently equalized, does that mean that the discount for worksharing First Class Mail are also even? Burrus is a genius!<br /><br />BTW, I jump to Power Point slides sometimes. Otherwise I couldn't be presented with 'FACTS'.<br />OGAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6615285628064623043.post-361381668960430272009-10-29T06:27:29.468-10:002009-10-29T06:27:29.468-10:00Of course you know that Burrus was referring to th...Of course you know that Burrus was referring to the current procedure of having the mailhandlers' craft "process" parcels on the Small Parcel Bundle Sorter machine. Add this, and the comment (about processing parcels for free), and Burrus makes sense.<br />OGAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6615285628064623043.post-86330871587749647472009-10-27T17:22:58.116-10:002009-10-27T17:22:58.116-10:00Mike, I published this article on Oct. 23. Burrus ...Mike, I published this article on Oct. 23. Burrus didn't bring up the free parcels idea until 3 or 4 days later.D. Eadward Treehttp://deadtreeedition.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6615285628064623043.post-383245761593140022009-10-27T15:23:49.712-10:002009-10-27T15:23:49.712-10:00Dead Tree, you leave out ONE important fact. Burr...Dead Tree, you leave out ONE important fact. Burrus also stated "we will commit to processing parcels for free.", as part of his proposal. But hey, why bother with all the facts.Mikenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6615285628064623043.post-51739142223391293932009-10-26T16:02:48.977-10:002009-10-26T16:02:48.977-10:00This is just ridiculous! The idea of Postal clerk...This is just ridiculous! The idea of Postal clerks sorting mail for less doesn't wash. Mailers buy, or rent mailing lists, that, in many cases, are in delivery order. They are "cleaned up" to remove bad addresses, etc. When the mail arrives at the Post Office, it is in delivery order. <br />It's the silly Post Office rules that waste money. I have seen carrier-routed mail,Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6615285628064623043.post-12348236941096382882009-10-26T09:41:17.534-10:002009-10-26T09:41:17.534-10:00The average mail volume could be processed by the ...The average mail volume could be processed by the Postal Service at a cost saving. Yes, it makes cents. But I do believe that the Burrus Challenge was a direct response to Potter's "blame the economy" and "the Unions" for the mess in mail processing. <br /><br />BTW, I like this automatic spelling thingy. I don't have to go to MS Word.<br />OGAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6615285628064623043.post-52761685501726441252009-10-26T07:30:14.388-10:002009-10-26T07:30:14.388-10:00I've been getting letters recently with only 2...I've been getting letters recently with only 23.5 cents of postage paid. I assume some sort of "super" pre-sort qualifies them for this rate. I also get 33.5 cent letters (which is where the 10.5 cents comes from, right?). I get very few, if any, letters between 33.5 and 44 cents, so the argument that the "average" discount is less than 10.5 doesn't ring true. The Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6615285628064623043.post-57169712051042040522009-10-26T05:23:37.121-10:002009-10-26T05:23:37.121-10:00That's a question that should be directed to P...That's a question that should be directed to Potter. Attacking Burrus' misses the point of the dialogue.<br /><br />Even if 'workshared presorted' mail is re-processed in-house by the Postal Service, it still does not add up. By doing the initial preparation in house adds another pass to the work flow. +1 Burrus is right!<br />OGAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6615285628064623043.post-73392560222847735442009-10-26T04:01:52.316-10:002009-10-26T04:01:52.316-10:00In 1999 the OCR machines that the USPS was running...In 1999 the OCR machines that the USPS was running had the ability to read about 20% of the letters ran through them. They had a throughput capacity of 30,000 letters per hour and required 2 trips through the machine to sort to the first breakdown and only allowed 94 different breakdowns. Most of the mail that ran through this machine had to have images of it sent to human keyers on terminals uncommonsensenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6615285628064623043.post-18910839732457589722009-10-26T03:35:23.635-10:002009-10-26T03:35:23.635-10:00I would like to say as a Mail I find it funny tha...I would like to say as a Mail I find it funny that you are all arguing. The mail that is supposedly presorted still has to be run through our machines to get to the customer. Take for instance, Mailer A sends out 50,000 envelopes zoned to an individual town, that mail still has to be processed and ran through the machine twice, so where is the discount. The postal service still has to pay Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6615285628064623043.post-37964299502579888792009-10-26T03:30:34.081-10:002009-10-26T03:30:34.081-10:00Obviously Burrus wasn’t doing a serious evaluation...Obviously Burrus wasn’t doing a serious evaluation of costs/benefits in his “challenge”. It is a publicity stunt. <br />However, I think Burrus more than included “other costs” in his calculation. He is just, as a union leader, going for a price that could afford increasing dramatically wages for the members.<br /><br />As pointed out by Burrus before the direct costs of sorting a letter in uncommonsensenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6615285628064623043.post-80037260222140139872009-10-26T03:24:14.814-10:002009-10-26T03:24:14.814-10:00USPS mailprocessing equipment can barcode and sort...USPS mailprocessing equipment can barcode and sort mail at 35000 pieces/hour.<br />Cost of two processing clerks approximately $60/hour. Cost per piece .17 cents if done by USPS. Costs by bulk mailers 10.5 cents almost 60 times more!<br />Burrus is making a point. The Bulk mailers (presort houses) are robbing the USPS. The USPS could be giving the businesses sending the mail a larger discount Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6615285628064623043.post-24834450917153064922009-10-25T09:49:59.601-10:002009-10-25T09:49:59.601-10:00Reply to the previous commentator: This is exactly...<i>Reply to the previous commentator:</i> This is exactly why the Challenge was presented by Burrus to the PMG. Hey, but we welcome feedback and opinions!<br />OGAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6615285628064623043.post-53179396857713995442009-10-25T04:45:36.391-10:002009-10-25T04:45:36.391-10:00Based on some previous comments, I'd like to c...Based on some previous comments, I'd like to clarify a total misconception that is being presented.<br /><br />Presort mailers prepare the mail to the exacting specifications of the USPS Domestic Mail Manual in order to claim any worksharing discounts. If there is an issue with the mail handling once received - we are doing what the Postal Service told us to! If it needs to change, it'sAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6615285628064623043.post-88755538203750459112009-10-25T02:51:50.889-10:002009-10-25T02:51:50.889-10:00Metaphorically Challenged! Of course you know Burr...Metaphorically Challenged! Of course you know Burrus meant that the Postal Service can process the mail in-house cheaper than the current workshare discounts. (Potter said that mail processing plants run below capacity due to the abrupt drop in mail volume.) Add one + 1, and you see why Burrus is correct. <br />OGAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6615285628064623043.post-4111572549512578502009-10-25T00:26:56.664-10:002009-10-25T00:26:56.664-10:00Mathematically Challenged? How about spelling &am...Mathematically Challenged? How about spelling & grammar challenged. Some of you cannot spell and/or have really bad grammar. Can you say: "Spell Check"? (HINT: Write up your "blog" comment in MS Word or similar program, use the Spell & Grammar checker - and then post here). How can any of you pretend to know math if you cannot write proper sentences? Also, no onemyheadhurtshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15435558829371854799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6615285628064623043.post-68740909800100891432009-10-24T18:42:01.346-10:002009-10-24T18:42:01.346-10:00While I agree with some of the comments. The fact,...While I agree with some of the comments. The fact, that each Post Office that works presorted mail, refuses to have the carrier work the mail that arrives ready for dispatch by the carrier. They re run the mail Why the Postal Service is a numbers game. They want X amount of pieces run per day. To get the numebr up they need to run ready for delivery mail. Also the poor carriers cpmplain, if theirAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6615285628064623043.post-58081422399137759322009-10-24T12:30:02.303-10:002009-10-24T12:30:02.303-10:00You, have the 'Facts" Wrong. Go back and...You, have the 'Facts" Wrong. Go back and study, before you post, please i ask of you. This appears not to be a report of facts, but a Spin on a most productive proposal to save jobs at USPS as well as save consumer monies. Value indeed, if actually read Burrus stated. <br /> Bottom line?? Go back and study up me friend. I will also go back and study the FACTS.McTell2noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6615285628064623043.post-78299564956284249542009-10-24T12:05:52.107-10:002009-10-24T12:05:52.107-10:00I think there is a way for the USPS to bring the w...I think there is a way for the USPS to bring the work back in-house <i><b>and</b></i> keep the mailers happy.<br /><br />If a mailer gets a 10.5 cent discount per letter, but pays a presort house 4.5 cents to do the presorting, the mailer's actual discount is 6 cents.<br /><br />The USPS should give a 6 cent <i>volume</i> discount if the mail is brought to the USPS for sorting. This way the Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6615285628064623043.post-8878376531163810142009-10-24T12:03:21.580-10:002009-10-24T12:03:21.580-10:00I won't say you missed the point or don't ...I won't say you missed the point or don't have the facts. The numbers are what they are and they can be spun many different ways.<br /><br />The overriding point that Burrus ios trying to make is that the USPS gives a discount of 10.5 cents to do work which would only cost 2 cents if done in-house. <br /><br />No business could survive under those circumstances. When companies contractAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6615285628064623043.post-42228957376600409432009-10-24T06:37:19.228-10:002009-10-24T06:37:19.228-10:00While you make some good points, I do not believe ...While you make some good points, I do not believe you have all the facts. The presorting done in the private sector actually makes more work for the postal worker. We may receive trays that are broken down in carrier route, walk-sequenced bundles or flagged in the tray for separation between carrier routes. That is what the presort mailers do, and receive a discount for doing. However, that GoldenBoynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6615285628064623043.post-3434719727186787262009-10-24T05:52:52.120-10:002009-10-24T05:52:52.120-10:00Burrus has it right, you do not have all the facts...Burrus has it right, you do not have all the facts. The Post Office used to brag about being able to process letters on automation at a cost of around 3 cents per piece, while the presort companies get discounts of up to around 10 cents per piece. You do the simple math, the private companies get "paid" up to 7 cents per piece for doing what we could do in house cheaper. Plus, some Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6615285628064623043.post-829697874712635662009-10-24T05:29:06.183-10:002009-10-24T05:29:06.183-10:00also dead tree you did not take into account the f...also dead tree you did not take into account the fact that many small mailers that do not quailfy for the discount only get said discount because mailing houses have spring up all over the county to short change the post office.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6615285628064623043.post-46477345001875941392009-10-24T03:23:20.358-10:002009-10-24T03:23:20.358-10:00But what you did not take into account there Dead ...But what you did not take into account there Dead Tree is the Obama factor, you know the one similar to the UAW, SEIU, ACORN, and next the APWU to be added to this distinguished list. Now that ought to cover the short falls of the math....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com