For the next few months, the U.S. Postal Service is holding public meetings about its plan to cut costs.
The Postal Service lost almost 2 billion dollars in the last quarter. As the red ink continues to flow, it’s looking to cut expenses by reducing hours or even closing small post offices nationwide. In Vermont, there are at least 145 under review. Customers have filled out surveys about their needs and preferences, which are now being analyzed by postal officials. Local postmasters are forbidden to comment publicly on the downsizing in progress, but many say privately that reducing hours or closing post offices could be hard on customers who cannot easily travel to other towns to conduct their postal business. But USPS officials say many of these services could be provided more efficiently and affordably.
