Mail Post Office Delivery U.S Fewer People Services

If you've been to an American post office recently, you may have "noted" (noticed) that fewer people are mailing packages and letters. With the poor economy and the convenience of sending "electronic" (using the computer) documents, mail services are becoming less and less popular.

The post office handled 202 billion pieces of mail in 2009, which was 9 billion fewer than the year before. This was the single largest drop in mail "volume" (amount) in U.S. history.

The "postmaster general," the highest official in charge of the U.S. postal system, has said that the post office needs "cost-cutting measures" (actions to reduce spending), because of the large "deficits" (spending more money than one earns). At some point, this may even mean that the post office may be forced "to cut" (eliminate) one day of mail delivery.

As of 2010, the post office is required by law to deliver mail six days each week, from Monday through Saturday. If the post office delivers mail only five days, it would stop delivery on the "lightest" (having the least or lowest) mail days of the week, such as Tuesday. No decision has been made yet to cut a mail delivery day. It is just one of several money-saving possibilities that the post office is considering.

Most Americans take mail delivery services "for granted" (having not thought about it and assumed it will continue). In general, mail service in the U.S. is reliable and fairly inexpensive. It takes a suggestion like this to remind people that the service they've grown up with could and may change in a significant way.