Huge
cuts by the U.S. Postal Service will ensure a general slowdown in
first-class mail delivery. The USPS, which is in danger of bankruptcy,
is slashing $3 billion from its budget. That means your paycheck might
not arrive as fast, Netflix DVDs will show up later, and magazines might
be outdated by the time they arrive in rural areas. Beyond the
inconvenience to consumers sending mail, these cuts would shut down 250
out of around 500 mail processing centers as early as March. First-class
mail standards dating back to 1971 will be adjusted due to the farther
distances mail will travel from post offices to processing centers.
Currently, first-class mail should take one to three days to arrive, but
will be extended to two to three days. Magazines might take as long as
nine days to arrive.
