The U.S. Postal Service is drawing fire for its plan to change the way it counts the days following entry of newspapers and other publications into the system on Saturdays.
One harsh comment was submitted by the News/Media Alliance. “The proposed non-count of Sundays/holidays for mail entered on the proceeding Saturday (or the day before a holiday) would delay a substantial proportion of Periodicals mail,” NMA states in comments submitted to the Postal Regulatory Commission. “In particular, some 19.1% of Origin-Entered Periodicals currently have a Saturday Start-the-Clock before a Sunday or a holiday.”
Indeed, NMA adds: “Most of these Periodicals can expect actual delivery to be delayed by at least one to two more days.”
This is happening following the announcement of the USPS agreement with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and US General Services Administration (GSA).
The Coalition for a 21st Century Postal Service argues that the planned July rate increase must be halted.
“Twice-a-year increases that raised prices some 40% in less than three years, with another 7-10% and more coming in July, are simply incompatible with a health system or what any private sector company would do.”
NMA argues that excluding Sundays and holidays when measuring the service for certain mail “will make service look better than it really is.”
It continues that the “proposed non-count would mean that American consumers would perceive that they are receiving their newspapers and magazines late while the Postal Service would maintain that it is on-time. Misleading the public in this manner leads to frustrated publishers, disappointed customers, and angry constituents for members of Congress.”
