Hi everyone,
I am not trying to beat a dead horse here but I was thinking. With gas prices being what they are, are we approaching the point where it would be more cost effective/efficient to ship mail, packages, etc. by rail instead of truck or plane? Thus, allowing passenger rail service to be subsidized by the increased parcel service, as in the past.
Sean
This isn’t neccessarily on the subject, but I have seen where interest in light rail has been re-kindled in cities that previously buried the idea (such as San Antonio). I would imagine ridership is up all over the place.
What do you think is in all those UPS trailers on flat cars crisscrossing the country? The USPS will never get its act together enough to even find packages let alone ship them logically.
No facts to offer, but I’ve gotten the impression that Amtrak is about at capacity, equipment-wise. Increasing service will require a substantial capital expenditure (not to mention time). And that doesn’t even deal with track capacity and sharing track with the freight railroads on the long-haul routes.
That doesn’t mean it’s not a good idea or that it won’t happen, but an awful lot of mindsets have to change to make it happen.
…I believe the House and Senate have recently voted “yes” on a larger funding for Amtrak over the next 5 years…After conference, we should hear of the details.
Not that likely. USPS can simply raise the cost of mailing a letter basically whenever they need to pay for increased fuel costs. With the airlines suffering financially like they are, the Fed government is not going to take their mail away.
Here’s a good example from my cousin who works at a post office here in Ohio as to how logically the USPS ships items. She works at a small town (more like a village) post office. If my one aunt decides to mail something to another aunt just across town (a two minute drive), the mail will go to the post office where it is trucked to the larger post office two counties away and then back overnight, and then is delivered the following day. Why on earth waste time and gas shipping stuff that far and right back when it’s just going across town?
Kevin
I had a priority USPS shipment sent to me and received notification from the USPS telling me I could track it just like UPS. I had the package for three weeks before it even showed up on their computer. Lovely service typical of all federal government programs. There isn’t one they do well with the exception of the military. One of Ronald Reagans most famous quotes is, “For most Americans the words that strike fear in their hearts is I’m from the government and I am here to help”.
…One program I see working quite well is the delivering of our S S checks…Haven’t had any problems with it in many years.
Amtrak provided a package express service until it was recently cut off by its president, David Gunn, because it was losing too much money.
The Postal Service does, and has always done, a decent job of delivering letters. Which was the intent when it was autorized by the US Constitution.
However, it falls down with packages. It was never intended to deliver packages. It was never structured to deliver packages. It was never authorized by the US Constitution to handle packages.
I received two books today, via UPS. They do packages just fine. Just let the Post Office be what it was meant to be and everything will be OK.
I disagree about USPS and packages. Last week I sent a 12"x8"x6" package from small town South Dakota to Madison WI. It was delivered in four business days. Amazon routinely uses USPS to reach me. When they do, the carrier does not drop the package by my rural mailbox but leaves it at the door. I think their service is great!
With the increasing cost of diesel could we see a return of these shipments to the railroad? I doubt it, even if Amtrak (or somebody) were willing to try it, the infrastructure to handle it is no longer there.
…I actually was referring {above}, to “the government doing something right” comment above…and yes, I really have no problem with the USPS. Can’t say I “like” the routine postage increase…but we all are required to deal with price increases on everything we touch now…Don’t necessarily like that.
Modlecar,
No offense intended but I don’t understand why in this age of direct deposit anyone would still have their SS check mailed to them. The wife and I (and any other recipients we know) have never had a problem with it, its never late, its never lost, and we can be away traveling and not have to concern ourselves about it. Heck, both of our former employers actually required all employees to have it for about the last 15 years we worked and there never was a problem nor do the wife and I remember ever hearing about one from our fellow workers.
…al:
Oh, you’re so correct. Again I might have missed the point in my post of commenting about “delivering”…Sure, that’s the way to have it accomplished. Have had it direct dep. for years, and as you stated, have had no problem with the process.
Again, in my comments…I simply was responding to a post back a ways that “the government does nothing well, or something like that”…and whether the S S check is direct dep. or mailed, it’s still a government function…done well. [2c]
It was tried and failed, the needs of the parcel service degraded the passenger service. The time and expense of adding and removing MHCs or roadrailers slowed the passenger trains.
Only to face veto from(save the taxpayers money) our Pres
Rgds IGN
…I don’t know the position the Pres. will take…{Yes, I know he will not support Amtrak}, but don’t know what else might be in the bill or what it’s attached to. Nor do I know how much of a maj. it passed by that might overturn his veto.
The House version was passed by a veto-proof majority, if I remember correctly. The Senate version also may have been, but what comes out in the conference committee now is what will have to pass muster.
(Larger type for you, Q!)
Ruddy,
I thought that Amtrak was making a small “profit” on the package express but that the primary reason David Gunn eliminated it was because of the delays caused to the LD trains during coupling/uncoupling/switching operations. [%-)]