Next-day mail to continue in C.R. with decision to keep processing facilities open

UPDATE: The U.S. Postal Service decision not to end mail processing in Cedar Rapids means next-day delivery for local mail will continue.

“Looking at those numbers, it just did not make sense in terms of service, so we're not going forward with it,” said Rich Watkins, postal service regional spokesman in Kansas City.

Watkins said postal officials informed Cedar Rapids workers of the decision during Wednesday's overnight shift. Dropping the plan means 214 jobs will stay here.

Some local businesses worried that shipping locally-addressed mail to the Quad Cities plant at Milan, Ill., for sorting would delay delivery by at least a day, a particular concern of area publishers.

“We were confident that we'd be able to turn that around at the Quad Cities plant in the same time, but after looking at the numbers we decided it just was not feasible,” Watkins said. “We feel good in terms of the process the postal servcie went through looking at all the numbers, and it just did not make any sense moving those processing operations."

Full press release:

DES MOINES, IA - As a result of a study begun five months ago of the Cedar Rapids, IA Processing & Distribution Facility, the U.S. Postal Service has determined that there is no significant opportunity to improve efficiency or service through consolidation of mail processing operations, and no changes will be made at this time.

The Postal Service has experienced a 25 percent decline in First-Class Mail volume since 2006, and receives no tax dollars for its operations, relying instead on the sale of postage, postal products and services.

“The decision to consolidate mail processing facilities recognizes the urgent need to reduce the size of the national mail processing network to eliminate costly underutilized infrastructure,” said Chief Operating Officer Megan Brennan. “Consolidating operations is necessary if the Postal Service is to remain viable to provide mail service to the nation.”

In December 2011, the Postal Service agreed to impose a moratorium on closing or consolidating post offices and mail processing facilities prior to May 15, 2012, to give Congress and the Administration the opportunity to enact an alternative plan.

This delay was designed to allow Congress sufficient time to enact comprehensive postal legislation. In the meantime, the Postal Service continued all necessary steps required for the review of these facilities, including public notifications, public input meetings and consideration of public comments.

A list of mail processing studies and their status is available at usps.com/ourfuturenetwork. Specific information about individual studies, including public meeting summaries and summary briefs, is posted on the website, usps.com/areamailprocessing, as it becomes available.