Looks like the USPS has canceled its contract for air mail routes into the deeper reaches of Idaho.

Interesting story:

http://www.idahostatesman.com/localnews/story/727644.html

there is a guy that can teach you more about mtn flying than most...flying the world's best truck in the sky,
the mighty T206...

This doesn't bode well. Mail service was yet another great reason for keeping the backcountry strips open and accessible.

I tip my hat to the lady in the article who says that she can't vote now. That's a brilliant strategy for getting some senators or congressman to lend a sympathetic ear.

And, of course, just recently, the Postmaster General had to petition the Congress to be permitted to increase his own salary above the federal salary ceiling established for civil servants. So he could better serve his constituents of course..... The Postmaster General is now one of the highest if not the highest paid civilian employees of the federal government.

Just business. He must be taking lessons from Wall Street.....

Actually, I'm thinking this is a trial balloon, now that Ted Stevens is out of office--a test balloon to see if they can eliminate bypass mail in Alaska as well. That has been coming for decades, and Stevens has been the only reason it hasn't been terminated to date. Costs a little more than $60K as well.

MTV

Wow, that's a bummer!!

I wonder if there's a way to help out? Heck, I'd fly to some of these strips for a nice meal (especially home made cookies and muffins!!) in return for me to deliver there mail and a few other light wieght items.

Maybe there's a way to come up with a system that you can call Arnold Aviation Friday afternoon to see if there's any mail that needs to be delivered. If so, drop into Cascade Saturday morning, pick up the mail and head for one (or more) of the strips. Drop the mail, get some good grub from a local, and head on back to Caldwell (or where ever your from). Whatever mail they have, just drop it off at the post office in your town that your flying back to. But, I know it's probablly going to be more complicated than that.

Just an idea

They can't just hand mail over to anyone. It is accountable. Without a contract, Arnold Aviation can't even touch the mail. It's not a lack of an airplane or pilot--it's no money to support the program.

And, the BIG problem isn't the mail--it's that bypass mail subsidizes passenger and freight operations. If you're willing to haul passengers and freight for free, go for it, I'm sure the residents would appreciate it, but without a USPS contract, you can't handle the mail.

MTV

Wonder what USPS pays to have the mail from Phantom Ranch in the Grand Canyon hauled out by mule? To check if you have any mail you just look through a box that has all the incoming mail in it. To send mail you just put it in a saddle bag that they will through on one of their mules.

I just saw something today about Representative Walt Minnick trying to get them to reconsider pulling the plug on the backcountry air mail. It would be good if they didn't cut that service to the full time residents back there. Seems like the U.S.P.S. has a responsibility to deliver the mail though doesn't it?

Link to Minnick's full letter (PDF):
http://media.idahostatesman.com/smedia/ ... ate.36.pdf

mtv wrote:They can't just hand mail over to anyone. It is accountable. Without a contract, Arnold Aviation can't even touch the mail. It's not a lack of an airplane or pilot--it's no money to support the program.

And, the BIG problem isn't the mail--it's that bypass mail subsidizes passenger and freight operations. If you're willing to haul passengers and freight for free, go for it, I'm sure the residents would appreciate it, but without a USPS contract, you can't handle the mail.

MTV

Yeah....I knew it would be a complicated deal.

It seems like a fairly easy way to get all the mail into the hands of volunteer flyers. Have all 30 or so ranchers form a "co-op" and get one really large Post Office Box in the co-op's name. Have all their mail delivered to that PO box. Have someone in town (a member of the co-op) get the mail and then hand it over to the volunteer flyer. Outgoing mail is even easier. Just a collection box/bag on the volunteer's plane to collect the mail, fly it into town, dump into the post office.

But the USPS really should take responsibility for backcountry mail delivery.

Section 101(a) of Title 39 of the U.S. Code, also known as the Postal Reorganization Act:

The Postal Service shall have as its basic function the obligation to provide postal services to bind the
Nation together through the personal, educational, literary, and business correspondence of the
people. It shall provide prompt, reliable, and efficient services to patrons in all areas and shall render
postal services to all communities.

Presumably Congress intended for the phrase "services to patrons in all areas" to exclude Taylor Ranch and similar backcountry areas!

I heard this on NPR and they interviewed Carol Arnold during the coverage.

Arnold Aviation is losing $46k of income with the loss of the Post office contract and that has to be a big hole in their bottom line.

I am sure the ranches and Ray will figure out a way around this, but everyone ( except the Postmaster General ) is going to suffer from this.

TD

But when you really think about it and what the PO spends everyday on other operating expences, $46k is really chicken feed. I'm sure the PO can save $46k somewhere else. Like turning more lights off at MOST of there offices at night, etc.

I'm wondering if this isn't really about cutting expenses, but another step to shut down the backcountry and make all those people move out. Maybe I'm just too pessimistic.

How bout just not delivering mail on Saturdays. That would save a bunch of $$$

Not delivering mail on Saturday... does not make that portion of a week's mail go away. It still will have to be delivered on Monday. Of course there won't be any pickup on Saturday, so all that mail has to go to the post office on Monday... it is a vicious circle. Just means more mail per carrier per 5 day work week, which means more carriers (deliverers) and/or longer delay to get mail delivered. ...sigh... should have had a good (quasi) guvment job.

Bypass mail helps keep us in business, yesterday we moved over 4000 pounds of stuff out to the villages. If they want to cut cost how about killing the sponsership of the US Biking team? they don't even race in the US and why does a monopoly have to advertise anyway?

Not a monopoly anymore--UPS and FedEx have proven that.

MTV

Not a monopoly anymore--UPS and FedEx have proven that.

Actual USPS only has a monopoly on 1st class Letter mail.

They're a non-profit agency of the Federal Government.
All profits go into the general fund.
All short falls require a loan from the Federal government and there is interest on the loans.

When you complain about the price of gas, just think what it costs the USPS, who has
one of the largest fleet of motor vehicles in the world.

Stamps will increase to 44cents on May 11.

What a great deal.