From PostalReporter Reader:

 

What follows is a set of links to articles where the Postmaster of Pittsburgh tries to explain the long lines. In the highlighted portion is how the newspaper describes the PM explanation .

 

 

Lance: To the United States Postal Service. The scene: the North Side office across from Allegheny Center. The day: Monday. The time: the noon lunch hour. One postal clerk is on window duty to serve a long line of customers, stretching to the door separating mail boxes from the “service” windows. As is per usual. One of the busiest times of the day. Anyone really doubt why the “post office” is in such deep trouble?

 

 

In response to the recent “Laurels & Lances” (April 16 and TribLIVE.com) salvo aimed at the U.S. Postal Service, let me clarify for Trib readers that a single snapshot of one day at one of our many locations does not present an accurate picture of our regular service. There are peak times for any business, be it a bank, car garage or coffee shop.

The Postal Service has established hundreds of alternate-access locations where customers shop to serve their postal needs, in addition to a complete array of mailing services available online. We provide numerous services on usps.com, and many grocery stores, drugstores, banking ATMs and greeting-card stores sell postage stamps. We have positioned our Automated Postal Centers — self-service kiosks that allow customers to do more than 85 percent of counter transactions — in 15 offices around Pittsburgh and those kiosks are accessible 24 hours a day.

We know our customers’ time is valuable and we have gone to great lengths to reduce wait time in line and provide alternate locations. It is my goal to provide the most expedient window service to our valued patrons at each of the branch locations of the Pittsburgh Post Office.