Mail-storm

Rapid area growth means delivery boom ZIP code transition isn't letter-perfect

The holidays may be the season for waiting in long lines at the post office, but some area residents have found that their postal facility also is a busy place during the rest of the year.

"Usually it's long lines. That's why I don't come that often," said Plainfield resident Debbie Bishop, who prefers to buy stamps at the grocery store.

The differing opinions about postal service recently reached a boiling point in Manhattan when some customers signed dueling petitions about the postmaster's performance. They also want a new post office for the fast-growing town.

Joliet's "newest" post office, on McDonough Street, opened in 1981, and already the new Plainfield facility has been open for 10 years.

While the U.S. Postal Service hasn't announced plans to build a new post office, the agency says it has a consistent delivery record and offers alternative ways for customers to do business.

Will County growth is pumping more mail into the local postal system.

From October 2005 to September 2006, mail delivery shot up more than 19 percent in Joliet, according to the postal service. The previous year, it increased 14 percent.

Plainfield saw a nearly 10 percent increase from 2004 to 2005, and rural mail delivery went up an additional 8.2 percent this past year.

The term "rural mail delivery" isn't a geographic description; rather, it is industry jargon for carriers who are represented by a separate union and have a different employment arrangement than "city carriers."

Neighborhoods and businesses within city limits can be served by rural carriers, said Jose Aguilar, postal customer service representative.

Town leaders in Shorewood and Minooka also have asked U.S. Rep. Jerry Weller, R-Morris, for help in getting a new post office. New Lenox is seeking his help to get a satellite facility.

Crest Hill leaders are seeking their own post office with the help of U.S. Rep. Judy Biggert, R-Hinsdale, whose district covers northern Will County.

"There is only so much we can do to help people with their post office issues," said Weller spokesman Andy Fuller.

The postal service is part of the federal government's executive branch, but is not funded by Congress. It was created to operate like a business, where the money it generates should cover expenses.

"Building a new post office is a costly endeavor, and there is only so much money to go around, and that money is not controlled by Congress," Fuller said. "Most of the time, the USPS official will agree that there is a need for updated facilities, but they are, again, blocked by the financial constraint."

Some residents also assume that the local postmaster controls the number of post offices, but that is not the case.

District administrators initiate requests for new post offices that are prioritized at several agency levels. The final list for new facilities is set by the service's national headquarters, Aguilar said.

Americans most often complain about problems they experience during a post office visit, a presidential commission reported in a 2003 study.

In Will and Grundy counties, Weller's office fields a handful of complaints each month, usually about space or safety concerns.

Some postal patrons take a more direct approach.

"Why is every stamp machine out of order?" a customer recently scrawled on an "out of order" sign posted in the John Whiteside Post Office on McDonough Street in Joliet.

Local postmasters control employee work hours and assignments, but district officials make the call on adding more staff, Aguilar said.

Hiring decisions are based on multiple factors, including the amount of automated equipment, like self-serve postal centers a post office has or will receive, Aguilar added.

The local postmaster also does not decide whether a facility has a self-serve kiosk, called an automated postal center. Instead, postal headquarters makes that decision based on retail revenue and high credit and debit card usage, Aguilar said.

The Plainfield post office has three automated postal centers while the John Whiteside Post Office has one.

Not everyone minds a trip to the post office.

"They are always very fast and very friendly," said resident Karl Miller about the Plainfield facility.

Plainfield resident Jerry Negoski said service at the Plainfield post office is generally good, but that finding parking can be difficult.

Postal officials say they are meeting or exceeding agency delivery goals as the area continues to grow.

In the Central Illinois District, which covers a large area south of Chicago, 96 percent of first class and express mail sent within the district arrives in one day, Aguilar said.

On Thursday afternoon, The Herald News mailed envelopes addressed to the paper's office in Joliet at the Manhattan, New Lenox and Mokena post offices. All three letters arrived on Friday.

In 2004, the postal service introduced automated postal centers, self-serve kiosks where customers can buy stamps or send most packages using a credit or debit card.

"I thought it was great. I didn't have to stand in line," said Anita Givens of Bolingbrook, who used a Plainfield automated center for the first time Thursday.

Stating that competitors could use the information to their advantage, the postal service would not release the amount of automated transactions logged in Joliet or Plainfield.

Nationwide, 72 million automated transactions were logged during fiscal year 2006, which ended in September, Aguilar said.

Customers also can take care of postal business at home.

At the postal service's Web site, www.usps.com, people can order mailing materials -- stamps cost an extra $1 on the Internet -- and research information on rates and shipping.

This holiday, the agency heavily advertised its free parcel pickup service.

People using the service schedule their pickup, apply the postage to the package and leave it for the carrier.

More than 1.8 million carrier pickup requests were received during fiscal year 2005, according to the postal service. This year, the agency had more than 2.9 million requests.

And the service is not limited to the holidays: Carriers will pick up packages for free year-round, Aguilar said.

Customers without a computer can call (800) ASK-USPS for postal service information and directions on how to request stamps and schedule carrier pickup over the telephone.

Reporter Ken O'Brien can be reached at (815) 729-6119 or via e-mail at kobrien@scn1.com /a> /a> /a> /a> View Andrea Hein's Web log at http://blogs.suburbanchicagonews.com/ahein/or contact her at (815) 729-6018 or via e-mail at ahein@scn1.com /a> /a> /a> /a> /a>