Triangle post office mailboxes overflowing

Raleigh, N.C. — Residents trying to mail last-minute holiday greetings on Monday found some mailboxes at Triangle post offices overflowing.

The North Ridge Post Office, on Falls of Neuse Road in Raleigh, had a back-up of cars in the parking lot throughout the morning.

“I’m thinking I should have been here last week, instead of three days before Christmas,” customer Sean Cabot said as he tried to stuff his letters into an overflowing mailbox.

In addition to normal holiday delays, officials said the winter weather that moved through the Triangle and northward over the weekend caused some delays in mail being moved to the processing center.

Officials said the mail should arrive at its destinations no more than a day late.

Officials at the U.S. Postal Service Distribution and Processing Center in Raleigh said they expected to process 1.3 million letters on Monday. Extra workers are also on duty to help with the busy holiday season.

"It’s almost like the rest of the year is a practice for this time of the year," said Carl Walton, of the USPS. "This is like our Super Bowl."

The U.S. Postal Service said Monday is the last day people can mail an item first-class or priority and have it arrive by Christmas Day. The express mail cutoff date for Christmas delivery is Wednesday.

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EverythingTicksMeOff, whatever you say about the goal of health care reform. However, what will happen when the government takes on the riskiest pool of patients while keeping premiums "low"? After losing billions of dollars, they will then dictate fees to doctors, that's what. (NC Medicaid already pays lower than my cost to deliver care). The first step for the undercut hospitals and clinics is to shed staff. In classic form price controls will lead to demand overwhelming supply and we will have MUCH longer wait times for treatment. Not only will hospitals and clinics shed staff, the staff they do keep will not have incentive to do excellent work. Somehow this reminds me of the postal service as a whole. The exception here is the Avent Ferry Road postal office, which is VERY well run. The place is run down, but the people working there are top notch.

dmccall
December 22, 2009 5:59 p.m.

Yep, the good old Falls of Neuse Post Office must hold the record for laziness. Two mornings in a row the package drop off was filled. You could see through the drop off bin that the cart inside the wall was full. Now how much effort would it take to simply move a new cart into place? You could hear workers in the back, and a truck drove out as I was driving in, so I know there were workers available who could have pushed this cart, oh say, 5 feet to one side and place a new cart under the bin. Oh well. I finally gave up trying and went to a different post office.

Oh, and "TarheelsdontlikeEdwards", your post is a "classic example" of why people like you should be allowed to vote. You don't even know who runs the Post Office, yet you feel well-versed enough to give advice on the government running health care? (Which, oh by the way, isn't the goal of health care reform, no matter how loud you whine it out.)

EverythingTicksMeOff
December 22, 2009 9:25 a.m.

celticprencess- I was a contractor for the gov- I know first hand about how lazy they are-I know 99% of every supprvisor for the governemnt should be fired- I also know that some as slower than molases there- she can report it if this is happening- again, I know it goes no where. but reguardless- it is unacceptable.

thought
December 22, 2009 8:50 a.m.

The Postal Union not the Postal Service runs the mail system. Management can't fire or disclipine anyone. Say anything to one of them and you get less than the below normal regular service and a threat of no service. It's time to privitize the whole disaster.

WHEEL
December 22, 2009 8:47 a.m.

I thought that the post office was NOT part of government. They are regulated, but separate. I went to mail something today & they weren't open. Changed to 10 am. That is why it was overflowing. No one there early to empty boxes.

OHn8tive
December 21, 2009 6:55 p.m.