Why The Post Office Struggles -- A Conscious Conservative View

I wanted to mail a package this week but I had a slight problem.  I was going to be in an unfamiliar part of the city and didn't know where to find a Post Office.  I did what I thought was the most logical thing.  I went to the United States Postal Service web site to find a location in that neighborhood.

What I thought would be simple was not.  I clicked on the "find locations" button and entered the Zip Code where I was going to be that day.  I expected to find the Post Office that services that Zip Code.  I did not.  Instead, the Post Office displayed every place that sold stamps in that area.  Being that I was in a large city,  just about every place sold stamps.  The list had restaurants, gas stations, supermarkets, banks and office supply stores.  I was no closer to finding a Post Office.

I refined my search to find only "Automated Postal Centers®."  Eureka!  I found a Post Office that I thought was near to where I was going.  I clicked on the map and found something was wrong.  The map showed that the Post Office was on the other side of town.  I was familiar with the neighborhood on the map and knew there was not a Post Office near that location.  It appears that the United States Postal Service cannot tell me where its own offices are located. Every business makes mistakes, but if the Post Office cannot give you an address, who can?  Doesn't the Postal Service assign everybody's address?

I finally went to a private source; Google Maps.  I was able to find the local Post Office.  Not only that, but I could see the Post Office on satellite, see what businesses were nearby and get driving directions to the Post Office.  I mailed my package later that day and was happy.

I find this to be a microcosm of private vs. government efficiency.  The private source delivers not only what the customer wants, but offers extras, quickly and efficiently.  The government source can't even tell you where they are located.