Postal panel to discuss delivery schedule

The Postal Regulatory Commission is holding a public hearing Monday to discuss a proposal that would end Saturday mail delivery.

The meeting will be from 1 to 4 p.m. at City Hall, 400 Stewart Ave. It is the first of seven hearings nationwide.

The U.S. Postal Service, which stands to lose $8 billion to $9 billion this year, designed the plan in hopes of saving money. The proposal is a part of a larger plan that includes legislative and regulatory changes to help make business decisions such as prefunding retiree benefit, pricing and delivery frequency.

The commission is looking for public input before making a recommendation.

"We've asked them to consider allowing us five-day delivery," said David Rupert, U.S. Postal Service spokesman. "We're looking at an $8 billion to $9 billion loss this year on top of the $5 billion we lost last year. We're going nowhere fast."

Other hearings will be held in Sacramento, Calif.; Dallas; Memphis, Tenn.; Chicago; Rapid City, S.D.; and Buffalo, N.Y.

For information visit www.prc.gov.