United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office General Government Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1994-04-08 monographic deposited born digital GA 1.13:GGD-94-78 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GGD-94-78 P0b002ee18039b8d3 f:gg94078 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-GGD-94-78 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GGD-94-78 GGD-94-78 Postal service Mail transportation operations Mail delivery problems Productivity Postal facilities Regional planning Cost control Federal agency reorganization Centralization Waterloo (IA) Mason City (IA) Mankato (MN) Albert Lea (MN) Blue Earth (MN) Decorah (IA) Letter Report GGD Automation at the Waterloo, Iowa, mail processing facility did not yield financial savings as the Postal Service had planned, nor did it improve productivity and delivery service. After the consolidation of mail operations in Mason City and Waterloo, mail processing workhours declined as expected in Mason City, but the workhour increase in Waterloo was larger than anticipated, and the combined hours for both facilities rose sharply. Despite the introduction of automation equipment, labor productivity declined. Transportation costs, instead of decreasing as planned, increased because of equipment upgrades and route changes. Although local overnight service in Mason City was maintained, some locations were no longer scheduled to receive overnight mail delivery, and the percentage of mail delivered on time to other overnight locations fell. Contrary to Postal Service guidelines, officials have not reviews the consolidations to determine whether their goals were attained. GAO believes that the Service should do such reviews to determine if consolidations in rural areas benefit the Service and its customers. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GGD-94-78/html/GAOREPORTS-GGD-94-78.htm GAO/GGD-94-78 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GGD-94-78 Letter Report GAO/GGD-94-78; Postal Service: Planned Benefits of Iowa Automated Mail Facility Not Realized; Postal service Mail transportation operations Mail delivery problems Productivity Postal facilities Regional planning Cost control Federal agency reorganization Centralization Waterloo (IA) Mason City (IA) Mankato (MN) Albert Lea (MN) Blue Earth (MN) Decorah (IA)