In response to the Nov. 4 editorial ‘Postal system still must adapt’. How is it that no one brings forward the compromise of sidewalk mail delivery?
The current door-to-door model is too expensive because letter carriers triple delivery time between houses as they walk up long driveways, up flights of steps, opening gates and lugging heavy satchels all the while. The door-to-door model also involves injuries and compensation when letter carriers slip on toys, moss, ice, wet leaves, as well as medical claims from swollen injured knees and dog bites.
A simple compromise is when homeowners install a locked mailbox close to the sidewalk or street edge. The letter carrier then walks a shorter straight line with the bulk of the weight in a push cart. The labour costs and injuries are greatly reduced. The mailbox remains the homeowners’ property so Canada Post does not invest millions in the aluminum industry (aka community mailboxes). Local governments don’t have to clean up the trash around the community mailbox sites.
Sidewalk delivery makes everyone happy: the union doesn’t lose quite as many members, homeowners get mail delivered to their property, the post office itself saves a bundle. Still, not a whisper, not from any of them.
Alas, I am mistaken, there is no such model for sidewalk delivery. This verbose missive may not get delivered via sidewalk delivery. It’s a figment of my compromised imagination: sidewalk delivery.
Vic Campbell
Saanich