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SOUTH LAKE TAHOE — The U.S. Postal Service embarks on a study this week that could possibly see the closure of two South Shore post offices.
About 4,300 post office box holders at the Bijou Station post office — located at 3368 Sandy Way — and the Stateline post office — located at 223 Kingsbury Grade — will receive notifications of the study in their post office boxes on Friday.
As part of the notification, the post office will ask customers to fill out a survey detailing how they use each post office, said David Rupert, a spokesman for the postal service.
“What this is, is a study process where what we do is gauge public reaction,” Rupert said. “We try to determine any issues or problems regarding the consolidation of these branches into area other area offices.”
In addition to the customer surveys, the postal service will look at the overall cost of operating the facilities before deciding whether to close them, Rupert said.
The possible closures are part of an effort by the U.S. Postal Service — which has experienced a 15 percent decline in mail volume and operated at a net loss of $6 billion last year — to reduce costs.
“We don't get tax dollars. We have to pay our own way,” Rupert said. “We're being prudent with our resources and we have to run our house just like anybody else runs their house.”
The cost-cutting measures are also a way to avoid layoffs, Rupert said. Although closure of the post offices isn't guaranteed, certain aspects of each office may make them logical for closure, Rupert said.
Post office boxes at the Bijou Station post office have a 40 percent vacancy rate and the office is less than a mile away from the main South Lake Tahoe post office. The Bijou Station post office “could very easily” be absorbed into the main office, Rupert said.
Although post office boxes at the Stateline office are almost fully rented, the building has access issues as well as potentially costly building maintenance problems, Rupert said.
The study will look at the possibility of moving all current box holders to the Zephyr Cove or main South Lake Tahoe offices.
If the Bijou post office were to close, customers would also have the option of moving to the Tahoe Valley post office, the Meyers post office or receiving home delivery, Rupert said.
Home delivery is not available on the Nevada side of the lake, Rupert said. A decision regarding closure of the post offices won't be made for at least 60 days. An actual closure wouldn't occur until 60 days after that decision, Rupert said.
Written customer comments are encouraged and customers can pick up surveys at retail windows of the affected offices, Rupert said.
About 4,300 post office box holders at the Bijou Station post office — located at 3368 Sandy Way — and the Stateline post office — located at 223 Kingsbury Grade — will receive notifications of the study in their post office boxes on Friday.
As part of the notification, the post office will ask customers to fill out a survey detailing how they use each post office, said David Rupert, a spokesman for the postal service.
“What this is, is a study process where what we do is gauge public reaction,” Rupert said. “We try to determine any issues or problems regarding the consolidation of these branches into area other area offices.”
In addition to the customer surveys, the postal service will look at the overall cost of operating the facilities before deciding whether to close them, Rupert said.
The possible closures are part of an effort by the U.S. Postal Service — which has experienced a 15 percent decline in mail volume and operated at a net loss of $6 billion last year — to reduce costs.
“We don't get tax dollars. We have to pay our own way,” Rupert said. “We're being prudent with our resources and we have to run our house just like anybody else runs their house.”
The cost-cutting measures are also a way to avoid layoffs, Rupert said. Although closure of the post offices isn't guaranteed, certain aspects of each office may make them logical for closure, Rupert said.
Post office boxes at the Bijou Station post office have a 40 percent vacancy rate and the office is less than a mile away from the main South Lake Tahoe post office. The Bijou Station post office “could very easily” be absorbed into the main office, Rupert said.
Although post office boxes at the Stateline office are almost fully rented, the building has access issues as well as potentially costly building maintenance problems, Rupert said.
The study will look at the possibility of moving all current box holders to the Zephyr Cove or main South Lake Tahoe offices.
If the Bijou post office were to close, customers would also have the option of moving to the Tahoe Valley post office, the Meyers post office or receiving home delivery, Rupert said.
Home delivery is not available on the Nevada side of the lake, Rupert said. A decision regarding closure of the post offices won't be made for at least 60 days. An actual closure wouldn't occur until 60 days after that decision, Rupert said.
Written customer comments are encouraged and customers can pick up surveys at retail windows of the affected offices, Rupert said.
