Mail Count is history.

Mail count is over, thankfully. I observed to a friend that mail count brings out the worst in everyone.

All I want is a fair count. Read the rules and stand by them.

I am not going to rant about how much mail we received the two days following mail count. It serves no purpose. It is over; we have to live with what we received.

Here are my results. Our last count two years ago was 51 hours 42 minutes with 394 boxes. My just completed count was 52 hours 4 minutes with 404 boxes.

Those two results show how much the mail has declined the past two years. I am still a 43K. The flats were noticeably down but more parcels, scans. accountable mail, as well as the ten additional boxes, saved me from a loss.

I actually had accumulated the 13 boxes necessary to increase to a 44K before the count, but due to moves and slow home sales, I did not fill vacant homes in the 90 days necessary. I also have two new constructions, but no mailbox up. That is one thing our postmaster has been consistent about over the years, no mailbox, no count.

It is easy after the fact to think a couple more boxes here, a few more flats counted as parcels there and I would be making over $1,000 more this year.

I am telling myself to just be thankful for a good job, good health insurance and hopefully, adequate retirement. What ifs are not worth the stress. I hear rumblings that many carriers on L Routes lost significant evaluation. I feel lucky.

Now maybe we can settle down and enjoy the beautiful spring weather that is finally coming our way

NOTE: Click here and follow the links for a route calculator and here for a Table of Evaluated Hours for Regular Rural Routes.