Times are changing

TYLER-Like many businesses, the United States Postal Service is going through some rough times. The post office wants to cut back delivery service to five days a week. That means the end of Saturday delivery, which includes Saturday pickup from mailboxes as well. And that's not the only thing that could be on the way.

Major changes for an american institution are now underway. Facing close to a $4 billion shortfall last year alone, the postmaster general says it's a matter of survival.

"We want to make sure that we have a viable postal service for them in 2020 and yes there are going to have to be some adjustments made," Postmaster General, Jack Potter, said.

Under the proposal, post offices would remain open on Saturdays, but there would be not street delivery or collections.

The switch from six to five delivery days would start early next year. And this switch alone would save billions.

"As Americans use of the mail changes, we believe so too should the service that we provide," Potter said.

As postal executives see it, that's the fairest and least painful way to avoid charging customers an arm and a leg to mail things off.

But the idea still faces stiff opposition in Congress, who by-the-way has nixed the idea in the past. And if its in fact nixed again, guarantee that another round of rate increases would inevitably lead to further volume declines and even deeper service cuts. Many local branches would be shut down, meaning a longer line at the offices that survive. And things like overnight delivery, would become a distant memory.

The Postal Regulatory Commission has 90 days to make a ruling. And many are upset that they will be paying more for fewer services.