Two hours of weekday counter service were eliminated.
Here’s a development that seems to be about as popular as junk mail.
Earlier this month, the main Red Bank post office on Broad Street shaved two hours from its weekday-morning window service. Instead of opening at 8a, it now starts conducting business at 10.
The window still closes at 7p on weekdays, and is open from 8a to 2p on Saturdays.
Darleen Reid-De Meo, a postal service spokeswoman, tells redbankgreen the change is part of a general trend in which offices are modifying their hours to accommodate the lifestyles of consumers. It also reflects the availability of stamps and other materials from lobby machines and other sources, she says.
redbankgreen asked one of the clerks if customers are complaining. “Oh, yeah,” said the clerk. “Lots.”
The newish local postmaster, whose name we have been unable to learn, “would like to get it least moved to 9,” the clerk said, of the opening time. But officials at the postal service “don’t care. They’ll tell you to go buy a stamp at Foodtown.”
Indeed, the notice shown above (click to enlarge) that’s posted near the front door touts the availability of stamps at supermarkets, ATM machines, online and by phone.
Vin Faiella, owner of Red Bank Surplus on Wallace Street, doesn’t like the change.
“It’s stupid,” he says.
“They’re still in there at 7,” he says of the postal workers’ start time. “But now, instead of going to the post office before I open, I have to shut my store down to go to the post office.
“People have to work. It’s ridiculous,” he says.
In May, the Fair Haven post office, which is a substation of the Red Bank facility, started closing its counter at 4p instead of 5. The Westboro branch also altered its hours in May, says Reid-De Meo.
The U.S. Postal Service website gives the Westboro branch hours as 8:30a to 5p weekdays.
"Availability of of stamps and other materials from lobby machines"? Maybe I just missed them, but when I was at the P.O. on Monday morning at 9:15, I didn't see any stamp machines. And I was looking for them. When did they get removed? And why?
Let's see, the postal service tells Red Bank to take it's business elsewhere after Red Bank tells them to park in Oceanport. Sounds fair to me.
I wouldn't have a problem with this if the RB post office had an Automated Postal Center (APC). But it doesn't. For an example of one, check out the Middletown Post Office on Rt. 35 North. An APC does nearly everything a clerk can. Can anyone hear, goodbye clerks?
Red Bank had an APC….nobody used it, so it was removed.
Check into getting stamps by mail or fax. Go to usps.com. You won't even have to leave your house.
I wouldn't PO the PO if I were u guys. Sure, you could buy stamps wherever, but you still need someone to bring it to your house, or put it in your PO Box. I guess it takes them 2 extra hours to find parking now. I hope those residents with the private parking are happy.
The postal service (notice the word service) was started by Ben franklin as a SERVICE to America. Back in 1984 the requirement of having to be a citizen was done away with. In came an influx of people from 3rd world countries, the service suffered because these people were given the test in Their own Language, there were promoted even though they did not qualify for management positions(1985 law suit Hispanics vs Postal Service)to fill the verdict of the law suit they promoted unqualified non english speaking people to supervisors. Well with these people came their third world tactis, (ie it my way or the high way) now enters the term GOING POSTAL. tHE POSTAL SERVICE WAS TURNING A PROFIT FROM THE LATE 1970'S and the Postal board of governers said these SUPERVISOR are doing a great job, so lets give them some INSENTIVE BONUSES if you can make your carrier carry more mail than humanly possibe you get a bigger bonus check. All of the postal employees civil rights were violated and nobody did anything about it ,except GO POSTAL. They tried to turn a public service into a profit machine. Can you imageng if the police dept was turned into a profit machine, they would pull you over and give you a ticket for nothing. Well thats what they did in the postal service and now it is going bankrupt. Congress used to borrow money from the postal service for its need now they (the postal service) lost 214 million last month alone( see postal reporter.com)At this rate they will lose 2.5 billion in the next year. The postal service is run(which was set up this wayNOT FOR PROFIT)that 80% of all revenue goes for salary and wages, 20% for operating costs. The bad MANAGEMENT from top to bottom has destroyed a once American Icon. It is doomed and by 2012 it will be private and your mail will no longer be placed in your mail box some guy in a station wagon will ride down the street and throw it on your lawn. All this thanks to RONALD REAGAN. Now think about it can you talk to your mailman or has he given you his standard line I DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH. Or broken english at best. I have seen it all in my 34 years as a mailman. Oh yea just to let you know when it does become private it will cost a dollar to mail a letter just like in Englang and Japan. The service will be worst than it is now and I know how bad it is. I love America I just wish people like my ansesters who came from Spain and Ireland would love it too. It used to be the American Dream they turned it into the American Scheme.
Want service go to WallyWorld
Time to fire Jackass Potter
The US post office is a monopoly…and until recently a service to the community. Now with its "hip botique hours", it is a complete waste of building space in Red Bank. We may as well shut it down and rent it out to another restaurant!
If the post office doesn't want to be open to serve the population why dont they just close. Better yet lets gets some private industry involved…competition that is what these self important bureaucrats need.
Hard to imagine private industry providing a service to deliver a letter anywhere in the country for $0.42. Or delivering all that junk mail, which is the real cash cow for the USPS.
I suppose for some it's a waste of building space, but I go into that building more than all the other buildings on Broad combined.
I never used the stamp-o-mat because the staff there is friendly and helpful and can sell you exactly the number of stamps you want, but now that the P.O. doesn't open until 10:00, I could see my self using the machines more often. And now there are no machines. Drat!
If any of you know people in the condos just north of Whole Foods in Middletown, ask them what they think of their privitized mail service. They are not happy
WOW!! I cant believe anyone as ignorant as GG actually exists!! LOL
When you control the mail…you control……INFORMATION!
Today I noticed signs up saying that the Westboro (and Fair Haven) post offices will be opening a half hour later at 9:00.
I have had a business in Red Bank for almost 18 years and the decision to open up at 10am is idiotic. Even the postal workers there didn't want this. It used to be that I could get all of my postal business done before I would open up, but now I have to try to get there before they close at 7pm. Whomever thought of this should be fired.