Larsen Disappointed by USPS Proposal for Shaw Island Post Office, Asks for Answers About Post Offices on Islands Accessible Only by Ferry

Press Release

Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, pressed the U.S. Postal Service for answers to his questions regarding a proposal to limit the Shaw Island Post Office's operations to four hours per day. Larsen also called on USPS once again to designate the island's post office as Part-Time, which would allow the office to remain open six hours per day and to be staffed by a postmaster.

Larsen initially made these requests to the USPS Postmaster General in August after hearing concerns from Shaw Island residents. Larsen received a response indicating that USPS planned to cut the Shaw Island Post Office hours to four per day starting on October 6, but without clear answers about how USPS decides hours of operations for post offices located on islands accessible only by ferry.

The full text of Larsen's letter is below.

October 1, 2014

The Honorable Patrick R. Donahoe

Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer

United States Postal Service

475 L'Enfant Plaza SW

Washington, D.C. 20260-0010

Dear Mr. Postmaster General:

I received your letter dated September 18 in response to my August 7 inquiry regarding the Shaw Island Post Office in Washington state. While I appreciate your response, it did not answer the questions I raised. I once again urge you to reconsider your proposal to reduce hours at Shaw Island to four hours per day starting October 6.

As noted in my previous correspondence, in October of 2012, your representative explained to my staff through official correspondence that under the Post Plan, the USPS operations team had determined that offices "that are on islands and have limited transportation services to the mainland…will have their retail hours adjusted to being open 6 hours per day." While your response to my most recent inquiry asserts that "the ferry schedule shows frequent trips to and from the island daily," a multi-hour, costly ferry trip meets any commonsense definition of limited. Furthermore, the multi-hour commitment of ferry travel parallels the accessibility challenges communities located more than 25 miles from the nearest alternative post office face. These are circumstances that the Post Plan deems worthy of keeping offices open six hours per day under Part-Time Post Office status.

I am also concerned about USPS's ability to staff this office at such significantly reduced hours given the low wage and the possibility that this employee would have to travel from another island to work.

In light of these issues, I request an official response to the following questions:

1. What standard does USPS use to compare the significant time and cost of ferry travel to the 25-mile driving threshold established under the Post Plan?

2. How does USPS determine that Shaw Island differs from islands off the coast of Maine such as Long Island, Ilesboro, and Chebeague, which have ferry service similar to Shaw Island and were maintained at six hours of operation and Part-Time Post Office status?

I look forward to working with you to understand the unique circumstances on Shaw Island. As always, I will continue to work with my colleagues to pass legislation that restores the Postal Service's financial stability while maintaining high quality service for my constituents in Washington state. Thank you for your assistance with this matter.

Sincerely,

Rick Larsen

United States Congressman

Washington State, 2nd District

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