David Benton wrote:A study a few years ago , by the GAO(?), found the USPS could save a few million by using rail more. I don't think Amtrak was specifically mentioned, possibly they were thinking more along the lines of piggyback trailers on Freight.
It was actually the USPS Office of the Inspector General (OIG), an independent agency separate from the USPS but tasked with monitoring the USPS's operation. I think they generally don't have actual oversight but can make recommendations (sort of like the NTSB does for the FAA and FRA).
The report is at
https://www.uspsoig.gov/document/strate ... -mail-rail" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The report was published back in 2012 and AFAICT nothing has been done as a result of it.
ExCon90 wrote:The freight railroads haul trainloads of other than first-class mail, which is loaded into trailers at mostly outlying facilities with excellent highway access and trucked to the railroad's intermodal terminal.
I would love to see confirmation of this, because I have found zero info anywhere about any large-scale, consistent use of intermodal by the USPS. AFAICT, all long-distance haulage of surface mail is done by HCR (Highway Contract Route). It's been mentioned that some carriers (JB Hunt, etc.) will bid on a HCR and then actually put their trailer on a train (TOFC), but the USPS itself doesn't directly use intermodal in most cases. I'd be fascinated to learn if I'm wrong, though.