Show-Me State Times

U.S. Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri has reached out to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, urging him to reconsider the Postal Service's proposed Regional Transportation Optimization (RTO) plan. The appeal follows an advisory opinion from the Postal Regulatory Commission, which indicated that the RTO could lead to further delays in mail delivery for rural communities.

In his letter, Senator Hawley emphasized the potential negative impact on rural Americans who rely heavily on postal services. He stated, "I urge you to halt implementation of this plan for the sake of rural Americans who depend on the mail and in accordance with the Post Office’s mission to serve all Americans." Hawley expressed concern that these changes would particularly affect residents in his home state of Missouri.

Senator Hawley has been a vocal advocate for reliable mail delivery in rural areas. He recently addressed this issue during a Senate hearing with Postmaster General DeJoy before the RTO proposal was officially released. Additionally, he introduced legislation known as the Rural Post Office Reconstruction Act, aimed at ensuring timely reopening of rural post offices affected by natural disasters or other unforeseen events.

The advisory opinion issued by the Postal Regulatory Commission criticized the RTO plan for being based on speculative cost savings and efficiency improvements. It noted that these proposed changes could significantly degrade service in rural areas across America. The commission recommended reconsideration of whether any potential gains justified a decline in service quality.

In December testimony before a Senate committee, DeJoy suggested he might proceed with implementing the RTO plan despite opposition from the commission. In response, Senator Hawley reiterated his stance that all Americans deserve dependable postal services and asked several pointed questions regarding how DeJoy plans to address concerns raised by both regulators and citizens.

Senator Hawley's inquiries included whether any recommendations from the Regulatory Commission would be adopted and what specific measures would be taken to prevent negative impacts on rural communities.