Times staff now direct dropping newspapers at West Plains PO
Subscribers of the Ozark County Times with addresses in West Plains, Pottersville and Moody should see better newspaper delivery service in the coming weeks, now that Times staff members are direct dropping subscribers’ newspapers there.
The process involves driving those subscribers’ newspapers to West Plains and submitting them directly to the post office there, which allows them to be distributed locally without being sent to another USPS sorting facility.
The direct drop at West Plains began with last week’s edition. Before that, those newspapers were mailed from the Gainesville post office.
The USPS then sends the newspapers to various sorting facilities before they are supposed to make their way back to West Plains to be distributed; however, multiple subscribers reported not receiving their newspapers on a regular basis, despite postage being paid and the papers mailed out from Gainesville. The Times hopes this remedy will help its newspapers get to the dedicated subscribers who have paid for them. We appreciate subscribers being patient as the Times and other newspapers across the country continually face issues with delivery service.
The Ozark County Times began direct dropping newspapers to area post offices several years ago, after delivery service through the post office began to decline and dedicated subscribers failed to receive newspapers that they paid for - and that the Times paid to mail out.
Despite only having a staff of three full-time employees and a couple part-time workers, every Wednesday the Times drives newspapers to seven area post offices in outlying towns to help ensure our subscribers receive their papers. Direct drop locations include:
• Theodosia: which distributes papers to Theodosia, Isabella, Thornfield and Protem addresses.
• Caulfield: which distributes papers to Bakersfield, Udall and Caulfield addresses.
• Ava: which distributes papers to Ava, Wasola, Noble and Squires addresses.
• Mountain Home, Arkansas: which delivers papers to Mountain Home and Clarkridge, Arkansas, addresses.
• Gainesville: which distributes papers to Rockbridge, Brixey, Hardenville, Pontiac, Tecumseh, Zanoni, Gainesville and other local addresses.
• Dora: which distributes papers to Dora addresses.
Out of area newspapers are dropped off at the Gainesville post office, where they are then sent to Springfield and other facilities before making their way to post offices in the delivery areas. Unfortunately, based on calls from out-of-state subscribers and in other areas, even though the Times has mailed the editions, they do not always make them to their destination.
Ever-rising postage costs and declining mail delivery service of periodicals has been a thorn in the side of newspapers across the country, many who are battling to keep their heads above water. The Missouri Press Association and the National Newspaper Association have been strongly advocating for major changes within the postal service including supporting legislation aimed at doing just that.
The post office is currently planning to roll out another round of price increases on July 13, which includes a 5-cent increase in the price of first-class forever stamps, bringing them to 78 cents a piece. The cost to mail out periodicals is estimated to cost nearly 10 percent more. The Postal Regulatory Commission will review the changes before they are scheduled to take effect.