John Carr: Post switching to mail delivery next week
Published 12:05 am Thursday, March 2, 2023
On Tuesday, March 7, the Salisbury Post will begin using the U.S. Postal Service for delivery of the paper to subscribers.
We know this is big change, and while some will welcome it, others will have questions. We hope all our readers will understand that it is the best option we could find for helping ensure consistent delivery service on all routes and keeping subscription rates affordable.
A few of the most commonly asked questions:
• Will my subscription rate go up? No. Holding subscription and advertising rates in check is one of the main reasons for the change.
• Will I still get the paper on the same days? Yes. We have a special permit with the post office to provide same-day delivery. Subscribers will actually get Sunday’s paper early, with their Saturday mail. If you do not get your paper on schedule please contact our circulation department.
• Will I get the paper with my regular mail? Yes. As a bonus your paper will be in the mail box, tube or slot, giving it much better weather, theft and protection from misplacement.
Consistent service across all routes is one of the two main reasons for this change. While we have been delivering paper for over 100 years, our focus is still on on producing and preparing the news. We cannot hope to match the resources and expertise of the post office in delivery. Most of our routes have had reliable, accurate and dedicated carriers. Many have been with us for years. Unfortunately, a few routes were not so stable, and the subscribers in those areas can tell stories of missed delivery, wet papers and inaccurate placement, and frequent visits to the office to get a replacement paper.
Those routes have had turnover, and recruiting a new carrier when a route comes open is especially difficult these days, as any local business person can attest. Imagine finding candidates willing to work three days a week, from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. Newspaper carriers are a special breed, and we are blessed in that most of our carriers are very good, but you can imagine it is next to impossible to recruit new ones when we do have a vacant route.
The other big reason is expense savings. More efficient, affordable delivery will strengthen our newsroom, which is smaller than it once was but larger than most comparable papers. We know our local coverage is the main thing readers look for, so this is always a priority.
It also helps us hold down price increases both for subscribers and advertisers. Imagine driving thousands of miles three days a week and how fuel cost alone has changed. In addition, printing costs and pretty much everything else has increased, just as it has for you. We do not want your subscription to be one to be one more thing that is increasing.
We express our thanks and gratitude, both to our great group of solid carriers, and to the loyal subscribers, of whom we have many. Especially those who have been on the few snakebit routes. We are well aware of how frustrating it was at times, and cannot thank you enough for reading the Post.
If you experience problems, please notify our circulation department by emailing circulation@salisburypost.com for fastest service, or you can call 704-797-4213.
John Carr is publisher of the Post.
