Welcome to Independent Tribune Skip directly to: our Keyword Search, Section Navigation, Content.

independenttribune.com - Independent Tribune

HomeNewsEntertainmentSportsLifestylesOpinionCommunityWeather Online Tools Jobs | Real Estate | Shopping | Classified

Charlotte-area post offices cut hours

By Steve Lyttle

McClatchy Tribune Wire Service

Published: February 25, 2009

People who use 12 Charlotte-area U.S. Postal Service stations will have to arrive a bit earlier to mail packages and buy stamps, starting next week.

Postal Service officials say they will close the 12 stations at 5 p.m. -- in most cases, 30 minutes earlier than current operating hours -- in an effort to save money.

Offices affected by the change include South Providence, which currently is open until 8 p.m., and the Airport station, now open until 10 p.m.

Signs were posted recently in the windows of the affected stations, alerting customers.

David Fields, director of the Postal Service's Mid-Carolinas district, said the deepening recession is taking a toll.

"Projections are that mail volume for the year will be down by 12 to 15 billion pieces," said Fields, adding that the U.S. Postal Service lost $2.8 billion in 2008. "We are making changes to remain viable."

Fields said overtime and use of temporary employees have been ended, but he said no employee layoffs are taking place.

"We are always evaluating the amount of business in our offices, to make sure we're open the appropriate number of hours," said Enola Rice, a Postal Service spokeswoman. "And we're looking to cut costs, where we can."

Officials of the American Postal Workers Union say the changes will do little to cut costs, because workers have been told their hours will not be cut.

Rice said people can adjust to the shorter hours by using the Automated Postal Center (APC) machines, which are available at a number of Charlotte-area post offices; or by buying postage and handling other mailing business online, as www.usps.com.

"Just about every postal product is available on line," she said. "And nearly all business can be handled at the APC sites."

The stations where closing hours will be changed to 5 p.m., starting Monday:

--Airport: 4800 Express Drive (off Yorkmont Road)

--Ballantyne: 820 Ballantyne Commons Parkway

--Carmel: 6300 Carmel Road

--Downtown: 201 North McDowell Street

--Freedom: 2318 Executive Street

--Mint Hill: 8920 Lawyers Road

--Northeast: 1820 Harris Houston Road

--Oakdale: 1101 Sunset Road

--Park Road: 4117 Park Road

--South Providence: 11035 Golf Links Drive (off Providence Road)

--Starmount: 6241 South Boulevard

--W.T. Harris: 3515 David Cox Road
Here are post offices within 20 miles of uptown Charlotte with Automated Postal Centers:

--Airport: 4800 Express Drive; 7:30 a.m.-10 p.m. weekdays; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. weekends.

--Ballantyne: 8240 Ballantyne Commons Parkway; open at all times.

--Carmel Road: 6300 Carmel Road; 8 a.m.-7 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturdays, closed Sundays.

--Concord: 66 McCachern Boulevard Southeast; open at all times.

--Concord Parkway: 455 Concord Parkway North; open at all times.

--Cornelius: 20311 Chartwell Center Drive; open at all times.

--Harrisburg: 4258 Highway 49 South; open at all times.

--Huntersville: 400 Gilead Road; open at all times.

--Idlewild: 6500 Albemarle Road; open at all times.

--Indian Trail: 210 Postage Way; open at all times.

--Matthews: 301 East John Street; open at all times.

--Mint Hill: 8920 Lawyers Road; open at all times.

--Park Road: 4117 Park Road; open at all times.

--South Providence: 11035 Golf Links Drive; open 24 hours Mondays through Fridays; closed weekends.

--Uptown: 201 North McDowell Street; 6 a.m.-6 p.m. weekdays; 6 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturdays; closed Sundays.

--W.T. Harris: 3501 David Cox Road; open 24 hours, but closed Sundays.