By The Washington Post

Published: Monday, January 7, 2013, 8:02 p.m.
Updated: Monday, January 7, 2013

WASHINGTON — As members of Congress pledged to revive legislation to save the financially ailing Postal Service, a Washington think tank announced it will conduct an independent study of how the quasi-government agency could cede much of its operation to private companies.

The review by the nonprofit National Academy of Public Administration will analyze the benefits of restoring the agency's financial health by using a “hybrid” model, which would farm out to the private sector postal operations other than the last delivery mile. A letter carrier would still drive or walk, dropping letters and packages in mailboxes.

The study is likely to bring more attention to a public-private model as a viable substitute for the Postal Service's structure, which relies on a unionized work force of more than 650,000 employees to sort, package, transport and deliver the mail.

There are currently no comments for this story.

1. House cuts $2B from food stamps
2. ‘Sopranos’ star Gandolfini dies at age 51
3. 3 shot to death in Ky. condominium
4. House panel votes to end No Child Left Behind
5. Commission likes Ike monument proposal
6. Deal could prevent doubling of student loan rates
7. 3rd GOP senator backs gay marriage
8. IRS plans bonus payouts as Tea Party rallies in D.C.
9. FBI: Drones in use in U.S.
10. Fed suggests it’s closer to slowing bond purchases
11. HPV vaccine pays quick dividends

Subscribe today! Click here for our subscription offers.