The U.S. Postal Service recently made the decision to shift the majority of mail in Montana from air to ground transport, but the CEO of Alpine Air, Michael Dancy, claims that this decision was based on inaccurate data.
In a report by the Daily Montanan, Dancy expressed doubts about the Postal Service’s ability to meet delivery standards for one- or two-day mail in Montana.
Despite having a longstanding partnership with Alpine Air in Montana, the Postal Service spokesperson, Kim Frum, reiterated that the agency is not changing Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express in the state.
There has been controversy surrounding the Postal Service’s financial struggles and restructuring efforts in Montana. Both U.S. Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines have criticized the agency for its decisions impacting rural America.
Alpine Air has questioned the reliability of ground transportation, especially during harsh winter conditions in Montana. Dancy highlighted Alpine Air’s on-time performance rate of 99% compared to the Postal Service’s data on air transport.
Tester recently secured provisions for rural postal service in the appropriations package, directing the Postal Service to provide a briefing on the end of air service contracts affecting priority mail in Montana.
Despite the Postal Service’s plans to improve service quality, Dancy remains skeptical about the feasibility of one- or two-day mail delivery in a state as vast as Montana.
Daily Montanan is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network. Contact Editor Darrell Ehrlick for questions: info@dailymontanan.com.
