Holiday mailing rush in full swing
By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser Staff Writer
It was looking a lot like Christmas at the post office at Ala Moana Center yesterday, with as many as 50 people in line sending off boxes, letters and cards on what is traditionally the busiest mailing day of the year.
Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser
"It's very, very, very, very busy over here," said Duke Gonzales, U.S. Postal Service Hawai'i public affairs and communications specialist. "We're definitely seeing the holiday rush here at Ala Moana."
Eugene and Elaine Yoshimi skipped long lines by using the new Automated Postal Center at the airport post office yesterday.
Still, everything was going relatively smoothly, he said.
Ala Moana postal supervisor Bo Mahoe, a veteran of holidays past, sized it up as another busy day in the hectic holiday season. "It's just been steady," he said.
Gonzales said this looks to be a busy mailing year, judging by the volume of mail passing through the main post office at the airport. He estimated that 1 million pieces of mail were processed there yesterday alone.
By mid-morning, the main post office at the airport had been bustling for hours but the lines were moving quickly.
Elaine and Eugene Yoshimi of Salt Lake got out of the post office in minutes with the help of the new Automated Postal Center, which allows customers to weigh and mail letters and packages and buy stamps without having to stand in line.
Usually, the Yoshimis plan ahead.
"This is the first time I'm getting caught in the last-minute mailing-out," Elaine Yoshimi said.
"It came too fast," added Eugene Yoshimi.
Honolulu postmaster Frank Santos added the human touch by helping the Yoshimis learn how to use the machine. They needed the help because they had underestimated the postage. Now, they're sold on the technology.
"It's terrific," said Elaine Yoshimi.
She said it reminded her of the automated teller machines that banks use. People were leery when the teller machines were first introduced but eventually embraced the technology.
Santos said the airport machines got good use last week, racking up nearly $8,000 worth of postage sold on Saturday alone. He suspects that last Thursday or Saturday may work out to be the busiest mailing days for the airport but he won't know until the week wraps up.
Air Force Staff Sgt. Jason Magnuson said his mailing habits this year matched those of other seasons: "I'm just as late."
He said the shorter lines helped speed the process, although he knows his delays come with a price. "It costs me more every year," he said.
Since the last recommended days for mailing passed last week, workers offer encouragement but few guarantees.
One tip: Express mail. It costs more — mailing a two-pound package costs $5.75 priority mail and $17.55 by express — but improves the chance for a Christmas delivery.
It does that in two ways, said customer affairs manager Lynne Moore: by the specialized handling and because Express Mail even gets delivered on Christmas, buying an additional day for procrastinators everywhere.
Reach Robbie Dingeman at rdingeman@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2429.
