Sunday, August 31, 1997

Postal Processing Center worker delivers

By BRIAN BETHEL / Abilene Reporter-News

Millions of pieces of mail come through Abilene each year, and Ron Peoples sees a lot of them.

Chances are if you receive magazines and newspapers through the mail, both in Abilene and its surrounding rural communities, they've come through Peoples' skillful hands before they get to you.

Night after night, Peoples and others like him at the U.S. Postal Service's mail processing center off U.S. Interstate 20 make sure your parcels and letters arrive on time.

"You do have to work hard," he said. "But it's a good job."

You know you're in the presence of a mail-sorting master when you watch Peoples expertly toss mail into the row upon row of waiting bags --and hit each perfectly.

This prompts the question: Does he ever miss?

"We don't miss," he said, grinning broadly. "Well, it's rare."

The array of items that comes through his section is impressive. Among the stacks and piles are popular magazines, compact discs sent by mail-order companies, books and any number of other small items.

His overnight shift --4:30 a.m. is generally zero hour for outgoing items --admittedly means he's had to make some necessary adjustments in his life.

"It has its pros and cons," he said. "I get to see my kids play their sports, and we always have one parent at the house, so there's never been a need for baby sitters. It's good family-wise."

But adjusting sleeping and eating habits is something that does take some getting used to, he said.

Peoples, 49, has been working for the U.S. Post Office since 1983. Time goes quickly on his shift, something he likes, he said.

"Most of the physical work at the post office is done at night," he said. "So, a person getting a job here will generally work the graveyard shift. What we do is pretty essential to the rest of the operation."

He's been working at his current position for about a year and a half, he said.

In this job accuracy is important, and there's no room for error, Peoples said.

"You get it done right the first time," he said. "Otherwise, it'll just come back to you, and you'll have to handle it all over again."

Traffic has been pretty heavy at the postal processing center because the United Parcel Service strike affected mail service, he said.

But even that was worthwhile.

"First of all, it's more revenue in our pocket," he said. "And it's been a good challenge."

Abilene's postal service is the envy of much larger operations, Peoples said. And he's happy to be a part of it.

"We're pretty proud of our record," he said. "It speaks for itself."