Last year, the USPS lost $2.8 billion. Currently, mail volume is down more than 9 percent, and with no economic recovery expected in 2009, the postal service projects volume for the year will be down by 12 to 15 billion pieces of mail.

That's why across the nation post offices have to find many ways to cut back, and so far they've avoided layoffs. But the cuts are affecting workers and causing more inconvenience for USPS customers.

Starting Monday, all post offices will close at 5 p.m. Many post offices in Charlotte keep late hours, some open until 10 p.m., and employees and customers alike said the change be a real inconvenience.

James Cihlar uses the post office on Express Drive in west Charlotte, and he said he relies on the convenience of the late hours.

“For me, I need it to be accessible and convenient," he said.

Some customers, who usually go after work, said they'll have to change their daytime schedule just to get to the post office by 5 p.m.

"I’d have to plan more time to do it. I can't just do it on my way home,” said Drew Schuman.

"It will be an inconvenience for me because of my work schedule and working two jobs," Cihlar said.

USPS spokeswoman Enola Rice released a written statement that said, "We are making changes in order to remain viable. We continuously evaluate work hours, delivery routes and retail hours of operation."

Leroy Moyer with the American Postal Workers Union said cutting post office hours will not save money on the staffing side.

"This does not make sense," he said. “We're doing a disservice to our customers here in Charlotte by reducing these hours across the board. All but five clerks associated with all these offices will remain at the offices they're at and have their hours adjusted."

The post office on Express Drive near the airport makes more than $1,100 between the hours of 5 and 10 p.m. On Monday when it closes at 5 p.m., employees said that's revenue it'll miss out on, revenue that adds up to more than $250,000 for an entire year just for the Express Drive location.

"But it's just not the revenue. There are certain things in this country people expect. They expect their mail to be on time. They expect to mail a package and they expect to go to a post office when it should be open,” Moyer said.

Customers said they'll try coping with the shortened hours by taking care of some postal needs online, but it's that face to face interaction that they're used to and don't want to do without.

Earlier this year, the postmaster general talked about the idea of cutting back the number of days for delivery from six to five. But Rice said that is considered a last resort and that move would have to be approved by Congress.

Also, the price of stamps will go up 2 cents, to 44 cents, in May.