Why Americans Can Expect Delays In Getting Mail Delivery
A plan under Postmaster General Louis DeJoy will reportedly slow down the delivery time of mail over 10 years. The slower delivery time will be implemented as of this weekend and customers may be able to notice effects immediately.
The plan does concern postal workers and brings up the question of what the real motive is for the plan. The slowdown is said to make delivery more accurate and will affect about 30 percent of the total mail delivered, mostly for mail traveling longer distances.
“These new service standards will increase delivery reliability, consistency, and efficiency for our customers and across our network,” said Kim Frum, USPS spokesperson, in a written statement to NBC News.
"Standards for single-piece First-Class Mail traveling within a local area will continue to be two days. The Postal Service will increase time‐in‐transit standards by 1 or 2 days for certain mail that are traveling long distances.”
Customers have already complained about slower mail, especially when it comes to receiving mailed medication, paychecks or mail being delivered to rural communities.
DeJoy insists on more mail being delivered by truck despite not enough truck drivers to deliver the mail. Mail will build up in surface transportation centers because there is no one to deliver it, according to Kimberly Karol president of the Iowa Postal Workers Union.
There are also problems with being able to accurately track mail when the mail is being held so long by the centers.
“We may accept the mail at the counter at a post office, but then when we send it to the surface centers, the mail can’t be tracked. They hold it, sometimes for days. It looks like the postal service is holding that mail, but the mail is not even in our hands. It’s very hard for customers to track their mail," Karol said.
The changes that DeJoy is insisting on seem to only be making things worse, which is why many postal workers are concerned and confused as to why these changes have been implemented.
“This is a step backward for the Postal Service and for millions across the country who rely on speedy mail service. The union remains convinced that the service standard changes will only drive away mail volume and much-needed postal revenue,” American Postal Workers Union told NBC News in a written statement.
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