USPS claiming exceptional service during busiest week, will request rate hike

With a week remaining before Christmas Day, the U. S. Postal Service reports exceptional service performance during the peak holiday rush and expects continued success throughout the season.

Through the substantial progress the Postal Service has made under its 10-year Delivering for America plan — a $40 billion investment aimed at modernizing and reinvigorating the organization — USPS has met the challenge of the year’s peak surge in mail and package volume with expanded processing capabilities, optimized transportation strategies, enhanced operational precision and the dedication of more than 640,000 employees nationwide, the service said in a press release. Currently, 98 percent of the nation’s population receives their mail and packages in an average of 2.6 days.

“We are committed to delivering exceptional service throughout the peak holiday season and beyond,” said Postmaster General and CEO Louis DeJoy. “Thanks in large part to the investments and strategies identified in our Delivering for America plan, I have complete confidence that we will continue to fulfill our goal to make a peak season day like any other day — just more.”

In addition to implementing Delivering for America strategies and initiatives aimed at building operational excellence, financial stability, and a sustainable future all year, the Postal Service has leveraged key investments to ensure dependable, timely service ahead of the peak holiday season:

• The Postal Service has committed $17.3 billion to the redesign and improvement of its processing and delivery networks. It has added 83 new sorting and delivery centers across the country that serve as centralized hubs that expand the geographic reach and speed of mail and package delivery.

• The Postal Service has deployed 506 new package conveyor systems since 2021 — 158 of which were added since last year’s peak season. This dramatically boosted its package processing capacity from 47 million to 77 million packages per day.

•  The crucial realignment of its transportation infrastructure has allowed USPS to shift volumes from costly air transport to more efficient surface routes. The vast majority — more than 95 percent — of First-Class Mail and packages are moved via ground transportation, resulting in fewer empty trucks, reduced costs and faster delivery times.

• The Postal Service is revitalizing its network of 32,000 Post Offices and has equipped more than 50 sorting and delivery centers with the latest technology to optimize the customer experience and expedite transactions. These modern retail locations feature rapid parcel drop-off stations, smart parcel lockers and multi-functional self-service kiosks to meet customer mailing and package needs.

•  This holiday season will also mark the initial release of the brand-new next generation delivery vehicles, which will be on select roads and routes this winter. Additionally, this holiday season, there will be more than 27,000 new USPS vehicles on the road with more than 500 being battery-electric vehicles.

• The Postal Service added 7,500 seasonal employees to help its workforce with the expected increase in shipping volume during the holidays.

In other news, the USPS filed notice with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) for Shipping Services price changes to take effect Jan. 19, 2025. The proposed adjustments were approved by the Governors of the USPS this week. The change would raise Shipping Services prices approximately 3.2 percent for Priority Mail service and Priority Mail Express service, 3.9 percent for USPS Ground Advantage and 9.2 percent for Parcel Select.

Although mailing services price increases are based on the consumer price index, Shipping Services prices are primarily adjusted according to market conditions. The governors believe these new rates will keep the Postal Service competitive while providing the agency with needed revenue. As we previously announced, the Postal Service will not be raising prices in January for our mailing services.