Why usps takes so long

But the Postal Regulatory Commission PRC , the federal regulator that oversees the USPS, earlier this year questioned if the postal service's plan to slow delivery standards would save money.

Mail, which is not a formula for long-term financial health and stability," said Christopher W. Shaw, the author of the forthcoming book "First Class: The U. Postal Service, Democracy and the Corporate Threat," in an emailed statement. On Friday, a bipartisan group of 40 lawmakers asked Postmaster DeJoy for more information about the consolidation of 18 mail-processing facilities, part of his year plan. In the October 1 letter, the lawmakers raise concerns about whether closing the facilities would "further degrade mail service heading into the busy holiday season," as well as lead to job losses.

Among the regions that will feel the greatest impact are Western states like California and Nevada, as well as Florida, according to a Washington Post analysis of the USPS delivery changes earlier this year. Other pockets across the nation will also suffer from slower delivery times, according to an analysis from Steve Hutkins, a retired New York University professor who runs a blog called Save the Post Office. Check your inbox for a welcome email. Email required. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Notice and European users agree to the data transfer policy.

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Why Biden has disappointed on immigration By German Lopez. Hating work is having a moment By Rani Molla. In October , the US Postal Service agreed to reverse all of the slowdowns and to prioritize election-related mail. The Postal Service projects that the number of packages will increase significantly over the next few years, driven by online shopping.

Individuals and businesses will face longer delivery times for both outgoing and incoming mail that needs to travel by postal truck for farther distances. So the changes will especially impact people sending letters or packages from coast to coast -- and also to and from Alaska and Hawaii, as well as to and from Puerto Rico and US territories that rely on air transportation. Delays in first-class mail could also affect customers unevenly depending on the ZIP code.

According to The Washington Post, the plan will disproportionately affect Western states and parts of Texas and Florida , for example. Also, rural communities, low-income families and seniors tend to depend more on the Postal Service. Mail delays are a burden for those who risk fees or penalties for late rent checks or bills. They're also worrisome for those waiting for payments or important documents to arrive by post.

We recommend you give yourself a healthy window to send important documents or confirm that mail sent by a specific post date will be accepted by your recipient. Delivery lags could even be a matter of life and death for some people who depend on a mail-order medication system.

Already during the pandemic, many people opting to receive prescriptions at home have faced problems receiving their life-saving medicine on time through the Postal Service. When DeJoy unveiled his year plan in March, he said , "The Postal Service's problems are serious … but they can be solved," while later acknowledging that there will be some "uncomfortable changes.

He's been under fire by Democratic lawmakers who accuse him of undermining and degrading service. He was also accused of intentionally slowing down mail ahead of the November presidential elections -- an allegation DeJoy has denied. The Justice Department is also investigating DeJoy over alleged campaign finance abuses. And ethics watchdogs have recently exposed his continued financial ties to a major logistics contractor, XPO Logistics.

Independent postal experts and other critics wonder why the agency would opt to slow down mail when it's already struggling to deliver mail on time. The Postal Regulatory Commission issued an advisory opinion on July 20 that found that the estimated annual cost savings for the Postal Service's proposed service standard changes won't, in fact, lead to "much improvement" of the agency's current deficit woes.

The commission also expressed worry that the Postal Service did not do any "operational or pilot testing" for the proposed changes. A Postal Service representative said that customers can still use Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail services with a one- to three-day standard to ship letters, larger envelopes or packages within the contiguous United States. Click here to view sample tracking numbers by mail service. Enter up to 35 tracking numbers separated by commas and click 'Track.

If there is no status available or the information has not changed since the last time you viewed it, check back regularly as information is updated periodically throughout the day. If you have questions about the status of your mailpiece, you may contact us. If you were notified by a shipper that they have sent out a package and believe it has been delayed or possibly lost, contact the mailer of the item and request them to:. If you are experiencing a delay in receiving magazines or periodicals, please contact the publisher of the magazine to ensure they have your correct information and the subscription has not expired.

Often there are identifying marks on an envelope that pinpoint the cause of a delay. Go to USPS. Sign In. FAQs Home.