Postal Service struggles with record demands as Christmas draws near
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First it was the election and questions about whether the Post Office could be relied upon to deliver millions of mail-in ballots.
Now, barely six weeks later, an unprecedented uptick in packages from online shoppers and staff shortages exacerbated by a rash of covid-19 outbreaks are combining to strain the U.S. Postal Service to its limits.
Postal Service officials here were hesitant to comment on reports of delivery backlogs across the country as consumers anxiously awaited the delivery of packages in time for Christmas.
“We continue to work diligently, including delivering on Sundays (since Thanksgiving), early mornings and early evenings and remain focused on delivering for the holidays and for our valued customers,” said Tad Kelley, U.S. Postal Service spokesman for Western Pennsylvania.
Further east, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported Postal Service workers in the region said they faced significant backlogs in package delivery, with thousands of boxes piled up in processing facilities for weeks.
Holiday spikes are a part of life for the Postal Service. In ordinary years, it’s not uncommon for mail and package volume to triple in Western Pennsylvania during the holiday season. Other factors have added to the crush this year.
As online shopping surged during the pandemic, Kelley said the Western Pennsylvania district, which spans from Erie to Wheeling, W.Va., and from the Ohio border to State College, saw a 10% increase in packages. When private shippers, such as UPS, set limits on some of their commercial customers, those customers looked to the Postal Service to pick up the slack.
At the same time, covid-19 outbreaks led to staff shortages in various spots across the country.
Kelley said the Postal Service here has indeed experienced such issues but is adjusting its network to work through the holiday rush.
Anticipating a greater than usual rush, Postal Service officials encouraged customers to mail early. Dec. 18 was the deadline to mail regular cards and packages for Christmas delivery. Wednesday is the last day for Priority Mail Service with guaranteed delivery for Christmas.