Ask Randy: COVID-19 Impacts on USPS

Randy Weiler, SPC’s Director of Postal Affairs and Logistics, is here to help you navigate the labyrinth of the USPS. What does it take to efficiently move your projects through the USPS system? What efficiencies can you gain from SPC’s lettershop expertise? Who determines postal increases?

Every month, Randy fields your burning questions about mail and postal affairs in a Q&A format. You can email him at askrandy@specialtyprintcomm.com or post a question via Facebook or Twitter using the hashtag #AskRandyUSPS. We post the questions and his answers each month both here on the SPC blog and on social media. To see a full list of questions that Randy has answered, check the Ask Randy Index.

1) How has the pandemic affected delivery times of mail?

Across all mail classes we are seeing 1-2 days longer for mail to arrive in home. This can be very regional, as certain USPS facilities may be running at reduced capacity or even closed with mail being redirected to alternative processing facilities due to active Covid-19 cases.

2) How has this world-wide pandemic affected the USPS financially?

The USPS has been dramatically impacted financially by the Coronavirus pandemic. Mail volumes are off 30-35%. This has prompted some news articles suggesting that the USPS is a sinking ship soon to run out of cash. While it is true that the USPS cash reserves will quickly be exhausted, I firmly believe that some sort of bailout will ultimately be provided by the Federal Government to aid the USPS in continuing to provide their essential services to the citizens of the United States. The construction of any sort of potential government bailout is entirely unknown at this time.

3) What measures is the USPS taking during COVID? How are they ensuring that they are not passing the Coronavirus?

Much like all essential businesses operating throughout the Covid-19 outbreak, the USPS is doing all it can to keep their personnel safe. This includes reminding employees to stay home if they don’t feel well or if they may have been exposed to the Coronavirus. This further includes the day to day sanitizing of equipment and work areas utilized by their employees. In more extreme instances this may include the temporary suspension of operations at facilities with Covid-19 positive employees.

4) What effect has the current decrease in commercial airline flights had on the USPS?

The lack of available domestic flights has forced the USPS to move more first class mail via surface transportation and or stagger the volume of mail that is flying. Thankfully, due to SPC’s central Midwest location this has only resulted in a slight increase in first class mail delivery time.

 

Randy Weiler
Director Postal Affairs and Logistics

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