Everyone can be used to occasional USPS delays, especially after COVID-19. Despite the sporadic hiccup, it's nice to understand the Postal Services are reliable and reasonably speedy as compared to more costly shipping companies. However, the business just announced that slower mail is going to become a permanent fixture.
Starting this Friday, the Postal Service will establish new service standards for first-class mail and periodicals. USPS spokesperson Kim Frum told USA Today that the target delivery here we are at these mail classes will slow down by about 30 percent.
The change will primarily affect mail that travels long distances, for example parcels traveling from Ny to California. Frum assured the public that other first-class and periodical mail will still be delivered in the same rate. “Most first-class mail (61%) and periodicals (93%) will be unaffected,” she explained.
The USPS categorizes first-class mail as standard-sized letters and single-piece envelopes weighing as much as 3.5 ounces. Large envelopes and small packages that consider to 13 ounces fall under that label as well. In comparison, first-class packages are those that way up to 15.99 ounces. First-class mail and first-class packages actually have exactly the same two-day delivery time. Come Friday, first-class packages will have slower rates.
USPS shipping rates will even change.
In addition to slowing down shipping time for certain mail, the USPS intends to boost the prices on some parcels. From October 3 through December 26, charges will go up on all commercial and retail domestic packages due to the holidays, Frum told NPR that international products will not be affected.
Part of the reason the Postal Service will increase rates and lengthen delivery times is it intends to use more ground transportation. New leadership in the organization claims that ground transportation is much more reliable and cost-effective than air transportation.
All these new coverage is area of the USPS 10-Year-Plan titled “Delivering for America,” which Postmaster General and Ceo Louis DeJoy announced in March.
“The demand for U.S. Postal Plan to transform to satisfy the requirements of our customers is long overdue,” DeJoy said. “Our Plan requires growth and investments, as well as targeted cost reductions and other strategies that will us to operate in a precise and efficient manner to satisfy future challenges, once we place the Postal Service on the path for financial sustainability and service excellence.”
What should you do to avoid costly delivery fees and lengthier transit times? While there isn't any loopholes in USPS prices, it's always smart to compare different shipping rates and transit times for different services. Chances are you will get a cheaper rate through USPS than other delivery companies for small packages. For big packages, other services offer more cost-effective options.
