Postal Service May Slow Down Rural Mail Delivery

Postal Service officials are contemplating a plan to implement slower mail delivery for long-distance and rural services as a cost-cutting measure, but any changes will be postponed until after the upcoming elections. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy emphasized that the agency is focused on saving the Postal Service and assured that the new policy would not take effect until after November. The proposed changes would allow mail and packages to remain at certain facilities for an additional day before processing and delivery. The Postal Service has faced significant scrutiny and legal challenges regarding its delivery policies, particularly during the 2020 elections. DeJoy noted that the agency took extraordinary measures to ensure that nearly 98 percent of ballots were delivered within three days, highlighting the importance of timely mail delivery for voters. Tammy Patrick, from the National Association of Election Officials, pointed out that the pressure on the Postal Service increases when ballot returns are concentrated in the final days leading up to an election. Recent data indicates that the Postal Service delivered only 83.4 percent of first-class mail on time during a recent week, falling short of its 95 percent target. In response to ongoing financial challenges, the agency has already adjusted its performance goals and raised first-class postage prices by 33 percent over the past four years. The Postal Service continues to grapple with competition from private-sector companies like FedEx and UPS, which often avoid less profitable delivery routes. In 2022, Congress approved a $107 billion plan aimed at stabilizing the Postal Service's finances, addressing concerns that the agency could face another financial crisis following the pandemic.