FLORIDA – The United States Postal Service announced changes to its service standards that it said will save at least $36 billion over 10 years.
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The agency said that under the new approach, some mail will have a faster standard, and some will have a slower standard.
As a result, USPS projects at least $36 billion in savings over 10 years from transportation, mail processing, and facility cost reductions.
Rural customers who may experience a service downgrade for mail they are sending will benefit from the increased efficiencies that will be gained, particularly for mail they are receiving, including checks and medicines.
Implementation will be in two phases: the first will begin on April 1 and the second on July 1.
Residents having issues with mail delivery said they’re not confident the USPS cuts will improve service.
Postmaster Louis DeJoy sent a letter to Congress about working with DOGE on cutting 10,000 workers and billions of dollars from its budget.
“They’re taking the final steps to go ahead and off those early buyouts because of reduced staff, as far as clerks and as far as some mail handlers and a lot of management. That’s where you’re going to see the highest retirement offers as far as letter carriers and they’re not offering anything early on,” Al Friedman, President of the Florida Association of Letter Carriers said.
The standard changes will simplify the logistical journey of mail and packages from origin to final delivery and expand the reach of two, three, and four-day products.
“Let’s say in the city of Jacksonville, you might have three or four post officers within a 10 to 15 mile radius, they’re going to get a building big enough to move those routes to one building, rather than three or four buildings,” Friedman said.
Click here for the full service standard fact sheet.