Mail delivery about to get slower, temporarily more expensive

The U.S. Postal Service is anticipating slower operations, telling USA Today that the agency is going to be implementing new operating standards that may backup mail deliveries and pickups. 

Beginning on Friday, the Postal Service will “implement new service standards for First Class Mail and Periodicals,” spokeswoman Kim Frum told reporters. 

Some of the changes will result in increased transit times for cross-country and other long-distance deliveries, although according to Frum, 61 percent of first class mail and 93 percent of periodicals will not be affected by the changes. 

Single-piece first-class mail will still have the standard delivery time of two days. This generally includes mail that is smaller and lightweight. 

First-class packages, however, will be subject to new delivery standards and times by Friday. 

Frum also confirmed that beginning Oct. 3 and ending on Dec. 26, there will be a temporary increase in prices on all commercial and retail domestic packages due to the holiday season. 

The Postal Service had previously warned customers of delayed delivery times in August, with Postmaster General Louis DeJoy citing logistics like air transportation as hindrances, as well as the agency’s new 10-year infrastructure plan to overhaul its operations. 

Major financial losses have prompted the Postal Service redesign, which include consolidating facilities and gradually implementing new electric vehicle delivery cars.

Frum confirmed that more ground transportation will be utilized by the Postal Service to deliver mail, which has more reliability and consistency than air transportation. 

“With this change, we will improve service reliability and predictability for customers while also driving efficiencies across the Postal Service network,” she told USA Today.

Updated 4:54 p.m.