Because of COVID-19, the U.S. Postal Service is expecting more holiday gifts and greetings will be sent through the mail this year.
The Postal Service always encourages customers to send their holiday gifts and cards early. This year is definitely no different, especially with more people staying home during the pandemic.
The Postal Service began planning for the peak holiday season in January. To help handle the expected volume increase, the Postal Service has the ability to flex its network to meet the significant volume increases expected this year. This includes making sure the right equipment is available to sort, process and deliver the expected mail and package volumes, according to a news release.
The Postal Service also has 644,000 employees dedicated to ensuring gifts and greetings are delivered in time for the holidays.
Seasonal workers are hired when and where needed, and technology has been expanded to enhance package tracking throughout the Postal Service processing and transportation networks. Sunday delivery will be expanded beginning today to locations with high package volumes, according to the news release.
The USPS already delivers packages on Sundays in most major cities. Mail carriers will also deliver packages for an additional fee on Christmas Day in select locations.
The busiest time of the season peaks two weeks before Christmas, when much of the last-minute shopping starts. Customer traffic is expected to increase beginning Dec. 7, with the week of Dec. 14-21 predicted to be the busiest mailing, shipping and delivery week.
email: gfall@newspress.com
