© 2024 WXPR
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Online Buying Causing Post Office Rush This Week

USPS

A spokesperson for the U.S. Postal Service says their offices are busier than ever.

Spokesperson Sean Hargadon says the volume of traffic has dramatically risen....

"obviously the big story is our packages. We're up about 10 percent this year. We're expecting about 850 million packages to go through our system nationwide between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. This week in particular is a big week because you're looking at three billion pieces of first-class mail, cards and letters, going through our system. We used to have a busiest mailing day, now we have a busiest mailing week...."

Reports indicate much of the increase comes from the growth in online shopping.

Hargadon says it's nearing the end for some types of specialty mail to be sent to arrive for Christmas. As an example, Friday is the deadline for Priority Mail Express, which is the last day something can be shipped to be there by Christmas.

Price increases will happen January 21 as Hargadon outlines...

"....what you'll notice is the stamps you will buy. Right now they're 49 cents, but on that day they will change by one penny to 50 cents. If you're mailing a domestic post card, right now that is 34 cents that is also going up one penny to 35 cents. From our package standpoint, our priority mail services are going up 3.9 percent. So you will see a nickel increase in our small flat-rate box, our medium flat-rate box and our large flat rate box...."

More information is available at the website USPS.com

Up North Updates
* indicates required
Related Content