A new report to Congress says things are not going to get much better anytime soon for the U.S. Postal Service.
Consumer reporter John Matarese examines these continued mail delays so you don't waste your money.
Remember during the height of the pandemic, when mail would show up late, or not come at all?
The pandemic is easing, but in many areas those postal delays are not.
Terry Eshom never knows if he's going to find anything when he opens his mailbox.
"Last week when our carrier was off, we got delivery one day out of five," Eshom said.
Terry says he's had delays, however, for months.
Like many postal customers, Terry has the informed delivery app on his smartphone that tells him what to expect on any given day.
But he says what the app tells him and what he receives are often two different things.
"We were expecting 8 or 9 pieces of mail," Eshom said. "We got nothing."
And it's not just first-class letters.
Others complain about the priority mail service for packages.
"This package is three weeks late," he said. "Three weeks late!"
Lucas McBride had to return this car part for his minivan.
It took so long to arrive that he bought a more expensive version at a local auto parts store.
"It cost me $92 more than it cost me when I went online and got it," McBride said.
The USPS recently told Congress it expects to deliver just 88% of mail on time this year. That's down from a normal 95%.
It blames "ongoing impacts from the pandemic," including:
- Absenteeism
- Old equipment
- And the labor shortage.
Eshom doesn't blame his mail carrier.
But a system that he feels is no longer up to the job.
"It used to be you could count on your mail being there every day," he said.
The post office tells Congress its delivery issues have stabilized late this year and hopes to resume 90 percent on-time delivery or better in the near future.
Be careful and be cognizant as always, so you don’t waste your money
