CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Despite concerns in the shipping industry that a variety of factors -- some related to COVID-19 -- will delay the delivery of some packages until after Christmas, Bill Martin of Corpus Christi is confident the gifts he's sending to family members will make it on time.
"I think it’s going to get there — both packages are going to get there," he said. "One is going to Lubbock to my granddaughters, and the other is going to my daughter in San Diego, California and her significant other."
The United States Post Office says they are seeing a "historic record of mail and package volume this holiday season."
An increased number of people choosing online shopping this year as opposed to going to stores is the likely culprit.
That record volume of packages is combined with an employee shortage because of COVID-19.
It has USPS going to great lengths to keep up with demand.
FedEx and UPS face similar challenges.
Those two shipping companies are also in charge of distributing the first COVID-19 vaccines which is taking up some of their shipping capacity.
And finally -- all shippers must deal with a massive snow storm in the Northeast that's causing shipping delays.
Despite all of that, an employee at 1-Stop Mail Service on Saratoga at Everhart doesn't think people in Corpus Christi will have problems sending and receiving packages before Christmas.
“We haven’t seen a major amount of delays in anything really," that worker, Rodolfo Flores, said. "The occasional package from time to time. But most everything is getting there right on time."
Friday was the deadline to send packages through USPS First Class Mail in order for them to be delivered by Christmas.
There are other, more expensive shipping options still available, but Flores says time is of the essence.
"If you haven’t done it, you need to get in like now," he said. "Like right away."
And even though he's confident about the packages he's shipping, Martin isn't so sure about a delivery due to him that hasn't come in yet.
“I’m an avid E-Bay shopper, and I’ve got a package there and it’s been held up," he said. "I guess it’s the cold weather out there. I’m not sure.”
