Frustration builds in D.C. region over mail delays

[IronLionZion]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/01/11/dc-mail-delays-snow-covid/

Residents across the D.C. region have become increasingly frustrated over delays in mail deliveries, with last week’s snowstorms, a spike in coronavirus cases and long-standing problems with the U.S. Postal Service contributing to a breakdown in services.

Julia Miller, who lives in the District’s Brightwood Park neighborhood, said she did not receive any mail from Dec. 30 to Jan. 9. A birthday card from her mother, who lives across town, took three weeks to arrive, she said. Some mail finally arrived again on Monday.

“It is disappointing that this is happening in the United States of America,” Miller said.

Arlington resident Diana Wahl said she received no mail between Dec. 27 and Jan. 9. She finally received some mail on Monday and Tuesday, but older mail — that she had seen photos of in “informed delivery” emails she receives from the Postal Service — has not yet arrived. One of those Postal Service emails showed a letter from Social Security on its way to her.

Her estimated tax payments are due this month, but she doesn’t trust that the Postal Service will deliver them: “I’m afraid to put them in a mailbox.”

The postal problems were exacerbated by staffing issues due to layoffs and the coronavirus.

An American Postal Workers Union official said more than 250 postal employees in D.C. were let go near the end of the year. Although the union is trying to get more information about the layoffs, officials say similar layoffs have occurred across the country.

I empathize with short staffed postal workers. I've seen package tracking show stuff arrived in DC and then not get delivered until a week later. Same with outgoing shipping. UPS is facing similar problems so we probably can't put this all on DeJoy.

[MichMan]

1. Must be a regional issue. Ours in Michigan has been unbelievably fast

Mailed an instate small package Monday and it is being delivered today even though it was sent first class and not even priority. Same for letters

[h2ebits]

2. DeJoy is responsible for this!

UPS, FedEx and other carriers rely on the USPS for final leg deliveries in many cases. DeJoy is bent and determined to destroy the USPS and did a bang up job so far. He needs to be fired and replaced ASAP!!

I've had several packages held up in the past couple of months. I watched them bouncing around in three different "distribution centers" one in L.A. and two others in NY. Then Denver finished them off. Took tracking by shipper to get them moving.

Most letters don't get tracked but you can bet that the same thing is happening to them. I use "Informed Delivery" and I see delays in receiving my mail from when they show as being scheduled for delivery as to when I receive them.

[appalachiablue]

3. Amen! DeJoy's 'austerity' & efforts to privatize the USPS

for profit, which has been a longterm goal. So many people are unaware of this wreckage. I appreciate and support the USPS and its employees, to the max!
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*WaPo More: Norton added that Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, who has been widely criticized for a plan that would slow delivery times and raise prices, “has to go.”

“All we need is a majority of the postal board to make that happen,” Norton said.

Federal Election Commission dismisses complaints against USPS chief DeJoy over alleged ‘straw-donor scheme’

Amid mail delays, protesters planned to gather Wednesday in D.C. ahead of a Postal Service board of governors meeting where new leadership will be selected.

Emily Yen, an organizer with the Democratic Socialists of America who helped plan the rally, said DeJoy’s plans will slow the mail, disenfranchising the 46 percent of Americans who voted by mail in the last election. The board probably will elect conservative leadership, she said, making it more difficult to replace the postmaster...

[h2ebits]

4. I support the US Postal Service also

DeJoy has got to go!!