The United States Postal Service will be changing how it serves the millions of customers across the country this month. While the move is targeted to make it more efficient and cut costs, some may get certain mail more slowly.
The first phase of the plan has already started, with a second phase coming later in the year. According to USPS, the shift will save $36 billion over the course of a decade.
This change comes while the Pew Research Center finds USPS as the second-most popular federal agency, with a 72% favorability rating. The mailing service is only behind the National Park Service with 76%.
As it currently stands, the agency relies on stamps and postage sales to fund its operations and does not receive tax dollars for operating expenses.
President Donald Trump is critical of the service, which delivers to 163 million addresses nationwide and employs 530,000 workers.
Here’s how the changes will affect you and your mail.
How will the new changes affect mail in Oklahoma?
The first round of changes started on April 1.
According to USPS, some mail will have a faster standard while others will have a “slightly slower” standard. More than 80% of the market volume remains unchanged.
Some areas could get “2-3-day turnaround service within regions and specific local areas,” according to the Postal Service.
Some post offices could have delivery extended by a day. The information provided didn’t say which ones could expect delayed mail delivery caused by changes to regional transportation schedules.
“Under the new approach, while most mail will retain the same service standard, some mail will have a faster standard, and some will have a slightly slower standard. For First-Class Mail, the current service standard day range of 1-5 days is staying the same, while the day ranges for end-to-end Marketing Mail, Periodicals, and Package Services are being shortened. All Mail will benefit from more reliable service,” a USPS news release reads.
The 2-5 day range for USPS Ground Advantage will stay the same. However, some shipping products will have a slower delivery range going forward.
Five-digit ZIP code add-ons are meant to streamline sorting and delivery as compared to the current three-digit pairs.
USPS already has a map online that will let customers see how long it will take to deliver mail from one ZIP code to another. Customers can also look up service standards at usps.com.
Service standards will be “refined” for:
-
Package Services (Bound Printed Matter, Media Mail and Library Mail).
Postmaster strikes deal with DOGE, 10K jobs to be cut
In March, then-U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said he signed a deal with the Department of Government Efficiency, headed by Elon Musk.
The department had been exempt from DOGE cuts, but DeJoy reportedly told Congress in a letter that USPS would cut 10,000 jobs over the next month through a voluntary early retirement program.
The reduction plan was announced in January and is different from the federal employee buyout offer announced for most civilian federal employees. According to a news release from the American Postal Workers Union, workers who opt to retire early can get a one-time $15,000 incentive paid in two parts.
DeJoy said the deal with DOGE and the General Services Administration will help with “identifying and achieving further efficiencies.”
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: How USPS changes coming in April will impact Oklahoma
Read the full article here