Q1/Q2 2015 USPS Delivery Delays and What That Means for Your Q4 In-Home Date Planning

Based on the current mail delivery trends and the recently released report by USPS Inspector General, Production Solutions is recommending adding ONE additional day to your in-home mail schedule/window and expectations.

Here’s why!

• In Q1 & Q2 2015, 494 million pieces of mail were delivered “late” – this is a 48% increase over last year, reported by the Office of the Inspector General and the USPS.
• Several factors caused such large delays in mail delivery, including: 1) winter weather transportation disruptions 2) continued network/operational changes and 3) labor adjustments.
• The USPS dispatched special teams (Tiger Teams) to facilities with continued slow Service Standards in Q1 & Q2.
• There are still several facilities that continue to experience issues with overall volume capacity and USPS is currently addressing these situations.

Production Solutions has been auditing Service Standards using IMb Tracking since 2010. Over the last 4 years we’ve seen a 2-day increase in Standard Bulk mail deliveries and a 1-day increase in 1st Class Presort.

Comparing this year to last, we are seeing about a 1-day increase in delivery over last year in Standard Bulk mail – which is consistent with what has been reported by the USPS.

The blue bar is pieces of mail that were delayed during the first two quarters of 2015, comparing that with the first two quarters of 2014’s (red bar) delayed mail. (USPS Inspector General)

Moving Forward:

• The USPS is hopeful, as more mailers convert to Seamless Acceptance (method by which eDocs are filed, trucks are scheduled, postage is paid & verification happens) they will be able to better predict mail volume, and adjust staffing as needed.
• The USPS has stated they are ready for the increase in mail volumes going into the Fall season.

Production Solutions is constantly keeping a pulse on the USPS industry trends so we can provide the latest updates, insights, and recommendations.

Read the full Office of the Inspector General report.