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With over 19,000 locations across the country, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) boasts a broad network and route structure for its mail carriers. Whether you rely on the mail service to deliver your bills, postcards, or packages, the agency is legally obligated to deliver to you, regardless of where you live. But as of late, the USPS has faced serious criticism amid financial woes and staffing shortages, and a 10-year reform plan has been put in place to streamline operations. One component of this plan was announced earlier this week, which could affect your local carrier route. Read on to find out what closures are on the docket, and how they might affect delivery speed to your mailbox.

Basahin ito sa susunod:USPS Just Issued This "Uncomfortable" New Warning to All Customers.

In addition to a slew of changes that the USPS has introduced this year—including slower delivery rates and increased shipping costs—the Postal Service faced criticism for an alleged illegal delivery practice. According to a motion filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) by the Strategic Organization Center (SOC), managers at USPS facilities are instructing employees to "prioritize Amazon packages over every other kind of mail."

The SOC, which includes four labor unions, conducted a survey of USPS employees, with data indicating that workers had been told to give preference to Amazon packages. If allegations are true, it would violate the agency's legal obligation not to give priority to any mail or discriminate between users. The SOC requested access to an agreement between the USPS and Amazon, and if granted by the PRC, the organization intends to review and file a formal complaint, the motion stated.

While the USPS faces criticism about processes, it is also working to improve its operations, and upcoming initiatives could affect your daily delivery.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb

The 10-year reform plan aims to keep the Postal Service's costs down while driving revenue—but what it also includes is the closure and consolidation of different USPS facilities.

In a keynote address at the 2022 National Postal Forum on May 16, Postmaster General Louis DeJoyannounced the plans to transform the delivery network. To improve workflow and operations, the agency plans to close several annexes that have been deemed "inefficient," operating as ad-hoc operations that increase costs and transportation needs. According to DeJoy, this will affect almost 100,000 carrier routes, 10,000 delivery units, 500 mail processing locations, and 1,000 transfer hubs.

As reported by Federal News Network, DeJoy said mail and packages are processed in a "complicated, illogical, redundant, and inefficient way." Facilities also don't have enough space or adequate equipment that can allow new operating practices and measurements to be implemented, he said.

"These delivery units are in disrepair. They have poor employee amenities, have not accommodated our package growth, and operate to a dated and costly strategy," DeJoy said. "Dramatic change is needed, and dramatic change is what we are pursuing."

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Following closures, new Sort and Delivery Centers will house different network operations. The USPS is currently analyzing plants that have already been closed, which will be modernized in accordance with the new strategy, DeJoy said.

"We will place large carrier operations inside our mail processing plants, dramatically reducing transportation, reducing mail handlings, increasing reliability, and decreasing time to delivery," he said. These centers will reportedly be able to operate more efficiently and hold more mail processing equipment than existing locations.

This consolidation strategy will also make the USPS "the preferred delivery provider" for Americans, according to DeJoy. "We will have the greatest reach and be the most reliable and affordable," he stated. "We will also be the most environmentally friendly solution for shipping needs as we are going to every home anyway."

Ayon kay Dejoy, ang mga pagbabago sa pambansang network at lokal na operasyon ay hindi agad. Ang mga plano ay ilalabas sa susunod na ilang taon, ngunit sa pagdaragdag ng bawat bagong yunit ng halaman o paghahatid, inaasahan ni DeJoy na "agarang mga benepisyo sa buong sistema."

Ang mga pagsasara at pagsasama ay hindi lamang ang mga plano na nabanggit ni Dejoy, dahil tataas din ng USPS ang automation para sa serbisyo ng package nito at pagsamahin ang dami ng mail at package. Ang huling inisyatibo ay ipinag -uutos ng batas sa reporma sa postal kamakailan na nilagdaan ng panguloJoe Biden, ayon sa Federal News Network.

Inamin ni Dejoy na ang ahensya ay naghahatid din ng "isang buong maraming hangin" bilang karagdagan sa mga pakete, at ang pagsasama ng pangkalahatang operasyon ay maaaring mapabuti ang pangkalahatang kahusayan sa transportasyon.

"Ito ay hindi isang pagpapalawak ng isang network ng pakete," aniya. "Ito ay isang pagtaas sa paggamit ng kung ano ang ginagawa namin ngayon upang maihatid ang mail. Sa katunayan, mayroon kaming kakayahang gumamit ng mas kaunting transportasyon at mas kaunting mga pasilidad at mas kaunting mga yunit ng paghahatid, at lubos na madaragdagan ang paggalaw ng cubic volume, nangangahulugang mail at mga pakete. "

Basahin ito sa susunod:Tinatanggal ng USPS ang serbisyong ito, simula Hulyo 10.