Congressman Morgan McGarvey (D-Louisville) said he has been in contact with the Louisville post office to ensure they have what they need heading into the holiday rush.
A union member from Louisville’s NALC Branch 14 told WHAS11 News that staffing shortages inside distribution facilities are causing packages to pile up, leaving mail carriers with lighter bags. The worker spoke anonymously due to fear of losing their job.
“We talk about it around the holidays because it is important to get that card, it is important to get that gift to someone you love,” McGarvey said. “But the mail service being backed up can really have major implications. We’re talking about medicine, we’re talking about checks, we’re talking about bills that might not get to people on time. That’s why we’re saying, ‘Tell us right now how are things going, because we do not want to see a repeat of what happened last year.’”
Michele Hayden visited two Louisville post offices while trying to track down a shipment of flour she ordered for holiday baking.
“It’s asinine,” she said after the Gardiner Lane location directed her to another site because no supervisor was available.
USPS tracking showed her special-ordered flour arrived at a distribution facility on Nov. 28, but by Monday, it still hadn’t been delivered.
“UPS can do it, FedEx can do it,” she said, criticizing USPS. “Their packages and prices keep going up, but their service keeps going down.”
In a statement to WHAS11, the United States Postal Service said severe weather across the region affected transportation networks and delivery organizations nationwide, including USPS.
“These conditions, combined with higher-than-normal mail and package volumes, have contributed to delays in unloading inbound trailers at the Louisville Processing & Distribution Center,” the statement said. USPS added that it has increased staffing, scheduled planned offloads, and arranged alternative drop locations to ease congestion and maintain steady processing.
An internal audit from June showed that three branches — Iroquois Station, Middletown Branch and Pleasure Ridge Park Branch — had issues with delayed mail, arrow keys, property conditions and other concerns.
Iroquois Station was the only branch with package-scanning issues.
The Process and Distribution Center also struggled with clearance times, delayed mail, late or extra outbound trips, scan compliance and other safety and security problems, according to the report.
McGarvey toured USPS facilities back in February and described the conditions inside as poor.
“We remain fully committed to delivering for the American people,” USPS said in its statement. “The Postal Service continues to closely monitor conditions and will make any necessary adjustments to ensure we provide the reliable service our customers expect.”
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