The Postal Service is continuing to expand its shipping and packages business, a critical component of the organization’s efforts to grow revenue.
USPS delivered 6.2 billion packages in 2018, about twice the number delivered a decade earlier. The surge is driven by major increases in online shopping, as more consumers use the internet to purchase items and have them delivered to their homes and workplaces.
The dramatic growth has made the marketplace more competitive, however.
Other shippers are now competing for parcels that are entered at local Post Offices and delivered to customers’ homes — also known as “last-mile volume,” a longtime advantage for USPS.
“We’re not going to concede any business,” said Postmaster General Megan J. Brennan. “Our business depends on meeting the rising service expectations of our customers. Service is foundational to the growth of our business. We need to earn our customer’s business every day.”
To remain competitive, USPS will leverage recent investments in new package sorting equipment and vehicles, as well as innovations like dynamic routing, a technique that puts package delivery points in the most efficient, logical order.
Employees say they’re eager to do their part to help the organization become the shipper of choice for consumers and businesses.
“We all recognize that packages are a big part of the Postal Service’s future,” said Timothy Brubaker, an Irvine, CA, letter carrier. “We’re ready to do our part to grow this part of the business.”