Shane Stricklan is watching a computer screen that shows tiny trucks moving along a map. This isn’t a video game; it’s a program to help strengthen the Postal Service.
The trucks indicate the current locations of letter carriers in Layton, UT, where Stricklan is Postmaster. Each truck is one of several colors, including green, which means the carrier is on schedule, and red, which means he or she is running late.
“It’s a real quick snapshot,” said Stricklan.
The Delivery Management System (DMS) also is available at other Post Offices across the nation, part of an initiative to establish Local Operations Centers (LOCs) that use USPS technology more efficiently.
In Layton, DMS helps support carriers on their routes. “When you see someone struggling … you can go out and identify what issue that carrier is having,” said Stricklan.
The technology benefits customers too. The up-to-the-minute GPS and scanning data that feed DMS can be used to help customers who contact USPS to check on the status of a delivery.
“You can tell them where their package is on the route and approximately when the carrier is likely to deliver it,” said Stricklan.