Letter Carrier John Garcia was recently making deliveries in Arcadia, CA, when he grew concerned that an older customer’s mail was piling up. Garcia knocked on the woman’s front door and heard her faintly asking for help. The Postal Service employee immediately called 911 and remained on the scene until emergency responders arrived. The customer […]
The Postal Service is reminding employees that commercial customers can forward mail to an alternate business address, a useful option for firms that have changed locations during the coronavirus pandemic. Premium Forwarding Service Commercial allows customers with active PO Boxes or business street addresses to temporarily forward all mail in bulk to a new domestic […]
The Postal Service is ready to use direct mail campaigns to help businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic attract new customers. The organization offers Online Direct Mail Experts, a usps.com page that can help small businesses and others develop direct mail marketing campaigns, often in fewer than 15 minutes. Research shows these mailings are an […]
The Postal Service takes mailboxes seriously. To ensure letter carriers, rural carriers and other employees can deliver mail safely and efficiently, the organization requires customers’ mailboxes to meet design and installation standards. A mailbox with the Postmaster General’s seal of approval meets USPS size and construction standards. Customers can build their own mailbox or buy […]
To help mark the recent release of the American Gardens Forever stamps, here are three facts about public gardens in the United States. 1. There are several kinds of public gardens. The American Public Gardens Association defines a public garden as “an institution that maintains collections of plants for the purposes of public education and […]
“Sincerely, Mailman Kyle” was a heartwarming story. Cincinnati Letter Carrier Kyle West is such a committed, dedicated and positive employee for helping customers in need during this time of uncertainty. I’m happy he’s part of our postal family. […]
Letter Carrier Kai Rein was recently delivering mail in a West Caldwell, NJ, neighborhood when she saw that a customer’s home was on fire. Rein rushed to alert the woman to the danger — banging on the front door, ringing the doorbell and yelling to her. The customer escaped unharmed and called 911. Firefighters soon […]
USPS has improved the way it helps telephone callers who request change-of-address services, thanks to a team that came together from several postal departments. Until about two years ago, the organization’s customer care centers received approximately 400,000 calls annually from individuals with questions or concerns regarding their change-of-address requests. “For security reasons, there are limits […]
The Postal Service is reminding employees to follow established mail flow and scanning procedures to ensure visibility into the mailstream. Visibility refers to the ability of business and residential customers to “see” their mail and packages moving through the USPS network. This occurs primarily through scanning; each time a mailpiece or package is scanned, the […]
The Postal Service will celebrate the natural beauty of botanical parks, country estates and other flowering areas when it releases its American Gardens stamps Wednesday, May 13. The pane of 20 Forever stamps will feature 10 photographs taken at gardens across the nation between 1996 and 2014. Each garden depicted on the stamps is open […]
People from all walks of life rely on USPS, but the organization takes particular pride in serving members of the armed forces. Customers can ship care packages to military addresses at domestic prices, even if the package will be sent overseas. The Postal Service also offers free military shipping kits, help with customs forms, military […]
Here are five facts about Peace Officers Memorial Day, which is held each year on May 15 to honor law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty. 1. Peace Officers Memorial Day was established in 1962. President John F. Kennedy signed the legislation that created the holiday. Thirty-two years later, the law was […]
Kelly Mathaw, the Detroit letter carrier featured in the “In this together” article, did a nice job discussing how USPS is delivering for the nation during her recent appearance on the “Live with Kelly and Ryan” TV show. […]
Rural Carrier Associate Anitra Robinson was recently delivering mail in Zionsville, IN, when she spotted flames shooting out of the roof of a residence. Robinson immediately called the local Post Office and asked a supervisor to call 911 while she ran to the house to knock on doors and look in windows to see if […]
The COVID-19 crisis isn’t the first time the nation’s postal system has risen to the occasion during a national health emergency. Postal workers also played a critical role during the 1918-19 influenza pandemic. “Letter carriers then and now were on the front lines,” said Jenny Lynch, the Postal Service’s historian. The 1918-19 flu outbreak was […]
USPS wants Post Offices with more than one self-service kiosk to make sure customers can maintain social distancing while conducting transactions. Accessible 24 hours a day in many locations, self-service kiosks allow customers to purchase print-on-demand stamps, ship packages, look up ZIP Codes and renew PO Boxes. USPS, in its role as an essential service, […]
The USPS Wellness team will offer a webinar this week to help Postal Service employees who would like guidance on juggling their work and home lives during this time of change. The session will be held Wednesday, May 6, at 2:30 p.m. Eastern time. The presenter will be Meredith Howarth, corporate health manager for Virginia […]
USPS serves customers of all kinds, but small businesses are particularly important to the organization. Approximately 7 million small-business customers turn to the Postal Service for their mailing and shipping needs, generating about $2.5 billion in annual revenue for USPS. These customers rely on a variety of postal products and services, including Every Door Direct […]
Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 10. To mark the occasion, here are four facts about the day set aside to honor motherhood. 1. Anna Jarvis is credited as the founder of Mother’s Day. The West Virginia native campaigned in the early 1900s to create the holiday to honor her own mother, Ann Jarvis, a Civil […]
Letter Carrier Troy Griffin was recently delivering mail to a residence in Miamisburg, OH, when he spotted a man sprawled out in the front yard. Griffin rushed to man’s side and found him unresponsive, so he immediately called 911. Emergency responders soon arrived and treated the man for a drug overdose. The local fire chief […]
The 2020 census began for most of the United States this month and will continue through Aug. 14. Here are seven facts about the once-a-decade national headcount. 1. The United States was the first nation to enshrine the census in its constitution. The first census was in 1790 during George Washington’s presidency and was referred […]
USPS serves customers from coast to coast, but the organization is particularly important to rural customers. Under its “universal service obligation,” the Postal Service delivers all mail to all addresses in the United States. This includes rural communities, small towns and remote areas where other delivery services don’t operate because it wouldn’t be profitable. In […]
To mark Military Appreciation Month in May, the Postal Service is distributing tokens of appreciation to employees who are veterans. “There are approximately 100,000 former and current service members working for the Postal Service, and we are proud to honor their contributions to our nation in the armed services and their continued service to our […]
Remember “Travis,” the USPS employee who violated the Hatch Act by attempting to distribute signs for his favorite presidential candidate at the Post Office where he works? The Postal Service recently featured Travis — not his real name — in its campaign to educate employees about the Hatch Act, a law that prohibits federal workers […]
The way Kelly Mathaw sees it, we’re all in this together. The Detroit letter carrier recently appeared on “Live with Kelly and Ryan,” the TV talk show hosted by Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest, to discuss her job delivering mail and packages during the coronavirus pandemic. During an interview conducted via Skype, Mathaw talked about […]
Rural Carrier Dawn Sampson was recently delivering mail in Bismarck, AR, when she saw an unusual, worrisome sight: a 3-year-old boy, wearing only a diaper, walking on a dirt road, accompanied by a dog and a goat. Sampson stopped to check on the toddler, who said nothing other than he was going to “Bobby’s house.” […]
I’m glad that I’m able to serve my customers during the coronavirus pandemic. Our customers appreciate our ability to deliver their essentials. I salute my colleagues across the nation. […]
In areas where local and state governments have ordered or directed people to wear face masks, Postal Service employees should comply. Additionally, any USPS employee who is unable to achieve social distancing in his or her workplace should wear a face covering. The new policy takes effect April 21 and will remain in place until […]
The Postal Service has released a video to offer customers guidance on helping letter carriers deliver mail and packages safely during the coronavirus pandemic. “COVID-19: Safety of Children and Pets” reminds customers to be aware of USPS vehicles and employees in their neighborhoods, especially when children and pets are outside. The animated video illustrates the […]
Although more people than ever use smartphones, social media and other digital platforms to keep in touch with friends and family, some customers still turn to First-Class Mail for their correspondence needs. First-Class Mail — which includes personal letters and greeting cards, as well as bills, bank statements and other pieces — is the Postal […]