The Caring Letters Program — highlighted in the “Lifesaving letters” article — is a great idea for helping my fellow military veterans in their time of need. It was tough being away from home when I served in the Marines. Letters from my friends and family were the best. […]
The Postal Service wants employees and contractors to remember they should not take USPS-issued mobile devices with them on international vacations or other non-work-related excursions abroad. Personnel who use these devices must protect them against damage, unauthorized access and theft, according to the Postal Service’s AS-805 Information Security policy handbook. Unless an individual receives authorization, […]
If a pop-up warning message on a sorting machine screen recently prevented an operator from accidentally running the wrong sort plan, you can thank Jason Kreutzer and the Postal Service’s IdeaSMART program. Kreutzer, an operations support specialist at the Des Moines, IA, Processing and Distribution Center, got the idea after analyzing a series of incidents […]
The Postal Service has updated its parcel locker requirements for apartment buildings. The update revises Standard 4C of the Postal Operations Manual, changing the current 10-to-1 mailbox-to-parcel-locker ratio to 5-to-1 to better accommodate increases in package volumes. According to the manual, all new and remodeled apartment buildings — which are required to install USPS-approved 4C […]
A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 96.84 percent during the week ending April 2, down almost one-quarter of a point from one week earlier. The data was collected April 7. Central led the four areas with a rating of 97.13 percent, while Southern ranked last with a 96.59 percent […]
City Carrier Assistant Ernest Thayer Jr. is a true hero for aiding a woman in Mount Dora, FL, who fainted and was barely breathing. […]
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy discusses the Postal Service’s new 10-year plan in his latest all-employee video message. The plan, called Delivering for America, aims to modernize the organization while increasing its role and relevance to the nation. USPS released the plan March 23. Delivering for America commits $40 billion to fund: • A new delivery […]
Scanning snapshot. A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 96.84 percent during the week ending March 26, down about a third of a point from one week earlier. The data was collected March 31. Central led the four areas with a rating of 97.2 percent, while Southern ranked last with […]
Eduardo Ruiz has been named Western Pacific Area’s acting vice president. He succeeds Greg Graves, who’ll retire April 2 after 37 years with the Postal Service. In his new role, Ruiz will oversee an area that has more than 105,000 employees and approximately 38.2 million addresses across 2.2 million square miles, encompassing 57 percent of […]
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, an annual campaign by the National Safety Council (NSC) to help make the nation’s roads safer. More than 700 people in the United States are injured in distracted driving crashes on a typical day, NSC data show. Distractions are anything that divert your attention away from driving, whether it’s […]
As part of the Postal Service’s efforts to promote social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic, the organization’s telework contingency policy has been extended until June 7. The policy allows eligible employees to telework, provided they have the necessary equipment and their position does not require their physical presence at their workplace. The policy applies to […]
The Postal Inspection Service wants to help people avoid becoming victims of fraud this tax season. In a new public service announcement available on the agency’s YouTube channel, the Inspection Service encourages customers to be aware of identity thieves using stolen names and Social Security numbers to file phony electronic tax returns. The scammers then […]
A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 96.96 percent during the week ending March 19, down about a quarter of a point from one week earlier. The data was collected March 24. Central led the four areas with a rating of 97.24 percent, while Southern ranked last with a 96.78 […]
The Postal Service is requiring all contactors to complete training on protecting the organization’s data. The CyberSafe Fundamentals With Data Protection course provides contractors with the fundamental cybersecurity skills and knowledge needed to protect USPS electronic information from online threats, as well as best practices for handling sensitive and sensitive-enhanced information. The course is designed […]
A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 96.56 percent during the week ending March 5, down almost one-third of a point from one week earlier. The data was collected March 10. Central led the four areas with a rating of 97.02 percent, while Southern ranked last with a 96.05 percent […]
The Colorado hairstreak got its moment in the sun March 9, when the Postal Service held a virtual dedication ceremony for a stamp showcasing the colorful butterfly. The shimmering, purple hairstreak (Hypaurotis crysalus) is Colorado’s state insect. It begins life as a fuzzy green caterpillar that feeds on its host plant, the “shrub” oak, in […]
Maps that show the Postal Service’s new districts and divisions structure are now available on Blue. Under a plan announced March 3, the organization’s 67 districts will be consolidated into 50. The new territories will align closely to state borders and provide familiar boundaries for employees and customers. Additionally, the Postal Service will create a […]
A Postal Service employee from Colorado who defended a customer and her baby from a knife-wielding assailant has been named the 2020 National Hero of the Year by the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC). In lieu of its annual fall luncheon, delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic, NALC is using its social media platforms […]
The Postal Service is reminding employees who are working from home due to the coronavirus pandemic to always keep the organization’s electronics and sensitive information secure. In addition to maintaining a clean, organized and dedicated workspace, you should adhere to these three guidelines: • Secure. If you don’t have a laptop cable lock, secure your […]
Scanning snapshot. A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 95.62 percent during the week ending Feb. 26, down 1.56 percent from one week earlier. The data was collected March 3. Central led the four areas with a rating of 96.28 percent, while Southern ranked last with a 94.62 percent rating. […]
The Postal Service’s next-generation delivery vehicles look exciting. I suggest having experienced mail carriers, automotive technicians and driving instructors make suggestions for the final product. They would offer valuable feedback. […]
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and USPS Board of Governors Chairman Ron A. Bloom testified before the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform on Feb. 24. The title of the hearing was “Legislative Proposals to Put the Postal Service on Sustainable Financial Footing.” The USPS Newsroom website has the opening statement and full written testimony […]
A new video shows the Postal Service’s next-generation delivery vehicle (NGDV) announcement. The video, released Feb. 23, features an overview of the NGDV, along with remarks from Postmaster General Louis DeJoy; Kristin Seaver, chief retail and delivery officer; Scott Bombaugh, chief technology officer; and Mark Guilfoil, supply management vice president. USPS has awarded its NGDV […]
Scanning snapshot. A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 95.75 percent during the week ending Feb. 19, down 1.54 percent from one week earlier. The data was collected Feb. 24. Western Pacific led the four areas with a rating of 96.18 percent, while Southern ranked last with a 94.99 percent […]
“More than love,” the Valentine’s Day-themed edition of “The List,” was great. Woe to the French man who rejected the interest of a woman and found himself burned in effigy! […]
Scanning snapshot. A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 96.92 percent during the week ending Feb. 12, down almost a half point from one week earlier. The data was collected Feb. 17. Western Pacific led the four areas with a rating of 97.24 percent, while Atlantic ranked last with a […]
Postal Service employees will receive a 20 percent tuition discount when they enroll at Indiana Wesleyan University. The university, a global liberal arts and professional education institution, offers more than 100 associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. Through a new partnership with USPS, the tuition discount is available to employees attending classes on online or […]
The Postal Service has launched an effort to encourage more customers to recycle Priority Mail boxes and other packaging products. Customers are sometimes unaware that many USPS products — stamped with the words “Please Recycle” along with the universal chasing-arrows recycling symbol — are made from recyclable materials and shouldn’t be discarded with other waste. […]
Severe winter storms have brought snow, freezing rain and bitter temperatures to many parts of the nation this week, resulting in widespread power outages. Almost 3 million customers were without power Feb. 17 in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, more than 200,000 more in four Appalachian states, and nearly that many in the Pacific Northwest, the […]
I enjoyed the recent “Bard of Pittsburgh” edition of “The List.” It was a mini-biography of the incredible playwright August Wilson. […]