Friday, April 19, 2024
Get a sneak peek at new USPS delivery vehicles
The Eagle shows how the Postal Service is revving up for the future
The Postal Service’s next-generation delivery vehicles, or NGDVs, will begin arriving this summer, The Eagle magazine reports in its latest issue.
A detailed graphic in the feature “Vehicle for Growth” shows how NGDVs will offer increased cargo space and enough clearance for a person to stand inside and work.
Safety features will include airbags, a 360-degree camera, automatic emergency braking and collision avoidance systems. The cab area will have air conditioning and a seat with adjustable lumbar support.
The magazine’s spring edition also looks at how the Postal Service has influenced the development of transportation technology, notably the nation’s railway system and aviation industry.
Other articles cover USPS Informed Delivery and USPS Smart Lockers, while the “Spotlight” column features Jana Beller, an Oklahoma City maintenance support clerk who shares her love of animals and efforts to reduce pet overpopulation.
USPS mailed The Eagle to employees’ homes this month. The issue is also available on Newsroom, a USPS online news hub.
Heroes
Surprise from the sky
This carrier helped rescue a hapless parachuter who landed in a lake
Ware, MA, Letter Carrier Ian McMartin was vacationing with family and friends last summer when he spotted a skydiver in distress.
The man appeared to be having a problem with his parachute as he descended into a lake where McMartin and others were kayaking.
McMartin and his group, which included Glen Goodwin, a fellow Ware letter carrier, paddled toward the skydiver. The man had become entangled in his parachute and was struggling in the water.
The skydiver tried to free himself but his efforts were unsuccessful.
He then took hold of McMartin’s kayak as the Postal Service employee expended tremendous effort to paddle to safety. The parachute had ensnared lily pads and debris in the lake, making it harder for McMartin to propel the kayak.
Upon reaching the shore, the man was freed from the parachute. Onlookers called 911.
“Luckily, the skydiver didn’t sustain any injures and recovered from the incident,” Goodwin said.
Employees featured in “Heroes” receive letters of commendation through the Postmaster General Heroes’ Program. The nomination form is available on Blue.
April 26, 2024
Datebook
‘Step Up to Lexis+’
Postal Service employees and contractors who perform news and business research for the organization can participate in an upcoming webinar on the Lexis+ service.
The session, “Step Up to Lexis+ for News and Business Researchers” will be held Friday, April 26, from 2 to 3 p.m. Eastern.
A LexisNexis government solutions consultant will lead the discussion.
Participants must register before the event on the webinar website.
Employees and contractors with questions can email the USPS librarian’s office.
People
Royall treatment
A carrier receives praise and two postmasters step into the spotlight
It’s only April, but a Wilkesboro, NC, letter carrier has already been named man of the year.
Chris Royall received this recognition from a financial services and real estate firm on his route.
The company provided him with a certificate that read: “For always giving us more work to do, and making sure our doorbell works every day, keeping us informed on the latest. Please never leave us!”
The recognition came as no surprise to Michael Kamel, the local postmaster.
“Chris does an excellent job serving his customers on his route,” Kamel said. “He works well with our customers. I can only remember receiving positive comments on his service.”
All smiles
The Smiling Postmaster is having a moment.
Candace Peters, the postmaster in Nolensville, a town of about 13,000 people in north-central Tennessee, was recently profiled by Nolensville Town Life, a local magazine.
“I’m a customer service person,” she tells the publication, which dubs her the “Smiling Postmaster.”
“I’m self-motivated and goal-oriented, and I care genuinely for my customers. It’s a great pleasure for me to just visit with them,” she says.
Peters, who joined USPS in 2015, also tells the magazine she hopes to spend her career at the Nolensville Post Office, adding that retirement “is about 35 years down the road!”
The fixer is in
Aaron D. Williams took the oath last month as the 45th postmaster in Tyler, TX, a city of about 105,000 residents in northeast part of the state.
“Every position I have held in the Postal Service has been a blessing,” said Williams, who joined the organization as a letter carrier in 2005. “I love what I do. I love to serve the community and fix people’s problems.”
“People” appears regularly in Link. Got news to share? Email us.
News Quiz
Batting order
See how much you remember about these stories
“News Quiz” is a weekly feature that lets you test your knowledge of recent Link stories. The correct answers appear at the end.
1. When did Hank Aaron hit his record-breaking 715th home run?
a) April 6, 1974
b) April 7, 1974
c) April 8, 1974
d) April 9, 1974
2. When did Betty Ford become first lady?
a) Aug. 6, 1974
b) Aug. 7, 1974
c) Aug. 8, 1974
d) Aug. 9, 1974
3. True or false: The new TV miniseries “Franklin” depicts Benjamin Franklin’s efforts to persuade the French to aid America’s rebellion against the British.
a) True
b) False
4. Fill in the blank: The first Forever stamp depicted the (blank).
a) Liberty Bell
b) Statue of Liberty
c) U.S. flag
d) None of the above
5. Match the USPS product in Column A with its newly proposed price in Column B.
Column A
a) Domestic postcard
b) International postcard
c) Letters (1 ounce)
d) Letters (metered 1 ounce)
Column B
I) 56 cents
II) 69 cents
III) 73 cents
IV) $1.65
Answers: 1) c. 2) d. 3) a. 4) a. 5) a. I., b. IV., c. III., d. II.
New Postal Bulletin includes election guide
Postal Bulletin’s latest edition, published April 18, features a guide to Election Mail and Political Mail.
Updates to USPS policies, procedures and forms are also included.
Employees can go to usps.com to read and download the latest Postal Bulletin, along with past issues.
View past printouts
Printout details
What's included
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Get a sneak peek at new USPS delivery vehicles
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Heroes
Surprise from the sky
This carrier helped rescue a hapless parachuter who landed in a lake
-
April26Datebook
‘Step Up to Lexis+’
-
People
Royall treatment
A carrier receives praise and two postmasters step into the spotlight
-
News Quiz
Batting order
See how much you remember about these stories
-
Brief
New Postal Bulletin includes election guide