Monday, December 16, 2024
Heroes
This employee aided a man who fell — then was invited to his family’s holiday dinner
Jaylen Lockhart was on his route when he saw the customer tumble
Rural Carrier Associate Jaylen Lockhart was delivering mail recently in Aurora, IL, when he saw customer Guy Miller fall while walking his dog.
Lockhart parked his vehicle and rushed to check on the 78-year-old man, who was bleeding from the head and face.
He cautioned Miller against trying to get up in case of serious injury and comforted him as he flagged down others to help.
The Postal Service employee asked Miller for his address and then knocked on the door to tell family members, who were home, to come to the scene.
After Miller recovered, his family praised and thanked the Postal Service employee through social media posts.
They also invited Lockhart and his family to celebrate Thanksgiving dinner with them.
Employees featured in “Heroes” receive letters of commendation through the Postmaster General Heroes’ Program. The nomination form is available on Blue.
USPS is delivering exceptional service during the holidays
The organization prepares for the season’s busiest week
USPS is delivering exceptional service during the holiday rush and expects continued success during the season’s busiest period — the week before Christmas — the organization reported Dec. 12.
Through the substantial progress the Postal Service has made under its 10-year Delivering for America plan — a $40 billion investment aimed at modernizing and reinvigorating the organization — USPS has expanded processing capabilities, optimized transportation strategies and enhanced operational precision.
The organization’s continued transformation has led to significant cost savings, increased service reliability and enhanced service performance. Currently, 98 percent of the nation’s population receives their mail and packages in an average of 2.6 days.
Under Delivering for America, the Postal Service has:
• Transformed its operations. USPS has committed $17.3 billion to the redesign and improvement of its processing and delivery networks. It has added 83 new sorting and delivery centers across the country that serve as centralized hubs that expand the geographic reach and speed of mail and package delivery.
• Enhanced processing capabilities. The Postal Service has deployed 506 new package conveyor systems since 2021 — 158 of which were added since last year’s holiday season. This dramatically boosted its package processing capacity to 77 million packages per day from 47 million.
• Fully optimized its transportation network. A crucial realignment has allowed USPS to shift volumes from costly air transportation to more efficient ground routes. The vast majority — more than 95 percent — of First-Class Mail and packages are moved by ground transportation, resulting in fewer empty trucks, reduced costs and faster delivery times.
• Modernized its retail network. The organization is revitalizing its network of 32,000 Post Offices and has equipped more than 50 sorting and delivery centers with the latest technology to optimize the customer experience and expedite transactions. These modern retail locations feature rapid parcel drop-off stations, smart parcel lockers and multi-functional self-service kiosks to meet customer mailing and package needs.
• Bolstered its delivery fleet. This holiday season will also mark the initial release of the new next-generation delivery vehicles, which will be on roads and routes in select communities this winter. Additionally this holiday season, there will be more than 27,000 new USPS vehicles on the road, with more than 500 being battery-electric vehicles.
• Stabilized and empowered its workforce. The Postal Service has added 7,500 seasonal employees to help its workforce with the expected increase in shipping volume during the holidays.
The organization’s Dec. 12 news release has more information.
Week in Review
Here’s what Link covered Dec. 8-14
Holiday stories, heartwarming heroics and more lit up our site
Link was a no-Grinch zone last week.
There were festive stories on holiday stamps, holiday gift ideas and even holiday-themed USPS social media frames.
We reported on the Nov. 29 delivery of the 1 billionth mailpiece of peak season, a Priority Mail package addressed to the Santa Claus Museum in the Indiana town of the same name, and we covered the Postal Service’s preparations for the holiday season’s busiest week.
In the spirit of the season, Link also trumpeted the actions of three employees who each go above and beyond the call of duty.
“On the Job” profiled RaeLee Curtis, a Monroe, UT, rural carrier active in her community, and “Off the Clock” featured Mike Sieber, a distribution clerk who works on the crew that holds the signal poles at home games for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
In “Heroes,” we spotlighted Aurora, IL, Rural Carrier Associate Jaylen Lockhart, who assisted a man who had fallen while walking his dog, then alerted the man’s family — who recognized his kindness by inviting Lockhart and his family over for Thanksgiving.
Did someone say Hallmark? We offered a guide to several cable TV films produced by the greeting card giant that weave useful mailing and shipping tips into their heartwarming storylines.
Speaking of holidays and film, “People” gave a behind-the-scenes look at Blippi’s USPS video, as well as Glenwood, MD, Postmaster Paula Logue’s custom of creating her own holiday cards.
Finally — what-ho? Did Santa have a word with the benefits people? Open season was extended through Dec. 13, so last-minute benefits shoppers were given that most precious gift of all: time.
USPS Operation Santa deadline is Dec. 16
Monday, Dec. 16, is the last day for USPS Operation Santa participants to adopt a letter.
It’s also the recommended date to ship gifts by for expected delivery before Wednesday, Dec. 25.
The program’s website has additional information.
View past printouts
Printout details
What's included
-
Heroes
This employee aided a man who fell — then was invited to his family’s holiday dinner
-
USPS is delivering exceptional service during the holidays
-
Week in Review
Here’s what Link covered Dec. 8-14
Holiday stories, heartwarming heroics and more lit up our site
-
Brief
USPS Operation Santa deadline is Dec. 16