Monday, May 5, 2025
USPS puts new sorting and delivery centers on display
Employees and media are getting a look at upgraded facilities across the nation
The Postal Service has opened 96 sorting and delivery centers since 2022 as part of the Delivering for America plan’s $40 billion investment in infrastructure to transform the organization’s network.
USPS is opening the doors of these facilities, known as S&DCs, to local news media and employees. Hundreds of employees across the nation have attended more than two dozen of these open houses this year — and more are scheduled.
In Winston-Salem, NC, about 200 employees and their family members had the opportunity to tour the city’s S&DC and watch a demonstration of its new, high-speed sorting machine.
“The feedback from employees has been incredibly positive,” said Demaris McCants, Winston-Salem’s postmaster. “The upgrades are amazing. Employees are truly going to benefit from the transformation of this facility.”
These upgrades include improved workspaces, better equipment and newer, safer vehicles.
“Investing in modern, streamlined facilities is critical as we continue to transform the organization and empower our workforce,” said Elvin Mercado, chief retail and delivery officer. “These investments not only enhance efficiency but also prioritize a better working environment for our employees, ensuring a safer and healthier workplace.”
The Waco, TX, S&DC recently hosted local news outlets, offering a tour of the 72,000-square-foot facility and an up-close look at some of the newest additions to the USPS vehicle fleet. Waco, like many S&DCs, has electric vehicle charging stations to accommodate the dozen electric vehicles it currently has and the dozens more it is to receive later this year.
Since 2021, there have been more than 1,700 new delivery vehicles assigned to S&DCs, and more than 57,000 delivery vehicles have been put into service nationwide.
The Postal Service has plans to open around 300 more S&DCs during the next few years. New centers are scheduled to open in the coming months in Georgia, California, Nevada and Arizona.
Email us your feedback. Your comments could be included in our “Mail” column.
Heroes
She found an unconscious accident victim
This retail associate saw a vehicle in a field and stopped to have a look
Retail Associate Angela Mertens was driving to the Spivey, KS, Post Office early one morning when something in a field caught her attention.
At first she thought it was farm equipment and kept going, but then she decided to turn around and investigate.
The Postal Service employee found an empty, wrecked vehicle. A young man was lying on the ground nearby, unconscious. He was cold but still alive.
Mertens called 911, covered the man with a blanket she keeps in her truck and stayed with him until paramedics arrived. She then helped police officers find the man’s wallet.
The man was taken to a hospital in Wichita, KS, and later transferred to a rehabilitation facility in Nebraska.
The incident left him with short-term memory loss, so the cause of the accident remains unknown.
“Who knows what would have happened if Angie hadn’t turned around,” said Jeremy Manthe, a local customer service supervisor. “Her actions demonstrate that postal employees do more than just handle the mail. We make a difference every day.”
Employees featured in “Heroes” receive letters of commendation through the Postmaster General Heroes’ Program. The nomination form is available on Blue.
Week in Review
Here’s what Link covered April 27-May 3
NPF, new stamps honoring a big postal milestone and ‘Goodnight Moon,’ and a perceptive rural carrier made news
The National Postal Forum, the mailing and shipping industry’s largest annual conference, grabbed the lion’s share of Link headlines last week.
We previewed the weeklong event at the Gaylord Opry Convention Center in Nashville, TN, reported on the keynote address from Acting Postmaster General Doug Tulino (including a video of his remarks), and shared news of awards bestowed.
“People” spotlighted some of the more lighthearted moments from the forum, including a visit from an actor playing Ben Franklin and a performance of “The Tennessee Yodeler” at the “NPF’s Got Talent” show courtesy of Mike Porter, a USPS communications specialist, and Abby Martin, a USPS integration and support manager.
It was also a big week for stamps, with the Goodnight Moon release and an announcement about new offerings honoring the 250th anniversary of the American postal system. We also reported on dedication ceremonies for the new Powwows and Dahlias stamps.
May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, and Link explored the history behind this observance honoring the contributions of the nation’s fastest-growing demographic.
And “Heroes” spotlighted Angela Mertens, a Spivey, KS, retail associate who was commuting to work when she spotted what seemed like farm equipment in a field.
Something told her to circle back and investigate.
When she did, she found a wrecked vehicle and an unconscious young man lying on the ground nearby. She covered him with a blanket and called 911.
The man suffered memory loss and is recovering in a rehabilitation center.
“Who knows what would have happened if Angie hadn’t turned around?” said Jeremy Manthe, a local customer service supervisor. “Her actions demonstrate that postal employees do more than just handle the mail. We make a difference every day.”
Email us your feedback. Your comments could be included in our “Mail” column.
May 12, 2025
Datebook
‘PSHB and Medicare in Retirement’
USPS employees may participate in a webinar that will help explain how the new Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) Program and Medicare work in retirement.
The session, “PSHB and Medicare in Retirement,” will be held Monday, May 12, from noon to 1 p.m. Eastern.
Representatives from CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, a provider of health plans for federal employees, will lead the webinar.
Participants must register on the webinar website.
Participation is voluntary. Nonexempt employees must participate off the clock or during authorized breaks.
Employees who have questions can email the USPS Benefits and Wellness team.
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USPS puts new sorting and delivery centers on display
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Heroes
She found an unconscious accident victim
This retail associate saw a vehicle in a field and stopped to have a look
-
Week in Review
Here’s what Link covered April 27-May 3
NPF, new stamps honoring a big postal milestone and ‘Goodnight Moon,’ and a perceptive rural carrier made news
-
May12Datebook
‘PSHB and Medicare in Retirement’