Daily printout: March 26

The Postal Service has filed notice with the Postal Regulatory Commission, or PRC, of a time-limited price change on certain products to better align its transportation costs with the market.

The planned change, which was approved by the Board of Governors on March 24, is an 8 percent increase that would affect base postage prices for Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express, USPS Ground Advantage and Parcel Select.

No other products or services would be affected, including First-Class stamps.

Pending favorable review by the PRC, the change would go into effect at midnight Central on April 26 and remain in effect until midnight Central on Jan. 17, 2027.

More information can be found in the Postal Service’s March 25 news release.

The complete USPS price filing can be found on the PRC website. Price tables are also available on the Postal Explorer website.

The Postal Service is reminding letter carriers to be aware of threats from wildlife, especially when delivering mail and packages in rural areas.

Last summer, a rural carrier was bitten by a rattlesnake while walking across a natural area rather than using an established path.

This incident happened in broad daylight, between the carrier’s vehicle and the customer’s house, in a region known to harbor venomous snakes.

In rural areas, delivery surfaces are often unpaved. Landscaping around a customer’s residence or business may be natural.

Wildlife activity fluctuates depending on the season. For instance, snake activity increases in warmer months, especially in areas that provide shade or ground cover near structures. 

For employees working in these environments, proper preparation means anticipating wildlife encounters on every approach, even during routine stops in clear daylight conditions.

Remote locations make it more challenging for emergency responders to arrive and provide treatment.

Carriers should always:  

• Remain alert for venomous reptiles, such as rattlesnakes, and other wild animals in or around delivery areas — especially when walking on unmaintained paths; and

• Keep in mind that tall grass, vegetation, brush, rocks, debris, structures and uneven surfaces are prime locations for snake encounters.

More information about how employees can stay safe on the job can be found on the Workplace Safety page on MyHR.

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A Washington, DC, mail carrier has been sentenced to more than five years in prison for stealing more than $1.6 million in personal and U.S. Treasury checks from the mail. 

This case began when a customer filed a complaint with the USPS Office of Inspector General, also known as the OIG, alleging that his carrier had stolen his $14,000 IRS tax refund check and then fraudulently cashed it.

OIG special agents opened an investigation into the matter. They discovered this was not a one-time heist but rather a well-networked criminal enterprise spanning 40 different Washington, DC, mail routes and involving nearly 100 stolen checks.

Many of the checks were federal tax refunds, so the special agents reached out to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration as well as the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia.

Investigators learned that the carrier had fraudulently deposited the checks, which he either altered or falsely endorsed, into his bank accounts. During some of these bank visits, he was wearing his Postal Service uniform.

The carrier spent large amounts of his ill-gotten gains to fund international travel, luxury hotel stays and visits to strip clubs, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

After investigators searched the carrier’s home, digital records and bank accounts, they estimated the total value of the stolen checks to be more than $1.6 million.

Investigators also discovered that he paid thousands of dollars to at least two USPS co-workers to conspire with him.

OIG special agents arrested the carrier, and the Justice Department indicted him on 21 criminal charges — including mail theft and bank fraud. A federal jury found him guilty on all 21 counts.

He was sentenced to five and a half years in federal prison and ordered to forfeit the money that agents seized during the investigation.

Cases are still pending on his alleged accomplices.

“This investigation should serve as a warning to any postal employee who thinks they will get away with stealing checks from the mail as a side hustle,” said Tammy Hull, the Postal Service’s inspector general. “You will be caught and prosecuted.”

The OIG recently highlighted the case on its website.

If you suspect or know of mail theft involving USPS employees or contractors, report it to the OIG.