The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has been a vital part of postal operations in the country for many years, but it has recently faced some serious financial and operational challenges.
In an effort to fix these issues, the USPS has been implementing new strategies and making several changes to your mail. As part of their 10-year Delivering for America (DFA) plan, the agency has announced even more adjustments to their long list of changes. In this article, we will discuss the mail changes that you can expect as of Sunday.
The Postal Service's DFA Plan:
In March 2021, the Postal Service unveiled its 10-year Delivering for America (DFA) plan, which aims to transform the agency "from an organization in financial and operational crisis to one that is self-sustaining and high performing." The plan involves the implementation of different strategic initiatives and adjustments to help the USPS get back on solid ground.
Changes Made in 2021 and 2022:
In October 2021, the Postal Service implemented new service standards for First-Class Mail and Periodicals, slowing down the delivery timeframe for some of our mail. The following May, it further slowed down deliveries by extending the timeframe for First-Class Packages. Also in 2022, the USPS raised prices, added new fees, and discontinued some of its shipping options.
New Changes For 2023:
On Jan. 17, the Postal Service announced it would be changing some of its shipping and tracking codes. According to the new service update, on Jan. 22, the agency will eliminate 41 legacy type codes, update several forms, and replace one label.
USPS is also asking post offices to remove all Label 400s from retail lobbies. USPS is planning to get rid of something else as well. As of Jan. 22, Priority Mail Regional Boxes and rates will be discontinued. According to the Postal Service, these were originally introduced in 2022 to offer commercial and online customers a low-cost shipping alternative.
USPS wrote in a Jan. 9 alert on its website:
Effective Jan. 22, 2023, Regional Rate Boxes will be discontinued. After that date, remaining Regional Rate Boxes can still be used for shipping, but they will be treated as weight and rate packages. Customers who currently use these boxes are encouraged to place orders before supplies are depleted.
If you're looking for an alternative to the Regional Rate Box in terms of pricing, the agency is recommending customers use Priority Mail Cubic after the discontinuation.
The USPS further explained:
Priority Mail Cubic is a sub-service of Priority Mail in which commercial customers ship items using their own packaging and the pricing is based on the outer dimensions of the package rather than weight.
It also noted that this option "offers similar cost savings" to that of the Regional Rate boxes.
Conclusion:
The Postal Service has been making many adjustments over the last two years as part of its DFA plan. The changes made in 2021 and 2022 have already slowed down delivery times, raised prices, and discontinued certain shipping options. The agency has also announced the specific changes for 2023, but it is important to be aware that more adjustments are coming as well.
What Are Your Thoughts?
How have the changes made by the USPS affected your mail experience? Are you concerned about the additional changes announced for 2023?
Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!
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