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The U.S. Postal Service announced Wednesday that it plans to halt Saturday mail delivery beginning in August. The Postal Service expects to generate savings of $2 billion annually once the plan is fully implemented.
Over the past several years, the Postal Service has advocated shifting to a five-day delivery schedule for mail and packages. However, according to the Postal Service, recent strong growth in package delivery (a 14 percent volume increase since 2010) and projections of continued strong package growth throughout the coming decade led to a revised approach to maintain package delivery six days per week. Many post offices will remain open Saturdays for customers.
“Our customers see strong value in the national delivery platform we provide and maintaining a six-day delivery schedule for packages is an important part of that platform,” said Patrick R. Donahoe, postmaster general and CEO. “As consumers increasingly use and rely on delivery services – especially due to the rise of e-commerce – we can play an increasingly vital role.”
Market research conducted by the Postal Service and independent research by major news organizations indicated that nearly seven out of 10 Americans supported the switch to five-day delivery as a way for the Postal Service to reduce costs in its effort to return the organization to financial stability, Donahoe said.
The Postal Service made the announcement more than six months in advance to give customers time to plan and adjust. It plans to publish specific guidelines for residential and business customers about its new delivery schedule.
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