The USPS has long been fraught with issues, with some people being quite unhappy with the service experienced. However, it’s not always USPS’s fault that things go awry during shipment and delivery. A new plan from the head Postmaster will hopefully make USPS profitable again, but not without changing aspects of the service people have come to expect.

A recent report from CBS News states that stamp prices will be rising in the coming months. The PRC (Postal Regulatory Commission) approved a rise in stamp prices, stating that the changes match postal regulations. USPS has reported that first-class stamps will go from being 55 cents each to 58 cents by August 29.

The price increase may seem slight, but hopefully, it will get the U.S. Postal Service back on its feet financially. Raising the price of first-class stamps is part of the “path to profitability” for the USPS to be back on track in terms of losses suffered throughout the pandemic and years prior. However, the rising stamp prices aren’t the only step in place to help USPS recover financially.

In addition to more expensive stamps, the Postmaster has decided that slowing delivery times will also help bolster the business side of USPS. There is some contention regarding this decision, though, as the PRC says there is no evidence that slower deliveries would save USPS money. Various areas of the United States will be disproportionately affected by shipping delays.

According to the report, states like Arizona, California, Florida, Main, and Texas will all potentially be affected by the delivery delays. It seems the delayed deliveries will also affect rural, elderly, and disabled communities detrimentally. Truthfully, no one likes getting their mail delayed, but delayed shipments might help get the USPS back on track financially.

That said, an article from the Washington Post laid out how the new delayed delivery system will look. Currently, 43% of mail is delivered in three days, with the remaining 57% delivered in three days. The new system will deliver 35% of mail in two days, 35% in three, 21% in four, and 10% in five.  

The delayed distribution of mail by the USPS is disheartening at best and downright upsetting at worst, but there is a silver lining. Despite first-class mail being delayed, it seems overnight shipping will not be affected by these changes. So, if you need to ship a package promptly overnight, you can rest easy knowing it’ll be delivered by the allotted time. And if it isn’t, you can request a refund.

While many might not be affected severely by the delays, it’s unfair to those who live further out and might be part of the elderly, rural, and disabled communities. However, the good news is, authorities are aware of this predicament and positive changes are expected in the months to come.