Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
We inform. You decide.
Friday, March 29, 2024

US Postal Service to stop Saturday mail delivery in August

<p>In an effort to cut spending, the U.S. Postal Service will no longer offer delivery of first-class mail on Saturdays.</p>

In an effort to cut spending, the U.S. Postal Service will no longer offer delivery of first-class mail on Saturdays.

The U.S. Postal Service announced plans Wednesday to change its delivery system. It will no longer offer first-class mail deliveries on Saturdays.

The postal service said the new delivery schedule will include package delivery Monday through Saturday and mail delivery from Monday through Friday. The changes are planned to take effect beginning Aug. 5, according to a postal service press release.

Carl Williams, senior postal manager of the UF mail distribution center, said the change won’t have an effect on UF campus mail delivery because departments don’t receive mail on Saturday.

“We will continue to do the dorm delivery on Saturday until we are told differently,” he said, “but at this point, nothing has been written that says it will affect the University of Florida in any way at this time.”

Williams said the center was informed of the possibility of switching to a five-day delivery schedule but won’t be making any changes until it gets further instructions from the postal service.

The decision comes as part of a postal service effort to reduce expenses.

Last year, the postal service reported a $15.9 billion loss, according to the postal service’s integrated financial plan published in November.

The postal service estimates it will save about $2 billion annually if it cuts out Saturday delivery, according to the release.

North Florida postal service spokesman Stephen Seewoester said that most Americans see the switch to five-day delivery as a way for the service to save money and become financially stable.

“We did surveys in advance of this and the feedback has been around 70 percent positive,” he said.

Seewoester said he doesn’t think north Florida will be affected any differently than anywhere else in the nation.

But the postal service said that its decision to keep package delivery on the six-day system reflects the changing demands of their customers and the rise in e-commerce.

Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox

Total shipping and package volume has seen a 14 percent growth during the past three years while the volume of first-class mail has declined by 20 percent, according to the release.

In an effort to cut spending, the U.S. Postal Service will no longer offer delivery of first-class mail on Saturdays.

Support your local paper
Donate Today
The Independent Florida Alligator has been independent of the university since 1971, your donation today could help #SaveStudentNewsrooms. Please consider giving today.

Powered by SNworks Solutions by The State News
All Content © 2024 The Independent Florida Alligator and Campus Communications, Inc.