USPS Lays Out Holiday Plans
The U.S. Postal Service told direct marketers and e-tailers yesterday that their packages will be delivered on time this year thanks to an elaborate holiday operations plan the agency formally announced.The agency said the plans are designed to prepare the USPS for the busiest holiday mailing season ever.
"We expect Americans to mail more than 20 billion cards, letters and packages during this holiday season -- up 4 percent from last year," said Nicholas Barranca, vice president of operations planning at the USPS.
Pat Mendoca, USPS manager of operations process support, said that from Nov. 26 to Dec. 31, the USPS will hire more than 40,000 temporary holiday employees who will work at post offices nationwide and will also handle deliveries. In addition, it is extending lobby business hours around the country.
The USPS also is leasing more than 1 million square feet of additional mail processing space; establishing three Christmas network airline hubs in Ontario, Indianapolis, and Blytheville, AK, with more than 100 supplemental airplanes dedicated to moving the mail from Dec. 14 to Dec. 24; adding thousands of trucks and dozens of additional trains to aid delivery during this time period; and placing some 26 million additional sacks and trays.
