USPS boosts sortation capacity, plans surcharges ahead of peak season

The Postal Service said last week it is currently seeing major parcel carriers insource deliveries they would have once handed off to the agency. FedEx, for example, is now keeping volume originally destined for the Postal Service to improve delivery density in its Ground network.

Despite this insourcing, package volumes at USPS remain higher than pre-pandemic levels and are expected to stay that way. So the agency is “transitioning from an outdated network and operational posture that was ill equipped to handle the effects of the pandemic on the mix of mail and packages we process,” Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said in a statement Friday.

The holidays are expected to be a challenging test for the investments and operational changes made by USPS.

DeJoy expressed confidence in the agency’s preparations for peak season in Friday’s Board of Governors meeting. He said USPS is adding facilities and equipment “at a magnitude not endeavored here in a long time and at a pace that rivals any high-performing commercial enterprise.”

UPS and FedEx are also gearing up for peak with network investments — and surcharges — of their own. But if there still isn’t enough room in their networks, that could lead to further pressure on the Postal Service.

Daily package delivery demand is projected to outpace capacity by 5 million pieces during peak, UPS CEO Carol Tomé said during the company’s Q2 earnings call, and shippers who haven’t already secured carrier capacity are set to face a bumpy holiday season.

The agency saw its on-time delivery rate dip for a week during the 2020 peak season after FedEx and UPS placed restrictions on major shippers, bringing it additional volume, according to ShipMatrix data cited in news reports.

More news please continue to pay attention to this webside https:// www.zs-express.com

311072730


Post time: Aug-17-2021