Is USPS mail delivery changing? How postal service changes affect South Bend post offices
The United States Postal Services is has been purging billions of dollars each year since 2007.
According to USPS, the organization relies on the sales of stamps and postage, its products and services to fund operations and usually does not get tax dollars for operating expenses. It's independent, meant to be self-financing.
President Donald Trump has been critical of the service and in March, then-U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said he signed a deal with the Department of Government Efficiency, headed by Elon Musk.
Here's what we know:
Yes, USPS is changing mail delivery. Some parts of the plan have already started with an official start coming soon. The second phase of the plan is set to roll out later this year.
According to information released by USPS, the shifts will help save the organization $36 billion over a decade.
The agency has seen a sharp decline in first-class mail since electronic communication became more popular. It's dropped 80% since 1997, and volumes are the lowest since 1968, according to Reuters reporting.
It lost $9.5 billion in 2024. USPS is expected to lose another $6.9 billion in 2025, according to reporting from Government Executive.
The first round of changes is already underway and began on April 1, 2025. A second set of changes are planned for July 1, 2025. More information will be released closer to that date.
Changes are coming to the United States Postal Service in April that will affect millions of customers across the country. The moves are designed to improve efficiency and cut costs, but some people might get certain mail slower.
Service standards will be "refined" for:
First-Class Mail.
Periodicals.
Marketing Mail.
Package Services (Bound Printed Matter, Media Mail, and Library Mail).
USPS Ground Advantage.
Priority Mail.
Priority Mail Express.
Some areas could get "2-3-day turnaround service within regions and specific local areas," according to the postal service.
Some post offices could have delivery extended by a day. The information provided didn't say which ones could expect delayed mail delivery caused by changes to regional transportation schedules.
The postal service said, "all packages will benefit from more reliable service." The 2-5 day range for USPS Ground Advantage will stay the same. However, some shipping product will have a slower delivery range going forward.
Five-digit zip code add-ons are meant to streamline sorting and delivery as compared to the current three-digit pairs.
USPS already has a map online that will let customers see how long it will take to deliver mail from one zip code to another. Customers also can look up service standards at usps.com.
"Under the new approach, while most mail will retain the same service standard, some mail will have a faster standard, and some will have a slightly slower standard. For First-Class Mail, the current service standard day range of 1-5 days is staying the same, while the day ranges for end-to-end Marketing Mail, Periodicals, and Package Services are being shortened. All Mail will benefit from more reliable service," a USPS news release reads.
Yes. In March, then-U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said he signed a deal with the Department of Government Efficiency, headed by Elon Musk.
The department had been exempt from DOGE cuts, but DeJoy reportedly told Congress in a letter that USPS would cut 10,000 jobs over the next month through a voluntary early retirement program. The program is expected to be completed sometime in April.
The reduction plan was announced in January and is different than the federal employee buyout offer announced for most civilian federal employees. According to a news release from the American Postal Workers Union, workers who opt to retire early can get a one-time $15,000 incentive paid in two parts.
DeJoy said the deal with DOGE and the General Services Administration will help with "identifying and achieving further efficiencies."
According to USPS, the moves designed to improve efficiency and cut costs could force people to receive mail delivery at a slower rate.
President Donald Trump has shown disapproval over USPS operations and aims to see it make a profit. He has floated the idea of merging it with the U.S. Department of Commerce − which would halt the USPS's independent status and put it under his administration.
Musk has said he wants to see it privatized.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has suggested that postal workers could carry out the U.S. census and handle tasks performed by Social Security employees as cost-cutting measures.
Newsweek reporting said the merger, if it goes through could close offices, slow delivery, increase costs and lead to layoffs. It also could hit rural areas hardest.
The Washington Post, citing postal sources, said the plan would "probably violate federal law."
It was part of a story, also reported by The Wall Street Journal, citing anonymous sources who said Trump planned to fire the governing board of the postal service via executive order. The White House said no such order existed, but Trump did confirm that merger was being considered.
USPS employs 530,000 workers.
USPS delivers mail to 163 million addresses nationwide.
Chris Sims is a digital content producer for Midwest Connect Gannett. Follow him on Twitter: @ChrisFSims.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: USPS changes 2025: Is US post office changing mail delivery? What we know
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