The Postal Service recently marked the third anniversary of its first fully-operational Flats Sequencing System (FSS) at the Dulles, VA, Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC) — a milestone in the way the Postal Service sorts flats. Each FSS can sort mail in delivery point sequence (DPS) at a rate of 16,500 pieces an hour, or […]
eBay sellers connecting with shoppers last week set a record-breaking pace for shipping, using USPS products and services to send more than 1 million packages on Wednesday. And that daily pace continues to increase. eBay volumes already are up 16 percent this holiday season compared to last year, and ever-increasing numbers of eBay sellers are […]
CORE BUSINESS STRATEGIES DEFINED In an open letter to all employees on his first official day in office, PMG Pat Donahoe defines core business strategies that will guide the organization to become “a profitable, nimble Postal Service that competes for customers and has a well-defined and valued role in an increasingly digital world.” Donahoe says […]
NO PENCILS NEEDED Paper-and-pencil selection tests for entry-level jobs, Maintenance, and new supervisors are a thing of the past. These tests now are taken online, initiated when applicants apply for jobs at eCareer. To date, job applicants have completed more than 100,000 assessments online. Performance tests that cannot be computerized — including the initial road […]
Six Years Old And Growing Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes this month celebrate their sixth birthday, showing continued growth since their introduction Nov. 20, 2004, and debunking public perception that “shipping is complicated.” Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes changed the dynamics of the shipping industry, according to Gary Reblin, vice president, Shipping Services. Their ease […]
With about 1,200 murals and 200 sculptures in Post Offices nationwide, USPS is the custodian of the largest public art collection owned by any federal agency. The artwork was created from 1934-1943 during President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal initiative. With the nation facing 25 percent unemployment in 1933, the New Deal sponsored several art […]
El Cajon, CA, Letter Carrier Bill Kuehling was delivering mail during a record-setting heat wave this summer, when San Diego television reporter James Koh noticed how quickly he was moving. Then the reporter noticed Kuehling’s prosthesis. Recounting that meeting, Kuehling laughs at how the reporter rushed over and said, “You’re a much better story than […]
It’s Open Season — the time of year when employees can sign up for benefit programs, change enrollments, or cancel their participation. Open Season for three benefits programs — Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), and the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) — begins Monday, Nov. 8. FEHB and […]
Due to recent events involving packages shipped from Yemen by private courier companies, the Postal Service has temporarily suspended acceptance of inbound international mail originating from that country. This service suspension has been issued in response to the potential threat posed by suspicious packages originating in Yemen. To ensure the safety and security of postal […]
BUFFALO DUO STARTING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE With mail volumes declining and customer habits changing, USPS continues to look at every opportunity to make the most of its resources. Some initiatives — closing Post Offices or changing delivery frequency — are governed by law. But there are other options that can improve efficiency and reduce […]