THE POSTAL SERVICE HAS A FLATS PROBLEM
There’s just no way around it – the Postal Service has a serious and worsening problem delivering flat-size mail on time. Last week just 70.7% of First-Class flats were delivered on time. And remember, this is against relaxed standards the Postal Service granted themselves in October 2021. Against the old standards, only 36.94% would be considered on time. So, the theory that adopting more “realistic” standards – and hitting them – would somehow stabilize service has not worked. Service for Flats is bad and getting worse.
Marketing Mail flats also turned in one of their worst performances of the year, with only 87.6% being delivered on time. And this is mail with very relaxed standards and shorter distances to travel.
Letter-size mail did OK, with more than 90% of First-Class letters delivered on time, and more than 96% of Marketing Mail letters.
Clearly, the problem is with flats. It is a problem at which USPS should take a hard look.
