IT APPEARS THAT 85% IS THE NEW 95%, AS A NEW NORMAL SETTLES IN
Something seems to have happened in July at the Postal Service. Since July 10, 2023, there have only been two weeks when First-Class letters had an on-time rate better than 90%. This past week was not one of them. At just under 85% on time, the fall pattern continues with a fairly consistent 85% on-time rate for First-Class letters. That the goal is 95% on-time in general seems meaningless. YTD there was only one week when USPS delivered 95% of First-Class letters on time. (The week of June 19. Remember June? The weather was lovely, and the mail was on time…well, for a week). Even First-Class flats have settled into something of a pattern since July, averaging about 75% on time.
Well, there was an interesting stat on First-Class letters – last week, 4.12% were more than 5 days late. That’s a high (or low) for the year.
Meanwhile, thank goodness, Marketing Mail stayed consistent, although even in Marketing Mail, flats were off a bit – only 93.1% on time. But Marketing Mail flats volume is very heavy, at least according to my mailbox, so at least that makes sense.
