(WXYZ) — Big changes are taking effect at the post office on Friday, impacting all of us. Mail is permanently slower and prices are temporarily going up ahead of the holidays.
Now, 1-3 day delivery could take up to five days in some cases, and starting Sunday, prices are going up through Christmas.
Mail delays have been an issue since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and now, it could get really interesting ahead of the holidays.
It's due to a mix of staffing struggles. USPS is hiring seasonal positions, including 1,000 right here in metro Detroit. it's also due to the impacts of the pandemic, and efforts by USPS to save money under Postmaster Louis DeJoy's 10-year plan for the agency.
Under the changes, some first-class mail and magazines and periodicals will arrive later, especially if traveling a long distance. That 1-3 day window is now 1-5 days.
The good news? First-class packages aren't expected to be impacted. That means medicine and food deliveries should still arrive on time, and a single piece of first-class mail traveling locally will continue to have a 2-day window, according to USPS.
"We are not structured properly and we have fallen out of step with the marketplace we serve," DeJoy said.
Detroiters are already feeling the impact of pandemic-related delays and staffing shortages at USPS. Some people report having to pick their mail up at the post office.
The price changes on Sunday will go up anywhere from 25 cents to $5 depending on the size and the distance traveled. For context, the distance covered through zone 4 is 600 miles.
In the meantime, USPS is looking to bring on 40,000 seasonal workers to help during the peak season.
