Shippers prepare for busiest mailing week
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The United States Postal Service, United Parcel Service and FedEx Corp. are emphasizing to customers to "mail early" so cards and gift packages arrive in time for Christmas.
"We can't say it often enough: Mail early," Tad Kelley, spokesman for the Western Pennsylvania District of USPS, said as the countdown to the postal service's busiest week of the year enters single digits. Kelley estimated a 10% to 15% increase in mail volume.
"Dec. 14 to Dec. 20 is the busiest week of the year and our employees have been preparing for it since September," he said in a phone interview. "The Postal Service delivers more packages to homes than any other shipper, and customers can help us out in a number of ways."
Online shopping and shipping volumes this holiday season are expected to break records, said Heather Wilson, a communications adviser with FedEx Media Relations. "The exponential growth of e-commerce, underscored by the COVID-19 pandemic, will continue during the 2020 holiday season, with more packages hitting our network than ever before. We project that peak shipping volumes will be up 22% (year-over-year) and have been preparing for the influx of packages for months in advance of an unprecedented holiday season."
To prepare for the holidays, FedEx has more than 600,000 dedicated team members and made "a significant investment in our facilities and fleet. We are well-positioned to meet the peak demand and look forward to helping deliver the holidays for our customers around the world in a challenging environment."
USPS employees meet the high demand through expanded delivery times, expanded retail hours at select post office locations and online conveniences, Kelley said.
Sunday package deliveries have been happening since Nov. 29 and carriers are delivering in the early morning hours, so customers are urged to turn a porch light on and make sure walkways and areas around mailboxes are clear of snow and ice.
"We've been delivering the holidays for more than 245 years. We prepare for it all year long and we are ready to deliver the best holiday season ever," Kelley said. "Most importantly, our employees are remarkable -- they are dedicated and take great pride in delivering the holidays for our customers."
If residents are expecting packages and important mail, Kelley said, Informed Delivery is a free service in its third year. Sign up at informeddelivery.com to see what packages are coming and to receive daily emails showing what mail will be delivered.
If homeowners are worried about "porch pirates," Kelley said delivery dates can be changed so packages don't sit outside the door.
USPS employees continue to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for a safe post office visit, Kelley said. But consumers don't have to leave home to ship their packages. In these socially distant times, they can simply visit usps.com or use the Click-N-Ship feature for help shipping gifts, ordering free Priority Mail boxes, printing shipping labels, purchasing postage and even requesting free next-day Package Pickup.
UPS declined to comment.
Mirror Staff Writer Patt Keith is at 814-949-7030.
Christmas shipping deadlines
The U.S. Postal Service recommends these mailing and shipping deadlines:
Military:
* Friday was the suggested deadline for APO/FPO/DPO Priority Mail and first class mail.
* Dec. 18 -- APO/FPO/DPO Priority Mail Express.
Domestic:
* Tuesday — USPS retail ground.
* Dec. 18 — First class mail.
* Dec. 19 — Priority Mail.
* Dec. 23 — Priority Mail Express.
Last days to ship via FedEx:
* Tuesday is the last day to ship via FedEx Ground if you drop off shipments at a staffed FedEx location.