Tag Archives: covid-19

HOW COVID-19 AFFECTED DELIVERY

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the financial, operational, and service performances of the USPS. Here’s how:

Employee Availability
The cumulative number of employees quarantined reached 19.1%, while  non-career employee turnover rate hit 40%.

Transportation
Lack of airplane and truck capacity, and industry competition for both, disrupted the supply chain and transportation resources particularly during the holiday season

Shift in Mail/Package Composition
A dramatic decline in First Class Mail combined with an unprecedented package volume increase of 40%

The postal service continued to deliver to its 160 million address client base throughout 2020. However, constraints in processing and transportation networks prevented timely and consistent arrival of product.

Package delivery is expected to continue to rise in the coming decade.  While this dynamic will create strong opportunities for the Postal Service and may leverage it to be even
more relevant, it also requires significant changes to its operating model. In the coming months we are anxious to learn what USPMG Louis DeJoy’s 10-year vision for the postal will be.

COVID-19 Operations Update

Business Extension Bureau did not close during the COVID-19 stay home order as we are deemed an essential business within the CISA (Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency). We remain open today and are conducting our operations using recommendations given by the CDC, global, national, and local government agencies and The World Health Organization.

The safety of our staff, customers, and partners is paramount and we have implemented stringent safety procedures that include:

  • Only employees, maintenance staff, and delivery personnel are permitted inside our buildings.
  • Anyone entering our buildings must wear a mask.
  • Deliveries are only accepted through the warehouse.
  • Employees must sanitize their work stations before the start of each shift, mid-day, and again at the end of each shift.
  • Gloves and hand sanitizers are positioned throughout all of our buildings and office areas, and all staff are encouraged to use them throughout the course of each day.
  • Employees whose job functions allow them to work from home are working split shifts. Every other day at home, every other day at the facility; altering days weekly. This will be seamless to our clients and vendors.

We are operating with a core-group of people and understandably our turn times may not be as fast as usual. Your patience is appreciated as we work through this crisis. We appreciate your business and partnership and we will keep you abreast of any changes in our operating schedule as it unfolds.

The Postal Service has so far experienced only minor operational impacts in the United States as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. A temporary suspension of the guarantee on Priority Mail Express International destined for China and Hong Kong, remains in effect since Monday, Feb. 10, 2020, due to widespread airline cancellations and restrictions into this area. In addition, customers may see delays in mail and packages destined to China as well as from China, as well as to and from European countries subject to restricted passenger airline travel. The Postal Service is undertaking all reasonable measures to minimize the impact to our customers.

Please exercise caution and common sense during this trying and extremely unusual time. As always, we appreciate your business and partnership.

Stay safe & healthy-
BEB-Business Extension Bureau