INDIANA — The United States Postal Service (USPS) announced today that its busiest holiday season is officially underway, assuring the public that continued investments in modernization have prepared the agency to reliably and affordably meet every American’s mailing and shipping needs.
To give the public a live look at its massive operation, the Postal Service has launched a real-time Holiday Mail Counter online, which tallies the number of mailpieces and packages accepted into the network this season.
Postal Service leaders underscored their readiness, citing a comprehensive modernization effort across the country, which has focused on infrastructure, technology, and improved shipping standards.
Key to this readiness is the significant expansion of the USPS processing network:
- The Postal Service has opened hundreds of expanded facilities.
- It has installed 614 state-of-the-art sorting machines nationwide.
These investments have dramatically increased the agency’s package processing capacity to approximately 88 million packages per day, a substantial increase from the 60 million it could handle last holiday season.
In Indiana and across the nation, the Postal Service is also hiring 14,000 temporary employees to complement its full-time workforce and manage the surge in holiday volume.
Despite the massive volume, the USPS maintains that it remains the most affordable way to send mail and packages. Customers are advised to expect high service standards this year:
- Mail and packages are expected to be delivered nationwide in less than 3 days on average.
- For shipping within the same regional service areas, customers can expect a 2–3-day turnaround.
USPS Commissioner Kevin Garvey emphasized that thanks to these investments and the dedication of the workforce, the organization—which has evolved over 250 years from using horseback and steamships to today’s Next Generation Delivery Vehicles—is fully prepared for the critical holiday season.
Customers can find local post office hours at USPS.com and access a dedicated online holiday hub at usps.com/holidaynews for all shipping information, including how to order free shipping supplies.
