(SAN DIEGO, CA) — The U.S. Postal Service is in the process of informing Oceanside residents and businesses that part of the 92054 ZIP Code area will become 92058 effective June 30, 2007.

The ZIP Code adjustment is necessary because of growth. The Postal Service has maximized the capacity of its automated equipment to sort mail to the 92054 ZIP Code.

Similar growth-related issues in the North County were the reasons for ZIP Code adjustments in Carlsbad, Vista and San Marcos over the past few years.

By dividing the 92054 ZIP Code area into two ZIPs, the Postal Service will be able to sort more Oceanside mail directly to letter carriers and Post Office boxes in delivery sequence using ZIP+4 codes.

Automated mail sorting using ZIP+4 codes is the fastest and most accurate method of processing mail.

The boundaries of the new 92058 ZIP Code area are the area bordered on the west by Interstate 5; on the south by Mission Ave; on the east by N. Douglas Drive; and on the north by Camp Pendleton. Both sides of Mission Ave and N. Douglas will be in the 92058 ZIP Code.

The new 92058 ZIP Code area will include 15,192 deliveries that are currently in the 92054 ZIP Code area. After the change, 92054 will have 17,127 deliveries.

"We are advising affected customers to begin using the new 92058 ZIP Code only after the effective date of June 30, 2007," said Oceanside Postmaster Lisa Baldwin.

"We want to minimize the impact on residents and businesses that have stationery and office supplies bearing the old 92054 ZIP Code, so there will be a temporary transition period during which both the old and new ZIP Codes will be recognized on our automated sorting equipment," she added.

"The transition period will last for up to 12 months. However, we are encouraging customers to make the transition to the new 92058 ZIP Code as soon as possible after June 30. We are also encouraging early notification of correspondents to begin using the new 92058 ZIP Code after June 30," Baldwin said.

Similar transition periods were extended to customers in past ZIP Code changes.

Residents and business owners who may have questions can contact the Brooks Street Post Office at (760) 433-0206.

An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that visits 146 million homes and businesses, six days a week. It has 37,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products, and services to cover its operating expenses. The Postal Service has annual revenues of $73 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.