Postal Service Ready for Busiest Mailing and Delivery Days

DELAWARE — Local Post Offices are prepared to handle the busiest mailing and delivery days. Monday, Dec. 17 is expected to be the busiest mailing day as the Delaware Processing facility in New Castle estimates it will handle about 2.2 million cards — more than three times the average daily volume. The facility estimates total mail volume should approach 8 million pieces (normal volume is 5 million) on Dec. 17.

“Our employees are working around the clock to make sure cards and presents arrive on time for the holidays,” said District Manager Joanna Korker. “In fact, we’re even delivering Express Mail on Christmas Day — excluding Santa, only the Postal Service will deliver on that day.”

Nationally, the Postal Service estimates it will handle 275 million cards and letters — more than three times the average daily volume of 82 million. Total mail volume (including packages) on Dec. 17 should approach 1 billion pieces. Wednesday, Dec. 19 is expected to be the busiest delivery day.

The theme of this year’s holiday campaign is Today’s Holidays Need Today’s Mail. “Americans are busier than ever, especially during the holidays, and we’re offering services like 24-hour Automated Postal Centers to help meet their needs,” said Korker.

The Postal Service also is seeing a dramatic increase in holiday mail to military installations in Iraq and Afghanistan, with average weekly volume quadrupling the first week in December to 4,000 pounds of mail. For the first 14 days in December, there were 12 additional 747 cargo aircraft dispatched with mail to the Middle East than during the same time last year. That’s almost one extra 747 lift every day. About 20 million pounds of mail is expected to be delivered to military installations around the world this season.

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An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that visits every address in the nation, 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 pay for operating expenses, not tax dollars. The Postal Service has annual revenues of $75 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.