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COVID-19

A holiday glut of packages prompts a shipping crisis for small businesses

by Justin Ho
Dec 24, 2020
Retailers are increasing shipping fees while fielding more calls from customers, asking, "Where's my package?"
Mail carriers load up their trucks at a USPS distribution center in El Paso, Texas, earlier this year.
Paul Ratje/AFP via Getty Images
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Elections 2020

What can Congress do about funding for the USPS and vote-by-mail efforts?

by David Brancaccio , Rose Conlon , Erika Soderstrom and Alex Schroeder
Aug 19, 2020
State and local budgets are hurting from the pandemic and could use the help.
U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (right), D-Md., speaks alongside fellow members of Congress outside of the headquarters of the USPS.
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images
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U.S. Postal Service is a big employer of veterans

by Justin Ho
Aug 19, 2020
The USPS says veterans make up roughly one-sixth of its workforce.
The federal pension the USPS offers is one part of what makes the job attractive to veterans.
Paul Ratje/AFP via Getty Images
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Many small businesses rely on U.S. Postal Service

by Justin Ho
Aug 18, 2020
Some small business owners say it's important to their bottom line to have a reliable service that's less expensive than other delivery options.
Many small business owners rely on the Postal Service to communicate with clients and complete transactions.
Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images
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Elections 2020

Post office's financial woes partly Congress' doing

by Nancy Marshall-Genzer
Aug 17, 2020
Congress passed a law in 2006 that requires the Postal Service to prepay health benefits for retirees. It's had trouble doing that.
Scott Olson/Getty Images
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Workplace Culture

Postal Service delays could move jobs to private competitors

by Meghan McCarty Carino
Aug 12, 2020
Recent problems at the USPS could lead to more businesses using private companies for shipping — and that could have consequences for workers.
A Postal Service worker on the job in El Centro, California. Leadership changes could affect the workforce's options.
Mario Tama/Getty Images
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Postal Service could come to a halt by June as it bleeds cash

by Jasmine Garsd
Apr 13, 2020
The pandemic has caused another sharp decline in business.
COVID-19 has caused another sharp decline in USPS' business, and the cost of keeping employees outfitted in gloves and masks is adding to its financial troubles.
Mario Tama/Getty Images
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Six fewer shipping days till Christmas puts pressure on UPS, FedEx and USPS

by Nova Safo
Dec 5, 2019
This year's late Thanksgiving has put shippers on alert. They're reminding customers to send their gifts early.
UPS has sent emails and social media messages about shipping deadlines. Above, a UPS worker sorts packages in San Francisco.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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Postal Service experiments with driverless mail trucks

by Jack Stewart
May 21, 2019
The big-rig mail trucks will include a safety driver in case something goes wrong.
One of the trucks being used in the trial.
TuSimple
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Can the U.S. Postal Service afford a one-day delay in deliveries this holiday season?

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Dec 5, 2018
In honor of former President George H.W. Bush, the U.S. Postal Service is suspending deliveries Wednesday.
Scott Olson/Getty Images
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