USPS says it’s ready for the busy holiday mailing and shipping season

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - Christmas is right around the corner, and that means it’s time for many to start thinking about gifts for loved ones. If those loved ones live far away, you’re probably sending those presents through the mail.

Many of us remember how long it tool to deliver packages last year, and many of those packages didn’t arrive until after the holidays. But the United States Postal Service says there is nothing to worry about this year. They have been hard at work to make sure holiday packages arrive on time.

“We are ready we’ve been preparing for this since January so we have everything in place to make sure we have the holiday ready and delivered for our customers in time,” says Naddia Dhalai, a Strategic Communications Specialist with USPS.

Dhalai says the USPS has made some major improvements before the holidays this year.

“This year we have installed an additional 137 machine sorters throughout the country,” says Dhalai. “We’ve converted 41,000 employees from part-time to full-time, and we’re also hiring an additional 20,000 employees seasonal throughout the country.”

Dhalai says they saw a need last year and made sure to have it filled this holiday season.

She says, “Mail does increase. Packages have been increasing over the years just the demand with online shipping and ordering so we just increase those machines based on that.”

To make sure your packages arrive on time, there are some deadlines USPS has set. For first-class mail, the deadline is December 17th and for priority mail, it’s December 19th. For priority mail express or overnight shipping, send those packages by December 23rd.

“We have everything ready to go so the earlier the better, we can process it and get it delivered on time,” says Dhalai.

USPS customer Sheila Carter says she has family members in Arizona, and she is not at all worried about her gifts arriving late.

“I’ve never had any trouble with the mail. Never,” says Carter.

“And it’s all gotten there, arrived by Christmas?” asked a 13abc reporter.

“Yep, if they send it early enough it will,” says Carter.

Her suggestions for smooth shipping: “I’ll be sending everything by next week to get it out early.”

USPS is still hiring for both seasonal and full time workers. There is a job fair Wednesday at the Toledo Post Office on St. Claire Avenue that goes from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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