USPS PERFORMANCE DROPS BACK TO EXPECTED LEVELS
Remember last week, when we said the Postal Service had an excellent week? Remember how we said that maybe this year will be different…and better? Remember that? Forget it.
Last week the Postal Service underperformed YTD averages in every category but that random number that is First-Class flats. Somehow, in that category, 71.8% on time has become OK.
The saddest thing is that the on-time percentages for last week weren’t abysmal, or a fluke. They pretty well represent the averages we have seen for 2024…which are quite a bit worse than last year…which were quite a bit worse than 2022. Service performance has seen a consistent, predictable decline for the last three years. Let’s look at First Class letters. In 2022, the YTD on-time average was 92.7%. In 2023, it was 89.6%. This year, so far, the YTD on-time average for First-Class letters is 82.6%. These are annual averages, not some fluky weeks.
The moral of the story is don’t look at last year’s performance when planning this year’s mail. You’re likely to be disappointed.
