Neighborhoods across the Philadelphia region are experiencing significant delays in receiving their mail, with some residents going upwards of three weeks without packages and letters, leaving them without medication, paychecks, and bills. The delays come at a time when the U.S. Postal Service is experiencing significant changes. The new Postmaster Generals policies eliminate overtime, order carriers to leave mail behind to speed up their workdays, and slash office hours, which coupled with staffing shortages amid previous budget cuts and coronavirus absences are causing extensive delivery delays.
Customers are past frustrated. For example, in Overbrook Park, which has seen at least four coronavirus cases among carriers in the last month, according to the union, residents are desperate. Valerie Rice said her mail has arrived only once every two weeks in July. She receives medication for her 25-year-old grandson, who has autism, through the mail. But now it doesnt come on time, forcing her to go to different drugstores across the city, in hopes they have what he needs.
I try to stay by him and pray for life that I have what I need to take care of him, said Rice, 65. Donald Bullock said he has gone three weeks without his mail leaving 71 letters and three packages, including two paychecks, sitting inside the Overbrook post office, according to his USPS mail alerts.