Why Are We Only Getting Mail Just A Few Days A Week In Central Minnesota?

I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one dealing with this...issue. I'll be the first to admit when I go out to our mailbox I'm not really stoked to open it up, if there is something inside it's more than likely a bill. But lately, I should say more often than not, when I go out to check the mail there isn't anything in there. So what's the deal?

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I've seen some signs around the post office in downtown St. Cloud that indicate the Post Office is looking to hire people, but is that what is causing all the delays? I'm asking a question, as when I call the post office and ask about the delays I generally don't get a straight answer. I often get the answer that carriers are on vacation, leaving some routes short-staffed, which maybe is the absolute truth for this area, but the slow delivery is not limited to just Central Minnesota.

Back in January KARE-11 broadcasted about the shortage of postal workers and the delays leading to national lawmakers questioning what the issues are.

"The United States Postal Service's creed reads, 'Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night,' and yet seniors and veterans are going without medication, businesses are missing payments and families are not receiving packages from loved ones during the holiday season," Craig wrote. "This is entirely unacceptable."

Business News Daily back in February outlined some of the reasons why USPS is delivering mail slower than what we've previously experienced:

The other major reason for these slowdowns is a series of changes, implemented by DeJoy’s 10-year plan. Changes being made included adding a minimum of a day to First Class delivery times, a shifting focus from air delivery to ground delivery, increasing domestic rates, limiting overtime, and reducing post office hours.

Where I live, I'm lucky to see mail three times a week, and while my inner child is always excited to open the mailbox to see if there is something inside, my inner adult worries that I'm going to have bills paid late as we still get the paper copies, or payments are late due to the slow or lack or service at times.