USPS Is Closing Over 50 Post Offices in Several States, Effective Immediately

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READ THIS NEXT: USPS Is Making Even More Changes to Your Mail .

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Customers in three states have just been cut off from in-person postal access. The newest service alerts from the USPS indicate that retail operations are now “temporarily suspended” at over 50 post offices in Texas, Tennessee, and Arkansas.

In Texas, there are 10 facilities currently closed to customers, according to an update from the Postal Service on Feb. 1. The impacted post offices in this state include those in cities such as Llano, Killeen, and Fort Hood.

Another update from the USPS on Feb. 1 revealed that services have just been suspended at 19 facilities in Tennessee. Many of the closed post offices in this state are located in Memphis.

But in terms of the most closures, Arkansas takes the award. Also on Feb. 1, the Postal Service said that it had closed 25 post offices in the state. Major cities in Arkansas, such as Little Rock and Jonesboro, have been hit by the current service suspensions.

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A total of 54 post offices are now closed throughout Texas, Tennessee, and Arkansas. And according to the USPS, they have all been shuttered for the same reason: “weather conditions.”

In separate local news releases posted for each of the three states, the Postal Service acknowledged the disruption but said that it is necessary. “We apologize for any inconvenience that may be experienced, but the safety of both customers and employees is our highest priority,” the USPS explained.

All week, these states have been dealing with “a nasty combination of freezing rain, sleet, and accumulating ice” that was expected to last through at least the morning of Feb. 2, CNN reported. Dubbed Winter Storm Mara , this icy storm system has left dangerous road conditions and hundreds of thousands without power in Texas, Tennessee, and Arkansas, according to The Weather Channel.

As of noon on Feb. 2, over 41,500 power outages had been reported in Texas, about 70,000 in Arkansas, and roughly 20,000 in Texas, per PowerOutage.us.

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The USPS started suspending services at facilities in Arkansas and Texas because of Winter Storm Mara on Jan. 31. But some of those post offices have already reopened. On Feb. 1, the agency posted a local news release to advises customers on the current “ status of retail operations ” in Texas.

According to the update, the following facilities have already “resumed normal operating schedules” in the state: Ackerly Post Office, Doole Post Office, Forsan Post Office, Knott Post Office, and Lohn Post Office.

A separate news release from that same day also confirmed that the Postal Service had resumed all of its retail and delivery operations in North Texas. “We are continuing to track this week’s winter storm and taking all available actions necessary to maintain both safety and service ,” the USPS noted, adding that “mail and package delivery for residences and businesses is continuing as normal.”

But the USPS is also asking for aid from people in Texas, as letter carriers will only continue to deliver to their routes “if it is safe to do so,” according to the agency.

“The Postal Service asks customers to please help letter carriers deliver mail safely by maintaining a clear path to mailboxes. Customers receiving door delivery should make sure their sidewalks, steps, and porches are clear of snow and ice,” the USPS said. “Customers receiving curbside delivery should ensure carriers can safely access mailboxes from their vehicles.”

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This is hardly the first time the Postal Service has temporarily closed post offices because of severe weather this winter. Massive snowstorms have previously prompted hundreds of facility closures across states like Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. But as with certain post offices in Texas, the USPS worked quickly to reopen facilities, and they’ve since already resumed normal operations.

Unfortunately for some residents, that’s not always the case. Last September, the USPS temporarily shuttered more than 200 post offices across Florida in advance of Hurricane Ian. Some of those facilities resumed service that month, but others remain closed four months later.

As of Jan. 24, there are eight Florida post offices still closed “due to impacts from Hurricane Ian,” the Postal Service recently warned. “We appreciate the patience of our customers as we continue to recover from Hurricane Ian and restore service as quickly as possible.”

USPS Just Raised Prices Again—And It’s Already Planning the Next Price Hike

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It seems like we’re having to pay more for everything these days—and that includes our mail. The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has been struggling financially for years now. To change course, the agency unveiled its Delivering for America (DFA) initiative in 2021 with the goal of reaching financial sustainability again within the next 10 years. And unfortunately for us, part of the plan includes price hikes for customers. The USPS just raised its prices on Jan. 22—and it’s already planning the next price hike. Read on to find out what you should be prepared for.

READ THIS NEXT: USPS Is Getting Rid of This Permanently, as of Jan. 31 .

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Just two months after introducing its DFA plan, the USPS had already announced plans to raise prices. In May 2021, the agency said that it had filed notice with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) to “raise overall Market Dominant product and service prices by approximately 6.9 percent” later that year. The PRC approved the price hike, and it kicked in officially on Aug. 29, 2021.

Since then, customers have seen mailing costs climb again and again. In July 2022, the Postal Service raised its First-Class Mail prices by approximately 6.5 percent. Then just a few months later, the agency increased prices yet again: On Oct. 2, “a temporary price adjustment for key package products for the 2022 peak holiday season” went into effect. “This temporary rate adjustment is similar to ones in past years that help cover extra handling costs to ensure a successful peak season,” the USPS explained.

Now, however, the agency is back to more permanent price hikes.

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The temporary price hike for the 2022 holiday season expired on Jan. 22, but it coincided with a more permanent change. Back in October, the Postal Service announced that it had filed plans with the PRC for “new prices for 2023.” The commission approved the new rates , which went into effect on Jan. 22 and increased First-Class Mail prices by approximately 4.2 percent.

The USPS also raised prices for P.O. Box rentals and shipping services that same day. “As operating expenses continue to rise, these price adjustments provide the Postal Service with much needed revenue to achieve the financial stability sought by its Delivering for America 10-year plan,” the agency said.

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With the newest price increase, customers are now paying three to five cents more for mailing essentials like postcards, letters, and First-Class Forever stamps. And that’s likely not the last time we’ll see price hikes this year. Instead, officials say that customers should expect another increase this summer.

“The Postal Service expects that, in each subsequent year, it will implement price changes for all Market Dominant classes in January and July of such year,” the PRC said, per USA Today .

The USPS confirmed this timeline for price hikes in a Sept. 2021 press release. “Beginning Jan. 2023, Market Dominant price adjustments will occur twice a year, (e.g. Jan. 2023, July 2023, Jan. 2024, July 2024, etc.),” the agency said. “Market Dominant products include First-Class Mail (FCM), USPS Marketing Mail, Periodicals, Package Services, and Special Services.”

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These regular price increases are starting to add up for USPS customers. For example, stamp prices are now about 15 percent more expensive than what they were prior to 2021, and they have nearly doubled from the 33 cents they cost in 2000, Money magazine reported.

But Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has stood by the Postal Service’s soaring prices and made it clear that he has no plans to stop the hikes anytime soon.

“I believe we have been severely damaged by at least 10 years of a defective pricing model —which cannot be satisfied by one or two annual price increases—especially in this inflationary environment,” DeJoy said during a 2022 Postal Service Board of Governors meeting. “From my perspective, the mailing industry needs to be prepared for continued use of our authority to raise prices on market dominant products at an uncomfortable rate until such time as we have accomplished our objective of projecting a trajectory that shows us becoming self-sustaining—as required by law.”