USPS Is Making These Changes to Your Mail, Starting Aug. 1
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Considering the size and responsibility of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), it’s not surprising when the agency needs to make adjustments . And the Postal Service is undergoing more long-term changes than ever via the 10-year Delivering for America (DFA) plan, which is “guiding the transformation” of the USPS to become “ self-sustaining and high performing .” Now, the USPS has announced another round of changes slated for next month. Read on to find out what you can expect, starting Aug. 1.
RELATED: See a Sticker on Your Mailbox? Don’t Touch It, USPS Says .
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According to a document published by the Federal Register: The Daily Journal of the United States Government on June 30, the USPS is adjusting Priority Mail Express refunds . According to the USPS, these packages are typically sent with a next-day to two-day guarantee for a flat-rate fee—and they have a money-back guarantee.
Per the Federal Register document, as of Aug. 1, the agency is discontinuing refunds for Priority Mail Express packages that don’t arrive by their promised deadline for Alaska and Hawaii.
“The Postal Service has determined that operationally we cannot meet the service commitments for Priority Mail Express expected by customers for Alaska and Hawaii,” the document reads. “As a result, the Postal Service is discontinuing postage refunds for guaranteed service for Priority Mail Express pieces destined to or originating from Alaska or Hawaii.”
RELATED: USPS Is Making These Changes to Your Mail .
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The Postal Service notes that this change is intended to streamline service. “We believe this revision will provide customers with a more efficient mailing experience,” the document reads.
However, while you won’t be given a refund for late packages, you can still be reimbursed if your mail goes missing.
“Postage refunds for loss will still be available for pieces destined to or originating from Alaska or Hawaii,” the agency said.
RELATED: USPS Is Getting Rid of These Mailing Options .
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On a brighter note, the USPS is also making some changes in terms of the stamps it offers.
Earlier this month, the agency announced the arrival of Life Magnified Forever stamps , which “commemorate the beauty of the microscope world.” According to the Postal Service, these “otherworldly” stamps will be available on Aug. 10.
And in a release the same day, the USPS shared that the Thinking of You Forever stamp series will debut on Aug. 11.
“These five new stamps from the U.S. Postal Service perfectly complement letters and cards sent to brighten someone’s day,” the release says. “The pane of 20 stamps features five unique designs filled with a variety of whimsical images, including flowers, balloons, cute animals, sweet treats and symbols of good luck.”
As the USPS notes, “In good times and bad, checking in on friends and family provides an important connection. A feel-good, handwritten message, no matter the length, can boost spirits and bring relationships closer, despite miles of distance.”
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If you’re more interested in making change yourself, you may want to tune into the USPS Board of Governors meeting on Aug. 8. According to a July 24 press release, the meeting is being held at the Postal Service headquarters in Washington, D.C.
If you’re in the area, the press release notes that public can observe starting at 4 p.m. Eastern Time (ET), but if you’re not local, you can also watch via a live audio webcast.
If you want to participate in the public comment period—either in person or via teleconference—you must register ahead of time . Just be sure to do so before registration closes on Aug. 6 at noon ET.
- Source: https://about.usps.com/what/strategic-plans/delivering-for-america/
- Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/06/30/2023-13942/priority-mail-express-refunds
- Source: https://www.usps.com/ship/priority-mail-express.htm
- Source: https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2023/0706ma-postal-service-to-release-life-magnified-stamps.htm
- Source: https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2023/0706ma-postal-service-to-release-thinking-of-you-stamps.htm
- Source: https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2023/0724-board-of-governors-to-meet-aug-8.htm
See a Sticker on Your Mailbox? Don’t Touch It, USPS Says
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Your mailbox serves a very simple purpose: receiving mail and leaving outgoing mail for a carrier to pick up. Still, some of us enjoy sprucing up our mailboxes, adding personal flair, color, or even decals to help an otherwise standard mailbox stand out. But if you notice a paw print sticker on your mailbox that you didn’t add, don’t start peeling it off just yet—it’s likely part of a program run by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to help keep carriers safe. Read on to find out what these stickers mean and why you shouldn’t remove them.
RELATED: USPS Wants to Raise the Price of Your Mail Again—Here’s When It Could Happen .
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In 2023, more than 5,800 Postal Service workers were attacked by dogs while delivering mail, up from 5,300 in 2022, according to a USPS press release.
Larger cities had the highest numbers of attacks, with Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, St. Louis, and Cleveland claiming the top five spots.
“Even though a customer’s dog is friendly to most people, it can always have a bad day,” said letter carrier Tara Snyder . “I know, from experience, even when a dog is in the house, customers need to make sure their door is secure so their dog can’t push it open and bite the letter carrier.”
To her point, the USPS writes that “all dogs can bite, even those perceived as nonaggressive.” In fact, many of the attacks that letter carriers report are by dogs whose owners told them, “My dog won’t bite.”
Such an attack can result in consequences for the homeowner, too. According to data from the Insurance Information Institute, the average cost per insurance claim for a dog bite is $64,555, the USPS states.
“When a postal employee suffers an injury, the owner could be responsible for medical bills, lost wages, uniform replacement costs, and pain and suffering for the employee,” they explain.
RELATED: USPS Is Making These Changes to Your Mail, Starting Now .
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To combat dog bites, the Postal Service shared tips on how pet owners can “support safe mail delivery.” These include keeping dogs inside the house or behind a fence, away from the door or in another room, or on a leash.
“Pet owners also should remind children not to take mail directly from a letter carrier as the dog may view the carrier as a threat to the child,” they state.
Mail carriers also follow protocol to keep them aware of areas where dogs might be present, and they’re equipped with scanners to remind them of possible dog hazards, as well as dog warning cards that are added during mail sorting.
In 2020, the USPS added another preventive measure: the PAWS Program . First introduced in Pennsylvania, the program uses mailbox stickers to keep carriers safe.
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The PAWS Program uses color-coded stickers affixed to mailboxes to inform mail carriers about dogs in the area. An orange sticker with a black paw print tells carriers that there is a dog at this home, while a yellow sticker with a black paw print tells them there is a dog at the next house.
Citizens are informed ahead of time that the stickers may appear on their mailboxes. In a notice sent to Lakewood, Ohio, residents, the Postal Service wrote, “Carriers will soon be placing a paw sticker on mailboxes to indicate that a dog or dogs live in the area —yellow indicates dog nearby/orange indicates dog at residence. The sticker will act as a reminder to the carrier that they should proceed with caution, especially when delivering packages to the door.”
RELATED: Postmaster General Louis DeJoy Resigns—What It Means for the USPS and Your Mail .
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Removing these stickers may do more harm than good, as your mail service can be halted if your carrier feels unsafe. Not only does this affect the home of the dog owner, but it also applies to the entire neighborhood, the USPS said in a previous press release . Service isn’t restored in these instances “until the aggressive dog is properly restrained.”
At the end of the day, these stickers are put in place to “reduce the risk of dog bites and attacks that occur while delivering mail,” which is just another reason you should leave the sticker on your mailbox.
“We all love our dogs,” Kimberly Tilley , acting postmaster for Winston-Salem, told WGHP. “We love our animals, but we … have to take responsibility to protect the carrier and the people around us as well from our animals.”
Tilley added that dog bites are more common than you think, and they can be traumatic for carriers. “Once a carrier has been bit, it sets some fear in them long term for the rest of their life,” she told the outlet.
However, although these stickers are strongly recommended, if you object to having a sticker placed on your mailbox, you can opt out , Kyle Stevens , Southwest Carrier Annex station manager in South Dakota, told KELO in 2021. To do so, the first step would be to contact your local post office.
This story has been updated to include additional entries, fact-checking, and copy-editing.
