‘I just need my mail’ Baltimore residents complain about USPS delays
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BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Problems and delays with mail delivery and receipt across Baltimore City is nothing new. According to several people, they’ve waited weeks, if not months, with nothing new in their mailbox and with packages that have yet to reach their destination.
“I go to the post office every day,” said Tierra Johnson. She told WJZ that she hasn’t received her mail since March. Every day during her lunch break, she now goes to the Downtown Post Office. But, each time, she said it feels like a lost cause.
“We’re not retrieving our mail because there’s no one to sort it out, and give to the postal workers to deliver to us,” Johnson explained.
In a statement to WJZ, the United States Postal Service said since the start of the pandemic, it continues to experience challenges with employee availability. They said staffing is occasionally impacted. “We thank our customers for their understanding and continued support.”
As a result, USPS said it’s fully authorizing overtime, expanding mail deliveries to earlier in the mornings, later in the evening and on Sundays. They are also using carriers from nearby offices and hiring additional personnel. This is an effort to expedite a whole host of problems that started last year.
“I’ve actually realized that sometimes I’ll send something regular mail and it will get there before the priority mail I paid for,” said Jeremy Daly. “That doesn’t make sense to me.”
Johnson said she even volunteered to help.
“Well, I said, I get off in the evening. I said, if you need volunteers, I’ll come in and sort the mail myself. I just need my mail,” she said.
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