Rep. Brenda Lawrence expresses concern over impact of USPS changes on seniors and small businesses

DETROIT – Several changes have recently come into effect to the United States Postal Service that will impact the way you send and receive mail.

The new standards were implemented on Saturday, which will make delivery times longer – packages, magazines and letters traveling long distances could take up to five days to arrive instead of two or three. In addition, the cost of shipping packages for the holidays will temporarily increase.

Read: U.S. Postal Service to institute changes ahead of holiday shipping season

The changes are not going well with Michigan Rep. Brenda Lawrence, who worked for the USPS for 30 years. Lawrence was responsible for a letter to the USPS that questioned the decision to make the delays permanent to help the budget. The postal service is one of the few government services that does not receive funding from taxpayers and must generate a profit.

A d

Read: Why your mail could be even more delayed from October 1

“After a year of serious setbacks for the postal service – driven largely by the disruptive operational changes you adopted in the midst of a global pandemic – your decision to further slow mail delivery poses another threat to this vital institution,” Lawrence wrote to US Postmaster General Louis DeJoy.

On Twitter, Lawrence said the delays would hurt seniors, small businesses and anyone who depends on the postal service.

“On behalf of the American people and as a 30-year USPS veteran, we deserve an explanation and answers,” Laurent tweeted.

A d

New data from the Washington Post suggests that mail to Detroit will be on average one to two days slower. In October 2020, USPS data showed Detroit had the slowest mail delivery in the country with hundreds of thousands of mail blocked by slowdowns.

Radical changes to the US Postal Service will further slow down these delivery times.

Related: 800 positions available with US Postal Service in Metro Detroit