USPS Names 4 Worst Performing Chicago Post Offices; report shows 62,000 emails delayed over several months

CHICAGO (WLS) – There have been thousands of missing or delayed pieces of mail and no clear response from the Chicago Postal Service. Residents in the south and southwest have been complaining about mail delivery problems for months.

A new report released on Thursday revealed shortcomings within the post office. The USPS Inspector General’s report highlights Chicago’s four worst performing sites:

83rd and Ashland

77th and Cottage Grove

46th and Cottage Grove

3600 block of West 79th Street.

Overdue mail, including letters and parcels from these locations, totals over 62,000 mailings from September to February.

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Congressman Bobby Rush, who joined local aldermen and mayors of Alsip and Evergreen Park in a morning press conference, called it unacceptable.

“The people who depend on the postal service, the elderly, families, other people who depend on the postal service day in and day out – this is an utter, epic, total and undeniable failure,” Rush said.

He asks for the resignation of the postmaster and a management overhaul. The report he highlighted also revealed inaccurate information about the delayed mail. Some of this information included “voter information” provided by the Secretary of State.

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“We don’t deserve the kind of treatment we get in Chicago,” said Pat Dowell, 3rd Ward councilor. “It’s not just a problem on the south side; it’s happening on the north side and the suburbs. It’s time for a change.”

The report also covered the incorrect scanning and handling of hundreds of packages and letter carrier absenteeism rates, which in some cases reached 50%.

ABC 7 spoke to those whose health is now affected by this postal delay.

“Why? That’s all I can say. Why? Why? Why?” said Classie Hardney, who has been waiting for her new prescription and insurance cards in the mail since the end of January.

“The post office isn’t working. It just isn’t working,” she said.

She said she couldn’t pick up her meds without this card and she only had a week left before she ran out.

“I need my asthma pump, I need blood pressure medication, and I need cholesterol medication. So if I miss, I don’t know what I can do, ”she said.

Lorraine Sardin finally had mail delivered after three weeks, but is still awaiting her second stimulus check.

“How often do I come here and check my mail?” a man shouted outside the 83rd and the Ashland site before the police were called.

The USPS inspector general recommended that postal managers should track carrier absenteeism rates – in some cases up to 50 percent – as well as other courier reporting issues.

USPS said in a statement: The USPS Chicago leadership team is working to implement the OIG recommendations as detailed on pages 14-17 in the recently released OIG report.

Read it full report here.