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New prices

Top story

New prices
Changes to take effect Jan. 26
2 days ago
Show of Love
USPS dedicates stamp at children’s hospital
14 hours ago
Staying healthy
Take steps to avoid flu, other illnesses
11 hours ago

Walk carefully

Walk carefully

Tips to avoid wintertime slips, trips, falls
The Postal Service wants employees to take precautions to avoid slips, trips and falls during winter weather.
15 hours ago

All hands on deck

All hands on deck

Miller, a 2010 stamp honoree, receives new honor
During a Martin Luther King Jr. Day ceremony last week, the U.S. Navy named an aircraft carrier after World War II-era sailor Doris “Dorie” Miller, whom the Postal Service honored with a stamp in 2010.
2 days ago

Less taxing

Less taxing

New benefit offered for online filers
Postal Service employees can now automatically upload information from their W-2 and 1095-C forms to the H&R Block tax preparation company.
2 days ago

Carry on

Carry on

News Quiz: Test your postal knowledge
How much do you know about letter carriers in the USPS workforce, new postal applications and other hot topics?
2 days ago

Labor update

Link Extra

Labor update

USPS, union reach tentative deal on contract
The Postal Service and the National Postal Mail Handlers Union have reached a tentative agreement on a three-year contract that covers more than 43,000 employees represented by the union.
3 days ago

Code blue

Code blue

QR codes added to collection box labels
The Postal Service is adding QR codes to all blue standard and Priority Mail Express collection box labels to provide customers with information on nearby Post Offices.
3 days ago

Made of Hearts

Made of Hearts

This year’s Love stamp arrives Jan. 23
The Postal Service will release its Made of Hearts stamp Thursday, Jan. 23.
3 days ago

Higher learning

Higher learning

Tuition discounts available to employees
The Postal Service is reminding employees that they are eligible to receive tuition discounts from several colleges and universities.
3 days ago

Scanning snapshot

News Briefs

Scanning snapshot

Report, newsletter also highlighted
Read about scanning, the Postal Regulatory Commission’s annual report and Southern Area Update’s latest issue.
3 days ago

Please hold

Please hold

Changes made to customer mail form
PS Form 8076, Authorization to Hold Mail, has been updated.
4 days ago

Full circle

Full circle

Family’s letter-writing tradition has lasted decades
Martha Deitrich and her family have regularly used mail to stay in touch for more than 60 years.
1 week ago

Engagement award

News Briefs

Engagement award

Area Update also highlighted
Read about recognition for a Pacific Area engagement ambassador and Pacific Area Update’s latest issue.
1 week ago

Unscheduled leave reminder

Unscheduled leave reminder

App available for employee requests
The Postal Service is reminding bargaining unit employees they can use the Enterprise Leave Request Application to request unscheduled leave.
1 week ago

Rural Reach Day

Rural Reach Day

Districts to celebrate program Jan. 24
The program encourages rural carriers to help raise revenue for USPS by submitting sales leads.
1 week ago

New employee discount

News Briefs

New employee discount

Two publications also highlighted
Read about a new discount from Pryor Learning Solutions and the latest issues of Postal Bulletin and Western Area Update.
1 week ago

Archives

About the Business

  • Dedicated revenue

    Ceremonies help USPS promote, sell stamps

    Jan. 21

    Dedicated revenue

    Ceremonies help USPS promote, sell stamps
    Jan. 21 at 9:31 a.m.

    The Postal Service issues dozens of stamps each year, and each one is a unique product that helps the organization generate revenue.

    Like many businesses, USPS wants to ensure customers know when its products hit the market.

    This is why the organization holds dedication ceremonies for most stamp releases. Not only do the ceremonies help the Postal Service honor the subject of each stamp, they also serve as product launch events.

    Stamp dedication ceremonies feature remarks from USPS leaders and guests who have a connection to the stamp subject. Many events also feature music, including a performance of the national anthem, as well as a presentation of the colors.

    A national event — sometimes referred to as a “first day of issue” ceremony — is held for most stamp releases, and there often are countless special dedications held in communities across the nation that feature remarks from Postmasters, community leaders and others.

    In addition to drawing large crowds, stamp dedication ceremonies receive significant coverage in the news media, providing the Postal Service with unique promotional opportunities.

    USPS also sells stamps and related merchandise at each ceremony, ensuring attendees are among the first consumers to purchase the latest releases.

    But if customers can’t attend a stamp dedication event in person, they can watch a live feed from most ceremonies on Facebook. Additionally, USPS offers video highlights from each event through Link, social media and other channels.

    Archives

Heroes’ Corner

  • Cul-de-sac crisis

    Employee saves customer from bleeding to death

    Jan. 24

    Cul-de-sac crisis

    Employee saves customer from bleeding to death
    Jan. 24 at midnight

    Letter Carrier Mark Palmer was delivering mail one day last spring in a Decatur, GA, neighborhood when he came upon a customer experiencing a medical emergency.

    Mabel Walls, 79, had stumbled on her front steps and sliced an artery when she fell onto a lawn ornament, nearly splitting her foot in two.

    On a quiet cul-de-sac with no neighbors around at the time, no one heard her screaming for help until Palmer came along.

    The Postal Service employee immediately called 911 and applied pressure to slow the profuse bleeding until paramedics arrived. They credited him with saving Walls’ life.

    After a two-month hospitalization, Walls contacted ABC affiliate WSB-TV in hopes of recognizing Palmer for his efforts.

    The station covered their reunion, where she thanked him and told him, “You will always be my friend.”

    Said Palmer: “It was a blessing for me to be here.”

    Archives

Best Practices

  • All in the delivery

    Carrier focuses on accuracy

    Jan. 13

    All in the delivery

    Carrier focuses on accuracy
    Jan. 13 at 10:59 a.m.

    Darryl Johnson likes to get it right.

    The Los Angeles letter carrier, who has worked for the Postal Service for more than 30 years, understands mistakes can be costly.

    “When a customer gets a broken or misdelivered package, they’ll tell five people, who’ll tell five more. It can keep multiplying until we get a bad reputation,” he says.

    USPS encourages all carriers to be like Johnson. By striving for accurate deliveries, carriers can help the organization improve service, boost loyalty and drive revenue.

    To help his colleagues, Johnson offers the following advice:

    • Read every address. “Before you deliver anything, make sure you’re on the right street,” he says. “So many streets have similar addresses. Even the houses might look exactly the same on different streets.”

    • Follow the rules. “Don’t scan packages in the back of the vehicle. Scan them at the delivery point.”

    • Protect every package. “If I don’t feel comfortable about leaving a package, I leave a notice for the customer … so that when the customer calls and the clerk or supervisor answers the phone, they can explain what happened.”

    Johnson has one more piece of advice: Whenever you see a customer, offer him or her a friendly greeting.

    “That way, the customer knows you care,” he says.

    Archives

On the Job

  • Rolling along

    Employee keeps carriers on road

    Jan. 24

    Rolling along

    Employee keeps carriers on road
    Jan. 24 at 10:51 a.m.

    My name is Michael Hill and I’m a vehicle operations and maintenance assistant in Arlington, VA.

    Our department is like AAA for the Postal Service. When a postal vehicle breaks down or gets a flat tire, we come to the rescue. If we can’t fix it, we get another vehicle for the carrier so he or she can keep moving and deliver the mail.

    I start my day by shuttling vehicles in for service. We do quick diagnostics, then let the mechanics know what’s wrong. We handle flat tires, battery changes, headlights — little stuff that’s in between what drivers can handle and what the mechanics take care of.

    In Arlington, we take care of around 265 delivery and administration vehicles.

    When I first started in vehicle maintenance, a Postmaster told me the most important thing to do is to get to the carrier, figure out what’s wrong, and if necessary, get out a new vehicle because the first priority is to keep the carriers moving.

    I joined the Postal Service in 1988 and have been in Arlington the entire time. I first served as a carrier for 20 years before switching over to custodial maintenance, then vehicle maintenance for the past five years.

    Working at the Postal Service has provided me the stability to raise a family and make good money. I was able to earn a degree in culinary arts during my time at the Postal Service.

    I’m married and I have a son, a daughter, two stepdaughters, nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, ranging in age from 3 to 26.

    I love vacationing and cooking. I ran my own catering business for about eight years, and my wife and I ran the kitchen at church, but I don’t cater as much as I used to.

    My advice to employees using Postal Service vehicles is to treat them with care, as if they were your own vehicle, because they are so important to getting the mail to our customers.

    Archives

The List

  • Cold, hard truths

    5 facts about Grand Island ice caves

    Jan. 21

    Cold, hard truths

    5 facts about Grand Island ice caves
    Jan. 21 at 9:19 a.m.

    Here are five facts about Michigan’s Grand Island ice caves, a natural phenomenon in Lake Superior and the subject of a Priority Mail Express stamp released last week.

    1. Grand Island is marked by massive sandstone bluffs. While impressive in any season, the columns, which are 20-50 feet high, are especially dramatic in winter when lake water seeps into the crevices and caverns, forming magnificent ice curtains and icicles that hang like stalactites from ceilings, similar to underground caves. The area’s ice generally begins to form by mid-December and remains until early April.

    2. The ice is colorful. Lake Superior’s fresh water creates ice curtains that are not only white but dazzle in hues of yellow, pink and blue. The lake’s waterfalls also freeze into stunning formations during wintertime.

    3. At times, the ice caves are off limits. Depending on warm weather snaps and winter winds, the weather conditions can affect the caves. The National Park Service, which maintains the area, sometimes prohibits people from climbing the ice.

    4. The caves have a long history. Grand Island was as attractive to early Native Americans and European explorers as it is to visitors today, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The island’s sandstone cliffs were shaped by centuries of climate influences, lush forests and white sand beaches.

    5. Come spring, the area is home to wildflowers. From April to September, more than 500,000 wildflowers can be seen in their natural island settings. The Grand Island caves are accessible in the summer with sunset cruises and boat tours or by kayak.

    Archives

Mailbag

  • Robert Miller Jr., Dulles, VA:

    “Birthday boss” was a heartwarming story about a business leader who has written personalized birthday cards annually for every employee in his company. It’s a nice example of just how personable the mail can be.

    Archives

Latest videos

  • ‘Carroll’s Story’ Jan. 9
  • ‘Engage’ Jan. 7

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