USPS will officially alter service standards for first-class mail, periodicals, marketing mail, and package services that are estimated to save at minimum $36 billion over the next decade through reductions in transportation, mail and package processing, and real estate costs.
About 75 percent of First-Class Mail will keep its current service standards, according to USPS, and 14 percent will see an improvement in delivery times. Some individuals could experience slower times; however, USPS has stated that delivery times won’t exceed the current five-day service standard for First-Class Mail.
The changes now include a new map feature for people to potentially alter their expectations for receiving mail. The map is based on five-digit ZIP code pairs rather than current three-digit pairs, which USPS says “will be updated as needed to communicate any new information.”
Individuals can visit the USPS website and type in their respective ZIP codes, which will place a pin on where seven different options of mail delivery will be sent from. The colored map then shows how long it will take for certain mail to be sent to different portions of the country.
The USPS delivery map is available here.