The Postal Service is now offering USPS Connect Local in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware as part of a nationwide rollout that began last month.
USPS Connect Local offers businesses affordable next-day delivery in all locations, with same-day delivery, Sunday delivery and pickup options in select locations.
In a Feb. 25 kickoff event at the Van Brunt Post Office in Brooklyn, NY, Postmaster John Tortorice cited two industry statistics: U.S. parcel volume grew 37 percent between 2019 and 2020 and parcel volume is expected to nearly double by 2026.
USPS Connect Local will position the organization to take better advantage of this new reality, Tortorice said, by capitalizing on ongoing network improvements, new equipment, new pricing and enhanced operational precision.
“It’s a remarkable new delivery option,” he said.
A March 16 celebration in Toms River, NJ, combined the USPS Connect Local kickoff with a Grow Your Business Day event, complete with refreshments, a ribbon-cutting and remarks from postal and community business leaders.
Mariset Arroyo, the district customer relations manager, said that USPS Connect Local helps businesses of all sizes compete in ecommerce; offers reliable, fast delivery and convenient returns for customers; and allows the Postal Service “to more fully leverage its network capacity to increase volume and revenue.”
Ribbon cuttings in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh heralded the March 15 rollout in Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia Postmaster Leroy Middleton Jr. stressed how the new “Connect” services — USPS Connect Local, Regional, National and Returns — capitalize on the investments of Delivering for America.
“USPS Connect was created to be an affordable option to help enable small and medium-size businesses ship to customers at rates usually only available to major mailers,” he said.
Donna Graham, customer relations manager, said the new offerings would help the organization better serve local business customers.
“As a postal proud manager here in Philadelphia, I am here to say, ‘Knock, knock, Delaware and Lehigh valleys — Special delivery: It’s USPS Connect, delivering for America!’” she said.
The USPS Connect LiteBlue page has more information, including the national rollout schedule. Employees will need their identification number and password to access the page.