For news outlets in search of holiday stories, USPS is the gift that keeps on giving.
Coverage abounds this year, but why is that?
The answer is that Delivering for America improvements have provided much to write about.
As a Fox Business Channel headline announced: “USPS at highest processing capability ever this holiday season.”
“With the new machines and additional manpower, USPS can now process up to 60 million packages per day, compared to 53 million last holiday season,” the report stated.
The theme of increased processing capacity cropped up again and again, including features on new sorters in Maryland, New Jersey and Washington, among many others.
A new processing and distribution center with state-of-the-art sorters in Los Angeles drew many media outlets eager to tour the facility.
“We’re rockin’ it right now,” Plant Manager Daniel Hirai told Spectrum News 1. “We’re set for a million packages tonight and we’re going to continue to push.”
The new sorters “have the capability of sorting higher package volumes at faster speeds,” Contract Technician Araseli Méndez explained to Spanish-language outlet Univision, which also covered the facility. “This in turn helps make sure that we can process more shipments daily.”
USPS Operation Santa, which celebrates its 110th anniversary this year, enjoyed a splashy spread in USA Today and even mentions in outlets one might not expect, such as the Motley Fool finance website.
“The media attention has been amazing,” said Sue Brennan, the senior public relations representative who spearheads the program. “Everyone wants to share heartwarming stories during the holidays.”
Stories on long workdays for employees, holiday shipping deadlines and special postmarks in towns such as Noel, MO, and Santa Claus, IN, were plentiful, as were the usual messages to help letter carriers by making sure addresses are visible, keeping porch lights on during extended delivery hours and ensuring mailbox paths are clear of snow.
Through all the reports, postal employees’ spirit of service shone through.
“We know that this is our time to shine,” Robert Hamm, customer services supervisor at the Reno, NV, Main Post Office told KOLO-TV.
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