Rural mail under the Delivering for America Plan will be significantly slower, according to an analysis by the Postal Regulatory Commission, which finds that the plan glosses over the difficulties for rural mail, and is overall unlikely to “lay a foundation for success” for the troubled agency.
Rural populations, in particular, won’t be receiving first-class mail for six or more days under the plan, the PRC said, and at least half of all ZIP Codes in America will see at least some down-graded service for first-class mail.
The analysis, released Jan. 31, was part of a non-binding review of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s Delivering for America Plan, which has attracted criticism from both Democrat and Republican lawmakers.
DeJoy, who gave himself an “A” for the plan during Congressional hearings late last year, requested the advisory opinion in October, amid widespread criticism of his plan. The PRC had also been urging DeJoy to request the opinion, which is mandated by law whenever a proposed change would affect service on a nationwide, or substantially nationwide, basis.