The U.S. Postal Service wants to be more efficient but is being hamstrung by outdated U.S. law. That was one important takeaway from a speech by U.S. Postmaster General Megan Brennan, who visited Hellertown for a Lehigh Valley PCC (Postal Customer Council) event at Steel Club March 31.
A Pottsville native who began her postal service career 30 years ago as a letter carrier in Lancaster, Brennan has helmed one of the world’s largest government agencies since 2015, and she shared her vision for the long-term sustainability of the postal service–along with some staggering statistics–with an audience of about 100 at the club.
Brennan said her goals for the USPS as Postmaster General include becoming more data-driven and more technology- and customer-centric.
“As consumers we’re rather demanding,” she noted. “We want it fast, free, frictionless.”
For example, she noted that two-day delivery for packages is now the standard, and one-day or even same-day delivery isn’t unheard of.
Thanks to the popularity of Amazon and other online shopping options, package delivery has become big business for the post office.
In a single day, Brennan said postal employees will deliver 20 million packages, and USPS trucks will log more than four million miles.