The U.S. Postal Service needs to do a better job providing information that helps the public find service when local post offices are temporarily closed for emergency repairs or other reasons, say lawmakers behind a new bill that mandates more transparency.
The suspension of post office operations is a longstanding issue, especially in rural communities where residents may have to drive long distances to the nearest alternative retail location to get their mail.
The Postal Service, in many cases, is dragging its feet reopening locations because it’s trying to cut back in outlying areas that cost more to serve as it faces difficult financial pressures, said a letter carrier with deep knowledge of postal policy who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect his job. If a post office burns down in a wildfire, for example, management may prefer not to rebuild it.
The quasi-public agency lost $9 billion in fiscal year 2025. Stripping away pension funding requirements and other regulatory restrictions inhibiting cash flow, the Postal Service had an operating loss of $2.7 billion.
The Postal Suspension Transparency Act, introduced by the bipartisan leaders of the Congressional Postal Service Caucus in late December, would require the Postal Service to publicly post all temporary closures, alternative service available and the estimated end date of the service disruption.
