Postmaster General Louis DeJoy laid out some of the specifics for that plan at the National Postal Forum in Phoenix this week, saying he would significantly reduce the number of processing plants and delivery units in major metropolitan areas. He also vowed to close the annexes that have supported capacity next to other postal buildings, while also reopening dormant facilities and repurposing existing sites. The operational reforms, he said, would standardize the USPS network and allow for more precise and efficient mail sorting and delivery.
“Dramatic change is needed, and dramatic change is what we are pursuing,” DeJoy said.
The whole process, he said, will take several years to implement. DeJoy previously promised to invest $40 billion in capital improvement projects. USPS will add new equipment while taking away older machines more suited to previous volume levels. It will also build new “employee amenities” at plants and improve lighting to “reduce stress and improve morale,” DeJoy said. In a recent interview with Government Executive, DeJoy likened the existing facilities to “dungeons” and said they are causing USPS to lose employees.