Each year, increased mail volume during the U.S. Postal Service’s peak season —Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve — significantly strains its processing and distribution network. In our prior reports, we discussed how Postal Service management developed a preparedness plan to address the strain with the right amount of personnel, resources, and capacity throughout its network.
Open Recommendations
Recommendation Number | Significant Recommendation | Recommended Questioned Costs | Recommended Funds for Better Use | Additional Details | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Yes | $0 | $0 | ||
Establish internal controls to ensure the Service Standard Directory is updated timely when service changes in specific markets. | |||||
10 | Yes | $0 | $0 | ||
Evaluate the reasons for cancellations of freight auction and repetitive highway contract route trips to reduce the associated excess payments for these trips during the post-peak season. | |||||
2 | Yes | $0 | $0 | ||
Adjust package processing plans and staffing plans during peak season to ensure full capacity of machines is used to minimize delayed mail volume. | |||||
3 | Yes | $0 | $0 | ||
Direct and monitor division management decisions in the offload process during peak season to incorporate strategic factors, such as facility type, resources, and equipment capacity. | |||||
4 | Yes | $0 | $0 | ||
Develop a process for clear communication of offloads between all levels of processing and logistics functions. | |||||
6 | Yes | $0 | $0 | ||
Evaluate the reasons for cancellations of freight auction and repetitive highway contract route trips to reduce the associated excess payments for these trips during peak season. | |||||
7 | Yes | $0 | $0 | ||
Assess and update peak season key performance indicators and initiatives. | |||||
8 | Yes | $0 | $0 | ||
Develop measures and targets to evaluate the customer experience during peak season. | |||||
9 | Yes | $0 | $0 | ||
Adjust the timelines for peak initiatives to incorporate post-peak season package volume on operations. |