USPS May Cut Delivery to 5 Days, Close Locations
USPS Says It May Be Running Out of Cash
The U.S. Postal Service has a pretty urgent message: it may run out of cash in less than a year.
That’s according to Postmaster General David Steiner, who is laying out some tough options to try to keep the system afloat.
Possible Changes on the Table
To close the financial gap, USPS is considering a mix of major cost-cutting and price increases. That could include ending six-day-a-week mail delivery, closing smaller post offices, or even raising the price of a first-class stamp to $1 or more.
Officials say reducing delivery to five days a week alone could save around $3 billion a year, while closing rural post offices could cut another $840 million.
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But those savings come with big trade-offs for communities that rely on daily mail service.
“Serious Financial Crisis” Warning
Steiner warned that without major changes, USPS risks running out of cash. He also pointed to the need for increased borrowing capacity, saying the agency has already hit its $15 billion borrowing cap.
He didn’t sugarcoat it either — noting that failure to act “could lead to the end of the Postal Service as we know it now.”
Long-Term Decline in Mail Volume
USPS has been struggling for years, reporting net losses of about $118 billion since 2007. First-class mail, once its most profitable service, has dropped to levels not seen since the late 1960s as more people move to digital communication.
Stamp prices have also climbed sharply — up about 46% since 2019 — but USPS argues they’re still lower than in many other countries.
What Happens Next
A House Oversight subcommittee hearing concluded that the U.S. Postal Service needs major reforms to stay afloat. But it'll be up to Congress to decide what kind of reforms, if any, will be approved.
Whether that means higher prices, fewer delivery days, or major restructuring, big changes could be coming to a service millions rely on every day.
These Are Items That Are Prohibited or Restricted To Mail By USPS
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