Postal Service faces busiest days of year
Although Christmas is a week away, many area residents and people across the country will receive gifts and cards today. It’s not because Santa decided to make an early run this year.
Instead, it’s because the U.S. Postal Service delivers more mail on the Wednesday before Christmas than any other day of the year.
“Wednesday will be the busiest delivery day of the year for us,” Pat Farrell, post master of the post office on East Fayette Street in Uniontown, said. “(Monday) was the busiest day for outgoing mail. All the trucks were full.”
He said the Postal Service’s processing center in Pittsburgh received 2,721,000 letters, cards and packages bound for Fayette, Greene, Washington, Allegheny, Beaver and parts of Westmoreland counties on Monday.
“That’s more than twice the normal,” Farrell said. “That’s why you should mail early. Mailing early is the key.”
He said a 2-pound package mailed by parcel post, which is the regular ground delivery service, usually takes four to five days, but can take up to nine days, and costs $3.85.
The same package sent by Priority Mail will arrive in two to three days and costs $3.95. The Express Mail service can deliver the package overnight to most areas for $17.85. There is also a flat rate of $13.65 for Express Mail deliveries for packages up to a half-pound.
Farrell said parcel post can still be used if the package is being mailed today to a local address, but recommends Priority Mail for packages mailed through Friday and Express Mail for packages mailed after Friday.
He also recommends that people who send cards and presents to double check the addresses before mailing them, noting that Burlington, Vt.’s, zip code is 05401 and Uniontown’s zip code is 15401.
The Postal Service’s Web site USPS.COM has a zip code finder and many other services to help with mailing. Stamps can be purchases and mailing labels can be printed from the site.
Framed enlargements of commemorative stamps, like the “Heroes” stamp honoring 9/11, can be purchased as gifts over the Web site. Hero stamps cost 45 cents each and the proceeds over and above the regular 37-cent cost go to 9/11 victims’ fund. As of Nov. 1, the Heroes stamp has generated $5.5 million for the victims, Farrell said.
To accommodate the holiday rush, the Uniontown Post Office extended its Saturday business hours to 2:30 p.m., but only through this Saturday. It opens at 8 a.m. Monday through Friday hours remain 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.