The era of communicating by snail mail is long gone, and the United States Postal Service (USPS) has suffered in its wake.
Now, the independent government agency has found a new way to make up some of its losses.
Starting on Sunday, April 26, the U.S. post office will implement an 8% transportation surcharge on packages. It will remain through January 17, 2027, when the agency hopes to implement any necessary long-term approaches.
“This temporary price adjustment will provide needed flexibility for the Postal Service by helping to ensure that the actual costs of doing business are covered, as required by Congress,” the USPS statement reads.
Its implementation is subject to the Postal Regulatory Commission’s approval.
Which package services will be impacted by the surcharge?
The surcharge will apply to “retail and commercial domestic competitive products” sent through:
- Priority Mail Express
- Priority Mail
- USPS Ground Advantage
- Parcel Select
The announcement comes less than two weeks after Postmaster General David Steiner told Congress that the USPS is at a “critical juncture.”
