Slower Mail, Higher Prices: 5 Things To Know About USPS Changes

WASHINGTON, DC — If you're a shopper who likes to wait until the last minute to order holiday gifts online, you might want to reconsider your tactics this year. On Friday, the U.S. Postal Service rolled out new "service standards" that will result in slower mail delivery and higher prices at the post office.

The changes are being implemented as part of Postmaster Louis DeJoy's 10-year plan strategic plan. The goal is to help the agency cut costs and increase revenue as it continues to struggle with financial problems, according to a Washington Post report.

Slower service is a big part of the plan, the Post reported.

While the changes will be more noticeable in certain parts of the country, others won't see much of a disruption. There may even be a silver lining or two in the plan.

Here's everything you need to know about the changes that went into effect Oct. 1:

How much slower is my mail going to be?

Until Oct. 1, it typically took no more than three days for a piece of first-class mail to be delivered anywhere in the country. After Oct. 1, first-class mail will take between two and five days to be delivered, according to reports.

The reason for the delivery delay has to do with how the Postal Service will transport your mail.

Before the changes, the Postal Service would use airplanes to move about 20 percent of mail across the country, the Washington Post reported. It was transported by plane to ensure mail was delivered within the three-day service standard.

Now, much of that mail will be transported on the ground. Only 12 percent of first-class mail will move by plane, according to The Post.

What mail does this affect?

The new service standards will be implemented for first-class mail and periodicals, according to an NPR report.

Single-piece first-class mail — or smaller, lightweight mail — traveling in the same region will still have a two-day delivery time, USPS spokesperson Kim Frum told NPR. First-class packages, however, will be affected by the new standards.

In what could be viewed as good news, Frum also told NPR that about 61 percent of first-class mail and 93 percent of periodicals won't be affected by the new standards.

Will the changes differ based on where I live?

Yes. After analyzing Postal Service data, the Washington Post determined that while both coasts will be affected, any area west of the Rocky Mountains, as well as parts of southern Texas and Florida, will be hit hardest.

In all, at least a third of first-class letters and packages addressed to 27 states will arrive more slowly under the new standards, the Post reported.

Using your zip code, you can check how the changes may affect your mail delivery here.

How much is it going to cost to mail something?

Starting Oct. 3 and ending Dec. 26, the Postal Service will temporarily increase prices on all "commercial and retail domestic packages," Frum told NPR.

For some items, the price increases are relatively minor. For example, first-class package service will see a 30-cent price hike. Other price changes are a bit more noticeable — expect a $5 increase to send priority and priority express mail weighing between 21 and 70 pounds.

See a full list of planned price increases.

Still, don't expect prices to return to normal following the holidays. In September, the Postal Service said it will start adjusting rates twice per year — once in January and again in July.

What else is in this 10-year plan?

The plan, dubbed "Delivering for America," includes a combination of investments in technology, training, and a new fleet of delivery vehicles.

In a news release, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy called the changes "long overdue."

“The Postal Service’s problems are serious but, working together, they can be solved," DeJoy said.