INDIANAPOLIS — Michael Hampton was supposed to receive gifts from his daughter on January 16th. Nearly a month later, those gifts remain undelivered, leaving the family frustrated and questioning the reliability of the postal service.
“The only thing we get (from USPS) is 'wait two more days. it's coming,'" explained Hampton.
“We don’t know what else to do," he added.
Hampton isn’t alone. Many viewers have contacted WRTV, echoing similar frustrations about delayed packages from the United States Postal Service (USPS).
Over the past two weeks, WRTV has attempted to contact USPS multiple times to understand the reasoning behind the delays. The responses have left more questions than answers, with the postal service citing “severe weather impacts” as the only reason for delays.
The Full USPS statement
"We continue to make every effort to deliver as much mail as safely as possible during these severe weather impacts.
Updates on conditions can be found here: https://about.usps.com/newsroom/service-alerts [about.usps.com]."
PREVIOUS | 'Patience is up at this point': Hoosiers angered by USPS Delays
The frustration has reached beyond Central Indiana to Capital Hill.
All nine Hoosier members of Congress and both Senators have co-signed a letter authored by Representative Jefferson Shreeve demanding the Postmaster General address the delays.
In the letter, Shreeve writes, "Given the importance of USPS in ensuring timely and reliable mail service, we request a detailed explanation of the causes of these delays and the specific steps the Postal Service is taking to address them."
Read the full letter below:
Dear Postmaster General DeJoy,
We write today to express serious concerns about the mail and package delivery delays in Indiana, particularly those linked to the Indianapolis distribution hub. The Indiana Congressional delegation has received dozens of calls over the past week from Hoosiers who have experienced significant disruptions in their mail service. These interruptions have continued to skyrocket in recent days, as local news stations are also highlighting the pain constituents are facing with these delays.
These delays have had real consequences for individuals and businesses alike. Constituents have reported late deliveries of medications, critical financial documents, and essential business shipments. This is primarily reflected in the issues found with the USPS Regional Processing Center on the east side of Indianapolis. Constituents consistently have packages “stuck in transit” unmoving from the processing center for days to weeks. Additionally in other parts of the state, we have heard of issues with mail being routed through Louisville, Kentucky, instead of the Evansville, Indiana, hub due to restructuring. This additional and further removed step prevents communities from accessing their mail system.
These delays and restructuring issues ripple out to rural communities in Indiana. The delegation has heard of multiple post offices shuttering, or limiting services, requiring rural residents to drive longer distances for daily services. For rural communities that rely heavily on the Postal Service, these issues are particularly disruptive.
Given the importance of USPS in ensuring timely and reliable mail service, we request a detailed explanation of the causes of these delays and the specific steps the Postal Service is taking to address them.
Additionally, we request that USPS update the Indiana Congressional delegation on the immediate changes at the Indianapolis facility to reduce package wait times, as well as a long-term strategy to ensure Hoosiers have reliable access to these essential services.
Steve Vaughn from the Indiana Postal Workers Union expressed concern with USPS's response blaming winter weather.
“We haven’t had snow in a major snowfall in three, four weeks now? So where is our winter weather impact of four weeks worth of mail?”
As calls for accountability grow, Vaughn expressed frustration as union members are also looking for answers.
“We’re asking the same questions, and we’re not getting answers just like the public,” he said.
“I think it’s mismanagement across the board and their efforts to try and fast-pace the industry. They want it to happen everywhere right now and it’s not going to happen," Vaughn added.
As for Michael Hampton, he feels lost, looking for alternative mailing options.
“I just find it unreliable. I don’t know what else to do.”
Despite continued inquiries from WRTV, USPS did not directly respond to direct questions regarding the rise in delayed packages or staffing issues.
