Court Sets Threshold for Cutting Extra Trips

A federal judge has imposed new limits on USPS’ ability to curtail extra trips as part of a multi-state lawsuit. 

U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan’s opinion issued Oct. 6 requires the Postal Service to secure Postal Regulatory Commission approval before restricting or limiting extra trips if on-time delivery falls more than 10 points “for a period of at least two weeks.” 

The lawsuit — which pitted New York state, Hawaii, New Jersey and other jurisdictions against Postmaster General Louis DeJoy — was prompted by policy changes DeJoy implemented in the summer of 2020 that slowed mail delivery. 

Those policy changes, which were implemented to save costs, eliminated more than 600 sorting machines, reduced overtime and cut extra trips. They also prompted the states to sue.