The U.S. Postal Service said in late October that it is prepared for the holiday parcel rush, expecting mail and package volumes to rise about 40% between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31.
What Happened
The Postal Service has hired more than 10,000 seasonal workers this year, down from 14,000 last year and far below the 40,000 hired a few years ago. It said improved staffing, fewer supervisor vacancies and lower overtime rates since 2020 have stabilized its workforce and reduced reliance on temporary help.
The agency has installed 164 automated package sorting machines this year, bringing its total of high-speed sorters to 673. It said the new equipment can handle more and larger parcels. In fiscal year 2026, which ended Sept. 30, USPS opened 31 sorting and delivery centers and 10 regional processing and distribution centers working with 35 local processing facilities.
USPS also said a tracking and reporting platform introduced in 2025 updates package status nearly four times faster than the previous version, often within a minute of scanning. It cited prior peak-season data showing mail and packages were delivered within 2.5 days on average, compared with 2.8 days a year earlier.
Background
Peak season is when carriers are most tested, and poor preparation can lead to backlogs and delivery delays. Since 2022, USPS has been investing roughly $40 billion to transform its middle-mile network, consolidating work from thousands of small delivery units into larger, automated sorting hubs to cut duplication and improve efficiency.
The agency also faces financial pressure and competition from large commercial carriers and e-commerce platforms building their own logistics networks. Better peak-season performance and package visibility are seen as key to retaining e-commerce parcel business.
Impact on Shippers
For Chinese exporters selling to the U.S., especially those relying on USPS for last-mile delivery, the agency's peak readiness directly affects delivery times. More automated sorting and faster tracking updates can reduce time parcels spend at regional processing centers and help sellers spot exceptions earlier.
However, fewer seasonal hires than in previous years means less flexible labor during peak surges, and delays remain possible in remote areas or on concentrated routes. USPS performance figures are based on its own metrics; actual door-to-door times also depend on customs clearance, weather and local delivery capacity.
Recommendations
Shippers should plan peak-season inventory and inbound timing in advance and build buffer time into time-sensitive orders. For channels using USPS last-mile delivery, verify parcel dimensions and weights against sorting equipment requirements to avoid extra handling, monitor in-transit parcels through tracking interfaces, and switch to backup delivery channels when delays exceed expectations.