PORTLAND, Ore. — Some United States Postal Service (USPS) and FedEx customers are concerned about delays due to new delivery standards.
USPS rolled out the new standards for first-class mail last Friday. The change means it will take closer to five days to deliver some letters instead of three days.
FedEx customers have been noticing longer wait times, too. KGW spoke with North Portland resident Anna Gorman, who said she waited close to a month for a package containing lymphedema sleeves. Gorman said she needs them for a medical condition.
"Lymphoedema sleeves are already frustrating to get right now because you can wait to two to four weeks before they’re event sent out," said Gorman.
KGW reached out to FedEx for a comment. A spokesperson for the company released a statement, which said “FedEx ground continues to navigate operational challenges due to constrained labor markets, increased package volume and ongoing pandemic.”
Last week, a group of people gathered outside a post office in Southeast Portland to protest the slowdown. Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury made an appearance and said the postal service is vital.
"The postal service keeps us connected. Let's lean into that connection. Let's keep speaking up and speaking out," said Kafoury.
With the busy holiday season right around the corner, customers like Gorman are worried it’s only going to worse before it gets better.
"I don't even know how they're going to function during the holidays," said Gorman. "Right now, it's slowing down for regular things. Right now, I don't know how it can handle the extra load of holiday packages."