Delivering Christmas

    The United States Postal Service secured an agreement with Amazon for the last-mile delivery contract in October, increasing the number of packages delivered by local carriers out of the Holyoke Post Office to 200-300 per day.
    Postmaster Steve Starkebaum said the staff is pitching in and picking up the pace to accommodate the increase workload. “We ask a lot from them this time of year and they pull through for the customer,” he added.
    Even with the increase in volume, it’s the satisfaction of seeing the joy and appreciation of customers receiving their packages that makes the holiday season a rewarding time for USPS employees, added Starkebaum.
    USPS’s holiday peak season is Dec. 2-23, with the busiest shipping days expected to be Dec. 12 and Dec. 19 because people shop over the weekend and tend to ship their packages on Tuesday, Starkebaum noted.
    There are some things customers can do to help make mail carriers’ jobs easier. It may seem like a cliché, but when asked what USPS carriers dislike about delivering mail, Starkebaum replied with a chuckle, dogs! Make sure mailboxes are easily accessible and dogs cannot attack the carrier. Be considerate, keep steps and sidewalks clean and ensure mailboxes are not blocked.
    USPS prefers customers utilize the free shipping boxes and standard mailing guidelines. Be careful of the content of packages, do not mail any hazardous materials and ensure contents do not leak.

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