16bn is USPS’ magic number
Between now and Christmas, USPS will deliver 16.6bn cards, letters and packages across the country and around the world – a task that requires more than 190,000 vehicles, including 142,000 half-ton trucks. “The holiday season isn’t just the busiest time of the year for the Postal Service – it’s our best time of year,” said John E. Potter, postmaster general and chief executive officer. “The Postal Service is gearing up for our annual mail delivery to the North Pole to help Santa and his elves get ready for the big day.”
The Postal Service expects to deliver more than 3bn cards and letters over the holidays. This year, a postmark of Kermit the Frog will appear in the upper right-hand corner of holiday cards and letters mailed throughout the month of December.
The Postal Service also expects:
- 97m customers to visit the Post Office during the holidays
• 30m pounds of mail to be delivered to overseas military installations, including war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan
- 2.11bn holiday stamps to be printed
The busiest mailing day is set for 14 December. More than 830m cards, letters and packages should be mailed on that day alone, compared to 583m on a typical day. 16 December will be the busiest delivery day. Staff at the National Operations Center work 24-7 to help navigate mail movement around the world.
“We’re the holiday mailing and shipping experts,” said postmaster general Potter. “We’ve been delivering the holidays for the past 234 years, and we’re proud to deliver excellent service to our customers, especially during this busy time of year.”
