Residents report late mail deliveries

The recent winter weather has caused problems not only for schools, businesses and events, but also the mail service.

Add a larger-than-usual load of greeting cards, letters and packages to mail carriers' loads, and some residents are not receiving their mail until after dark, if at all.

Willard Lemonds of Cape Girardeau has not seen his mailbox flag pushed down over the last couple days because his mail has not been delivered. He recalled seeing a mail truck broken down on a road near his home during the recent winter weather. Lemonds worried about the delivery of his bills and leaving undelivered mail in his mailbox overnight.

M.J. Travis of Cape Girardeau over the last several months noticed he and one of his neighbors weren't receiving their mail until about 7:30 p.m.

Early darkness brought by the end of daylight saving time does not help the problem, Travis said, and he has contacted Missouri legislators about the issue.

Some of the delivery problems are weather-related and some are volume-related, said U.S. Postal Service regional spokesman Richard Watkins. The postal service is expecting a double-digit increase in package volume compared to last year, he said.

The postal service tries to avoid delivery times after 5 p.m., but with the increase in volume and poor weather, carriers sometimes have to slow down. Getting mail delivered before dark is not always possible, but that's the nature of this time of year, he said.

The safety of city and rural mail carriers is "paramount to delivering the mail," Watkins said.

Mail carriers are asked to use caution and to walk and drive slowly when delivering mail during winter weather. Watkins said the postal service asks customers to clear as much snow and ice as possible from walkways, steps and porches and spread salt or snowmelt pellets if possible. Carriers then will be more productive delivering the additional cards, letters and packages.

Many expect and understand the delay in mail service this time of year, Watkins said.

Josh Haynes, chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Jason Smith (R-Salem), on Friday said if anyone experiences mail service slower than what it should be, they can call Smith's office and a staff member will write a letter to the postal service or local postmaster about the issue.

ashedd@semissourian.com

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