Mail carriers in the Hub City and across the country are gearing up for their busiest week of the year.
The United States Postal Service expects to process approximately 611 million pieces of mail on Monday, December 19.
“It’s a great time of year for us, it’s a happy time of year for us, delivering all these packages,” said Lubbock Postmaster Steve Olguin. “So it’s just a lot of fun. That’s why you see us smiling.”
“Monday is going to be the busiest mailing day of the year,” Olguin mentioned.
According to the USPS, postal workers nationwide handle about 750 million packages between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve.
Olguin explained that mail carriers planned to work Sunday, December 18, and Sunday, December 25, to ensure items make it to their final destinations in time for the holidays.
“Make sure that your packages are properly addressed with the right zip code and everything, that always helps for sure,” he stated.
Mail carrier Annette Ford, a two-year USPS employee, walks about 18 blocks on her regular route.
“My number one pet peeve is probably going to be addresses where the numbers are mixed up, so we have to try to un-jumble the numbers, and make sure that we get them to the correct person,” Ford explained. “It’s pretty much based off of memory, of addresses and names.”
Ford said the earlier residents mail their items, the faster they’ll arrive to their locations. She said people may have to “up your postage to maybe Priority, Priority Express, in order for you to get them to your family members on time,” if the packages are not shipped by Monday.
“Mail as early as possible,” was Olguin’s advice. “Make sure that it’s properly addressed, and of course legible. That just gives us a chance to get it there…”
For additional information about USPS Holiday mailing, click here.
