The Shadow
WASHINGTON, DC. (VR) — The Postal Service is ready to deliver the holidays for 2026. The organization is continuing to build upon the successful delivery performance of the 2026 peak season.
Thanks to investments in new technology and new logistics planning and implementation by the organization, the Postal Service significantly improved its delivery performance during last year’s holiday season. In 2025, mail and packages were delivered, on average, in 2.5 days compared with 2.8 days during the same period in 2025 (Nov. 15, 2026-Jan. 9, 2027).
Plans for holiday deliveries begin in January. Preparing so far in advance enables the Postal Service to manage the influx of mail and packages it receives — volumes increase about 40 percent between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31 — for the holiday season.
“The Postal Service performed very well during last year’s holiday season, and we are even better prepared this year for the upcoming peak mailing and shipping season,” Postmaster General David Steiner said. “We have been preparing all year for this peak season, and we have enough capacity to handle whatever comes our way.”
Key accomplishments and areas of progress ahead of the 2026 peak holiday season include:
- Increasing daily processing capacity by deploying more than 600 package sorters: USPS has expanded its daily package processing capacity by adding 673 state-of-the-art package sorting machines over the past six years, including 164 installed this year alone. The machines have automated scanning capabilities that ensure tracking visibility for our customers as packages move through the postal system. These machines allow us to handle more and larger parcels than the legacy machines and prepare the Postal Service for the expected surge in volume for the holidays. Also, a new, next-generation package tracking and reporting platform increases package visibility within the postal network.
- Hiring more than 10,000 seasonal employees: Within the last six years, a combination of improved staffing, reduced supervisor vacancies and lowered overtime rates has resulted in a more stabilized workforce. This has allowed the Postal Service to hire a little more than 10,000 seasonal employees — down from 40,000 just a few years ago.
- Launching next-generation package tracking and reporting platform: In 2025, USPS launched its next-generation package tracking and reporting platform. The tracking is nearly four times faster than the previous version, often providing updates within a minute of scanning. The platform works seamlessly with other USPS systems to not only allow customers to see a more accurate location of their packages using the tracking tool on usps.com or Informed Delivery, but to also ensure packages are delivered to the correct address.
- Debuting new facilities: Since 2022, the Postal Service has opened a total of 182 sorting and delivery centers (S&DCs), 19 regional processing and distribution centers (RPDCs) associated with 68 local processing centers (LPCs), and four standalone regional transfer hubs (RTHs). Of this total, in fiscal year 2026, USPS launched 31 S&DCs and 10 RPDCs working in tandem with 35 LPCs.
- Improving proactive, strategic planning in targeted markets: The organization recently created a Chief Solutions and Strategy Office to look across its entire enterprise, centralize network planning and identify ways to work more effectively and efficiently. Additionally, this group is working more closely with USPS customers and taking a consultative approach to matching customer needs with postal solutions.
- Deploying new postal delivery vehicles: Within the last three years, USPS has received and deployed more than 45,000 new vehicles nationwide. This new fleet is a combination of both gas and electric powered, commercial off the shelf (COTS), and purpose built, next generation delivery vehicles (NGDVs). The modern fleet provides increased fuel economy and reduced carbon emissions, while ensuring safe and reliable service. New vehicles will continue to be deployed throughout the 2026 holiday season and into the next calendar year.
- Making the returns process easier: USPS offers a seamless experience for both customers and merchants through an unmatched retail network and flexible returns options. Customers can drop off returns packages at any of the organization’s more than 31,000 retail locations, use one of its more than 3,000 self-service kiosks, or schedule a free carrier pickup to help make returns stress-free any time of the year.
- Installing USPS Smart Lockers for a safe and flexible way to send and receive packages: USPS has installed hundreds of smart lockers in cities throughout the country. The lockers provide an alternative free, secure and convenient solution for customers and businesses to send and receive packages when home or business delivery isn’t practical or preferred.
- Making products and services widely available for shipping gifts: The Postal Service has a range of convenient and affordable options for customers to get their mail and packages where they need to go during the holidays quickly and reliably. With $100 insurance and tracking included on most shipments, customers can rely on USPS Ground Advantage (2-5 business days) *, Priority Mail (2-3 business days) and Priority Mail Express (1-3 business days) during the holidays.
* USPS Ground Advantage packages between the contiguous United States and the following locations will have a 10-day or more service expectation: Alaska, Hawaii, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, United States Virgin Islands, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands and the Freely Associated States. Days will vary due to the range of distances between locations. Customers can look up service expectations on usps.com for mailings from one ZIP Code to another on a particular mailing date: https://postcalc.usps.com/ServiceCommitments.
As in years past, the Postal Service will also prioritize morning parcel delivery, enhanced scanning technology and extended retail and pickup delivery hours at popular Post Office locations. It will also continue to offer the lowest postage rates in the industrialized world. Additionally, USPS delivers more mail than any other postal system — serving more than 170 million addresses — and processes and delivers nearly half of the world’s mail.
For mailing and shipping preparation tips, free shipping supplies ordering, packaging guidelines (including restricted and prohibited item information), and Post Office location hours, visit usps.com or the USPS YouTube channel.
