Mail delays a headache for truck drivers as Ossoff, USPS respond
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - On Thursday evening, the line to load and offload at the Atlanta Georgia Regional Processing and Distribution in Palmetto stretched over a quarter of a mile, further than could be seen from the distribution center.
“First time I’ve seen something like that,” said truck driver Wilkenson Louizer. “I’ve never seen it.”
Louizer was just one of the hundreds of drivers lined up outside the facility Thursday night. When he spoke to Atlanta News first, he’d been sitting in line for more than six hours, and one driver said he’d been in line for eight hours.
Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff launched his own inquiry into the problem Thursday afternoon, releasing a statement to the USPS:
“I write to express concern regarding numerous reports of missing and delayed mail in the metro Atlanta area, reportedly connected to the Atlanta Regional Processing and Distribution Center in Palmetto. Postal customers in Georgia are increasingly reporting untraceable or stalled packages to local news outlets, in some cases for up to weeksthe timely delivery of mail across the nation is a vital public service. I urge you to expeditiously investigate the reported delays across the metro Atlanta area and to take any necessary and appropriate actions to ameliorate any issues.”
Entire routes have been ruined. Some drivers changed shifts while in line.
Drivers getting paid by the delivery aren’t getting paid.
“This is insane,” said Tawana, who had been in line for only 45 minutes. “There should be a better way coming in and out of here.”
Some drivers said they heard the backup stemmed from a staffing shortage; others said they heard it was an issue with closures at other centers.
The USPS didn’t say what the exact problem was, but it did release a statement Thursday night saying:
The Postal Service plays an important role in the community, and we are committed to providing the best service possible. While a vast majority of mail in the Atlanta area is being delivered in a timely manner, local management has been made aware of the concerns of some local customers regarding their mail delivery and are working quickly to resolve any issues. We sincerely express our apologies to our customers who may have experienced a deviation from our normal dependable service and appreciate their patience. Customers are reminded that, if they need assistance with mailing or shipping concerns, they have a variety of options for reaching us, including contacting a manager or supervisor at their local Post Office, calling 1-800-ASK-USPS(1-800-275-8777), or visiting our website at www.usps.com.
But as the sun went down and the line continued to grow, it became clear that it will take more than patience to help these drivers out.
“Yeah, just sit down with my laptop,” Louizor said. “Just watch a movie on Netflix.”
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