USPS has dealt another blow to its loyal customers with the announced closure of more than 20 branches across four states.
The postal service is expected to have shuttered the contract postal units (CPUs) by the end of the month.
The postal service is expected to shutter several contract postal units[/caption]
Closures across North Dakota, South Dakota, California and Arizona have all been announced[/caption]
CPUs are post office desks found within retail establishments such as grocery stores.
But a large number of these convenient service points are expected to close in the coming weeks.
Closures across North Dakota, South Dakota, California and Arizona have all been announced.
A USPS spokesperson told Fox 10 Phoenix: “The United States Postal Service sometimes contracts with suppliers to host Contract Postal Units, or CPUs, within a retail establishment, operated by the supplier or supplier’s employees.
“Through these contracts, CPUs can provide communities with additional access to some postal services, but they are independent businesses not directly operated by the Postal Service.
“Under the CPU contract terms, the Postal Service and CPU operators both agreed that either party can terminate the contract upon giving 120 days’ notice.
“We have exercised our right to do so in some cases where nearby post offices that are operated by the Postal Service are capable of serving the community directly.
“Doing so better enables us to fulfill our commitment to serve our communities with efficient and reliable access to retail services.”
In Bismarck, North Dakota, USPS services will end at three Family Fare grocery stores:
- North 11th St.
- South Washington
- West Turnpike Ave.
Over in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the same services will be terminated at the following Hy-Vee stores:
- 1601 South Sycamore Avenue
- 1900 South Marion Road
- 3000 South Minnesota Avenue
- 3020 East 10th Street
- 4101 South Louise Avenue
Also in Sioux Falls, services will end at these Lewis Drug locations:
- 136 S. Phillips Ave.
- 1301 E. 10th St.
- 2700 W. 12th St.
- 2901 S. Minnesota Ave.
- 4409 E. 26th St.
- 5500 W. 41st St.
- 5830 E. Madison St.
- 6109 S. Louise Ave.
- 2525 S. Ellis Road
One CPU in Los Angeles‘, California ‘ Chinatown is set to close its doors after 26 years in business, according to CBS.
And in Phoenix, several small businesses are set to see their units close, although it is not currently clear how many will shut.
Closures are expected to take place by September 30.
Four changes needed at USPS
THE head of the US Postal Service issued an urgent warning about changes needed at the agency. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy laid out four big challenges in a letter to Congress in March:
- Retail Leases: DeJoy asked for help reviewing nearly 31,000 retail centers and the challenges of renewing leases due to ownership consolidation, urban development, and rising rental rates as long-term leases expire.
- Counterfeit Postage Crackdown: DeJoy highlighted USPS is combating an estimated $1 billion issue with counterfeit postage and called for “additional innovative solutions” to tackle the problem.
- Federal Law: DeJoy stated unfunded congressional mandates imposed by legislation are costing USPS between $6 billion and $11 billion annually.
- Regulations: DeJoy criticized “burdensome regulatory requirements” that limit USPS’s ability to operate normally, estimating that the Postal Regulatory Commission has caused over $50 billion in damage with defective pricing models.
Source: AXIOS
