USPS seeks temporary 8% price hike on package shipping services, citing high transportation costs
Newsy
The U.S. Postal Service has filed a notice with regulators requesting a temporary 8% price increase on several package shipping services, with the agency citing "transportation-related" challenges.
The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) on Wednesday filed a notice with regulators requesting a temporary 8% price increase on several package shipping services, with the agency citing "transportation-related" challenges.
The price change would impact base postage for retail and commercial domestic products, including Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, USPS Ground Advantage and Parcel Select. The USPS said First-Class Stamps used to mail everyday letters and other items would not be impacted.
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Pending approval by the Postal Regulatory Commission, the price hike is slated to go into effect at midnight on April 26 and would remain in place until Jan. 17, 2027. At that point, the USPS said it could determine whether a longer-term plan is needed.
"Transportation costs have been increasing, and our competitors have reacted with a number of surcharges," the agency said in a statement. "We have steadfastly avoided surcharges and this charge is less than one-third of what our competitors charge for fuel alone, so even with this change, the Postal Service continues to offer great value in shipping with some of the lowest rates in the industrialized world."
