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USPS hiring 300 letter carriers in Chicago amid delays
Amid major delays in Chicago, USPS says it plans to hire and train 300 new letter carriers.
CHICAGO - The U.S. Postal Service is in the process of hiring and training 300 letter carriers in Chicago.
It's been several months, and Chicago is still dealing with major mail delays.
A recent report found four of the worst-performing post offices in the country are in the city of Chicago, with thousands of packages and pieces of mail being delivered late.
"If I don't get this letter or anything our lights could get turned off just because USPS hasn't delivered our mail," said South Shore resident Tommie Williams.
Williams hasn't received mail in two months, including utility bills and important medical documents.
He's made six trips to his local post office to get answers.
Some within the USPS are blaming staffing shortages for the problem.
Mack Julion of the National Association of Letter Carriers said on Tuesday 183 Chicago routes did not get mail. Each route services up to 1,000 addresses.
"Come to work and you're seeing 40 to 50 percent staffing in the office. And if there is no one there that is assigned to a specific route on a particular day that assignment more than likely will not go out," said Mack Julion of the National Association of Letter Carriers.
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To address the issue, USPS is hiring about 300 letter carriers.
The USPS provided the following statement regarding mail delivery:
"We encourage customers that have a concern with their mail delivery or other service issues to contact their local Postal station or our Consumer Affairs office at 312-983-8403. The Postal Service will diligently continue to investigate customer's concerns and correct deficiencies to improve service to our communities."
If you are interested in applying, visit the USPS website.