Congresswoman Dingell seeks answers from US Postal Service on delivery issues in Ypsilanti

By Editor & Publisher Jeff Brown.

U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell (MI-12) sent a letter on January 11 to the U.S. Postal Service Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer Megan J. Brennan regarding continuing problems with mail delivery in Ypsilanti. In December 2016 Dingell raised similar issues after Ypsilanti residents and community leaders raised concerns about long delays in delivery and pickup,  periods where no mail was delivered for days and unreachable and unresponsive customer service. Dingell is urging USPS to investigate the matter and share what steps are being initiated to improve service.

According to a press release from Congresswoman Dingell's office, “Mail delivery problems in Ypsilanti are an ongoing issue which I have raised before, but we are receiving a significant number of complaints from city leaders and constituents because the problems with mail delivery have become so serious,” wrote Dingell. “While it is understandable that the holiday season may cause some delays, these issues go well beyond that and have been going on for too long. Residents of Ypsilanti must be able to rely on timely, consistent mail service and this is clearly not the case at this time.”

The full letter can be read here and below.

Ms. Megan J. Brennan

Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer

United States Postal Service

475 L’Enfant Plaza S.W.

Washington, D.C. 20260

Dear Ms. Brennan:

                This letter is to once again address the unacceptable quality of mail delivery service in Ypsilanti, Michigan and to request that the U.S. Postal Service conduct an assessment of the problem and develop a plan to correct it.  Mail delivery problems in Ypsilanti are an ongoing issue which I have raised before, but we are receiving a significant number of complaints from city leaders and constituents because the problems with mail delivery have become so serious. While it is understandable that the holiday season may cause some delays, these issues go well beyond that and have been going on for too long. Residents of Ypsilanti must be able to rely on timely, consistent mail service and this is clearly not the case at this time.

               

                Service issues include:

·         Mail is often being delivered after 8pm.

·         Packages are reported as delivered although they remain undelivered and stored on trucks overnight. Constituents rely on the safe and timely delivery of medications and other highly sensitive packages that require confidence in the ability of the USPS.

·         Mail is not being delivered for days at a time.  A large bundle of older mail is then delivered after several days.

·         Mail is consistently being delivered to the wrong homes - so often that neighborhoods have taken to organizing street wide communication to sort on their own.

·         The Ypsilanti Post Office is unresponsive to customer complaints.  Residents are unable to speak to anyone via telephone regarding their mail service problems and voicemails are full.

·         Lines and wait times at the Ypsilanti Post Office building are exceed hours during peak hours, oftentimes with no more than a single individual working the counter.

·         A void in staffing means mail carriers are constantly changing and “filling in gaps” as opposed to mail carriers handling assigned routes.

                As I mentioned, this is not the first time we have heard these types of complaints about the Ypsilanti Post Office. It is important that these issues be investigated so we can understand the underlying issues that cause this chronic poor service and so the Post Office can implement the necessary corrective measures are implemented.  Residents of Ypsilanti deserve a higher quality of service then they are receiving today.   Please provide the results of your assessment of the problem as well as steps being taken to address. I am also requesting a meeting in the next few weeks with the appropriate USPS personnel to discuss these issues my constituents are facing, what USPS believes is causing them and what your action plan is to improve mail delivery for the residents of Ypsilanti.

                Thank you for your attention to this issue and I look forward to receiving your prompt response.

Sincerely,

                                

Debbie Dingell

Member of Congress