The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) operates on a massive scale, running thousands of post offices and delivering mail for millions. But over the last year, we've seen the agency suspend operations on a smaller scale over and over again. For instance, a neighborhood in Iowa got its delivery services pulled last July after a postal worker was attacked by two dogs in the area. And just this month, a post office in Bullard, Texas, was closed temporarily after a vehicle crashed into the building. Now, the Postal Service is stopping services in even more places. Read on to find out where the agency is suspending operations currently.
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The USPS updates customers online when operations change.
ShutterstockNo one wants to show up to their post office just for it to be unexpectedly closed or find out their mail hasn't been delivered with no explanation.
With that in mind, the Postal Service has made it a priority to notify customers when it has to change its operations in certain areas. Krista Finazzo, the current vice president of retail and delivery operations for the USPS, revealed in 2013 that the agency created its Service Alerts website for this exact reason, after receiving feedback from customers who dealt with service disruptions during Hurricane Sandy.
"We wanted more effective communication with our customers during service interruptions," she explained. "Now, residential consumers and business mailers have an easy, online location to learn the operating status of Post Office and mail processing facilities."
And those who use the Service Alerts tool today will see some new additions to the list.
The agency is now suspending services in Texas.
ShutterstockThe newest update to the Service Alerts webpage arrived on Jan. 25. According to the latest alert, the agency is facing multiple service disruptions in Texas. Here, both the Deer Park Main Post Office in Deer Park and the Delbert L. Atkinson Station in Pasadena were just closed to customers.
"All operations are temporarily suspended," the Postal Service said in regards to both post offices.
Everything at the Deer Park facility, including PO Box services, has been moved to the La Porte Post Office, according to the agency. For the Delbert L. Atkinson Station, they have been moved to the Pasadena Main Post Office.
The USPS said customers affected by these two closures can also obtain retail services at three other facilities nearby: the Genoa Station, the South Houston Post Office, or the John Foster Post Office. Genoa Station is also located in Houston, while the John Foster facility is located in Pasadena.
Both post offices have to be repaired after severe weather.
ShutterstockThe Postal Service provided more information on its decision to temporarily suspend operations at the Deer Park Post Office and the Delbert L. Atkinson Station in two separate news releases posted Jan. 25. According to the agency, both facilities are facing the same issue: weather damage. The two post offices have been temporarily closed "for repairs caused by a recent storm," the USPS explained.
Residents in Deer Park and Pasadena faced destructive thunderstorms and tornadoes on Jan. 24, local ABC-affiliate KTRK reported.
"The destruction is equal to what you might see in a hurricane, only not nearly as widespread," Colby Gravatt, director of electric operations for CenterPoint Energy, told the news outlet. "The wind that came with this tornado is something that we haven't seen in probably a really long time. I don't know the last time we had a named tornado or a tornado that was deemed with such impact to our territory."
KTRK confirmed that the damage from the severe weather is what prompted the closure of both post offices. "We apologize for any inconvenience customers may experience, but the safety of both customers and employees is our highest priority," the Postal Service said in its news releases.
These are not the only facilities currently closed by the USPS.
ShutterstockThe two Texas post offices are among several others dealing with ongoing suspensions.
In Florida, eight post offices are still temporarily closed "due to impacts from Hurricane Ian," which hit the U.S. back in September. And over in California, operations at at least two facilities are still suspended because of winter storms this month.
The USPS has also temporarily suspended all operations at one post office in Alabama and another in Tennessee over the last two months. In late December, the agency temporarily closed the Kingsport Main Post Office in Kingsport, Tennessee, "due to a sprinkler water main break." Services will be suspended here "until further notice," according to the USPS.
Following this, the Postal Service temporarily closed a facility in Jack, Alabama, on Jan. 13 for reasons similar to the recent Texas closures. The Jack Post Office "sustained structural damage due to recent tornadic activity," the USPS explained. "Postal officials will provide an update to customers once a thorough assessment has been completed."
