As part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to increase government efficiency, the U.S. Postal Service implemented service changes this week that could slow down mail delivery for some customers.
The changes come just weeks after U.S. Postmaster Louis DeJoy, who was appointed during Trump’s first term, stepped down from his role. Before resigning, DeJoy had announced plans to shrink the USPS workforce and enlisted the Department of Government Efficiency, spearheaded by billionaire Elon Musk, to help solve “big problems” in the agency.
Musk said last month he thought the USPS should be privatized — a suggestion that drew widespread backlash from unionized postal workers, who say privatization will increase postage prices and decrease service quality. In Milwaukee, hundreds attended a rally with the American Postal Workers Union last month to protest the changes.
The first round of USPS service changes kicked in April 1, with more slated for July 1.
Here’s what’s changing in the postal service and what it means for your mail.
Which types of mail will be impacted by the USPS changes?
As of April 1, the USPS is “refining service standards” for the following types of mail and packages, according to a news release from the agency:
- First-class mail
- Periodicals
- Marketing mail
- Package services, including bound printed matter, media mail andlibrary mail
- USPS Ground Advantage
- Priority mail
- Priority mail express
Which USPS mail services will see slower or faster delivery?
Some mail and packages will continue to the delivered at the same standard, while others will get faster or slower, the USPS said.
For first-class mail, USPS will continue delivering 75% of mail at the current standard, while 14% will get faster and 11% will get slower. All first-Class mail will still be delivered within the current standard day range of one to five days, the agency said.
USPS Ground Advantage will also retain its current standard delivery range of two to five days. Meanwhile, the day ranges for end-to-end Marketing Mail, periodicals and package services are being shortened.
Finally, the agency has launched a new Service Standards Map, which allows you to see expected delivery times between ZIP codes for domestic mailing and shipping.
How will rural residents be impacted by the USPS changes?
Rural customers may experience slower service for mail they are sending, but will still “benefit from the increased efficiencies that will be gained, particularly for mail they are receiving,” the USPS said.
The agency said that’s because the majority of mail designated for rural communities is delivered from an area within 50 miles of a Regional Processing and Delivery Center. These centers, launched in 2023, are part of the USPS’s long-term initiative to reduce mail processing labor and transportation costs.
The USPS is planning to open 60 of these centers nationwide and, as of May 2024, the closest one to Wisconsin was a “partially operating” one in Chicago, according to a USPS progress report.
How much money is the USPS saving with the new changes?
The agency projects it will save at least $36 billion over the next decade from these new service standards, according to the release. The savings will come from reduced transportation, mail processing and facility costs.
The USPS generally receives no tax dollars and relies on selling postage and other products to fund its operations. Last year, the agency lost $9.5 billion.
Could Trump or DOGE privatize the U.S. Postal Service?
Trump or DOGE cannot singlehandedly privatize the postal service. That would require approval from Congress.
However, in February, Trump said he was considering merging the USPS with the Commerce Department, which would place the agency under his authority. Along with likely violating federal law, experts said this would lead to post office closures, slower mail delivery and higher service costs, with rural areas hit the hardest.
Will Wisconsin postal workers be fired?
The USPS expects that 10,000 employees will leave their jobs through a voluntary early retirement incentive in the coming months. The incentive is set to conclude April 30, according to a statement from USPS.
The USPS employs 10,700 people in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metropolitan area, which includes Wisconsin, according to a May 2023 report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Editor’s note, April 4, 2025: This article has been updated to clarify how USPS plans to cut 10,000 positions.
