In a bid to enhance efficiency and achieve a long-term goal of 95% on-time delivery nationwide, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is contemplating relocating certain mail processing operations. This is especially centered around Fayetteville’s Northwest Arkansas facility. They are planning to shift it to the Oklahoma City distribution center.
The Northwest Arkansas Processing & Distribution Center, employing approximately 180 individuals on City Lake Road in Fayetteville, is at the center of this potential shift. A recent announcement emphasized that the Fayetteville facility would persist and undergo a “modernization” process as a local processing center.
A public meeting is slated for 3 p.m. on Wednesday, 6 December, at the Fayetteville Public Library to shed light on this proposal. During this session, the outcomes of a comprehensive review will be disclosed, and community feedback will be actively sought.
While the USPS announcement lacks specific details about the proposed consolidation, a spokesperson clarified that a summary of the review will be available on the USPS website at least one week before the public meeting.
This initiative aligns with the USPS’s broader strategy to update its aging postal network. A recent study revealed that on-time delivery for first-class mail stood at 87.7% from Oct. 1 to Nov. 17, reflecting a 3.3% decrease from the fourth fiscal quarter.
The study attributed this decline, in part, to issues arising from insourcing several surface transfer centers. However, these challenges have reportedly been resolved.
The performance dip was also influenced by a temporary shutdown of a facility in St. Louis, necessitated by a hazardous mercury leak from an illegally shipped package. Despite these challenges, the USPS remains committed to its goal of optimizing operations for improved nationwide delivery.
This isn’t the first time the USPS has adjusted its operations. In 2011, operations were shifted from the Harrison processing center to Fayetteville due to a decline in mail volume. This decision, aimed at maintaining service levels, resulted in a shift from overnight to 2-day delivery for Little Rock and eastern Arkansas, along with reassigning employees from Harrison to Fayetteville.
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