Current:Home > FinanceAudit finds flaws -- and undelivered mail -- at Postal Service’s new processing facility in Virginia-LoTradeCoin
Audit finds flaws -- and undelivered mail -- at Postal Service’s new processing facility in Virginia
View Date:2024-12-23 22:36:48
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — An audit conducted by the Postal Service’s inspector general found significant problems at a new regional processing facility in Virginia, including water-damaged mail left unprocessed for months and a worker asleep at a forklift.
The audit, dated March 28, raises questions about the Postal Service’s plans to modernize its processing network — the Richmond facility that was the focus of the audit is the first of a planned 60 regional processing centers that USPS is launching nationwide that are supposed to streamline operations and improve efficiency.
But the audit found that problems at the Richmond center, which opened in July, have contributed to a drop in on-time service that now finds Virginia ranked worst in the nation. The inspector general said only 66% of first-class mail has been delivered within two days in the current fiscal year, compared to a national average of 87%. No other region in the U.S. fell below 80%, according to the inspector general’s office.
The Postal Service has estimated that the $23 million facility will produce $15 million annually in savings by consolidating operations. But the audit found that work hours and overtime actually increased after the center opened.
“At this time, it is unclear if the Postal Service will realize the expected savings associated with consolidating operations into the Richmond” regional processing center, the audit concluded.
Auditors also said they discovered “a general inattention to detail that resulted in mail left on or around machines, large amounts of machinable mail in manual processing, and in one case, mail over two months old left in a container in the truck yard.” They also observed a mail handler sleeping on a parked forklift.
Postal Service officials responded to the audit and said they agree with most of the 10 specific recommendations for improvement made in the report by the inspector general.
“We have undertaken extensive efforts to thoroughly address these challenges and issues in Richmond, which has led to continued performance improvement,” the officials said in their formal response to the audit.
Virginia’s two U.S. senators, Democrats Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, issued a joint statement along with U.S. Reps. Jennifer McClellan, D-Va., Bobby Scott, D=Va., Rob Wittman, R-Va., Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., Bob Good, R-Va., and Jen Kiggans, R-Va., calling on USPS to fix the problems identified in the report.
“It couldn’t be clearer that USPS has not been providing reliable service to Virginians, and we’ve been pressing for answers. This report pinpoints a number of issues, including a lack of coordination between USPS and staff at the Richmond Regional Processing and Distribution Center (RPDC),” the lawmakers said. “USPS must provide more resources and clearer guidance to management and staff at RPDC, among other steps.”
veryGood! (15593)
Related
- Only 8 monkeys remain free after more than a week outside a South Carolina compound
- Ayo Edebiri Shares Jennifer Lopez's Reaction to Her Apology Backstage at SNL
- 2 teens die in suspected drownings after accepting dare, jumping off bridge into lake
- How many points did Caitlin Clark score last night? Ankle injury, technical foul in loss
- Lady Gaga Joins Wednesday Season 2 With Jenna Ortega, So Prepare to Have a Monster Ball
- Nevada abortion-rights measure has enough signatures for November ballot, supporters say
- Woman found living in Michigan store sign told police it was a little-known ‘safe spot’
- ‘Historic’ Advisory Opinion on Climate Change Says Countries Must Prevent Greenhouse Gasses From Harming Oceans
- UFC 309: Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic fight card, odds, how to watch, date
- Chad Michael Murray Battled Agoraphobia Amid One Tree Hill Fame
Ranking
- 'I know how to do math': New Red Lobster CEO says endless shrimp deal is not coming back
- Bachelor Nation's Rachel Nance Details Receiving Racist Comments on Social Media
- Former New Hampshire youth center leader defends tenure after damning trial testimony
- Ex-Cowboys QB Tony Romo plays round of golf with former President Donald Trump in Dallas
- 32-year-old Maryland woman dies after golf cart accident
- Michigan county refused to certify vote, prompting fears of a growing election threat this fall
- Former Arizona GOP chair Kelli Ward and others set to be arraigned in fake elector case
- Authorities Hint at CNN Commentator Alice Stewart’s Cause of Death
Recommendation
-
Nearly 80,000 pounds of Costco butter recalled for missing 'Contains Milk statement': FDA
-
Former New Hampshire youth center leader defends tenure after damning trial testimony
-
20 book-to-screen adaptations in 2024: ‘Bridgerton,’ ‘It Ends With Us,’ ’Wicked,’ more
-
New York’s high court upholds requiring insurance to cover medically necessary abortions
-
Can't afford a home? Why becoming a landlord might be the best way to 'house hack.'
-
NRA names new leadership to replace former CEO found liable for wrongly spending millions
-
Indiana Fever's Caitlin Clark injures ankle, but returns in loss to Connecticut Sun
-
The Best Banana Republic Factory Deals To Score ASAP Before Memorial Day: $17 Linen Shorts & More