The head of the United States Postal Service says central and southern Illinois are at the center of the agency’s biggest challenges.
Postmaster General David Steiner made the comments during a congressional hearing this week, in response to concerns from Illinois Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski. Budzinski says the previously implemented Deliver for America plan instituted by previous postmaster Louis DeJoy has made things worse.
Steiner says the region — stretching from Chicago to St. Louis and down to Memphis — is currently the Postal Service’s most troubled area.
According to Steiner, the issue is not the mail network itself, but a shortage of workers.
He says staffing postal facilities has been difficult, and union contract rules limit the agency’s ability to offer incentives to retain employees.
Budzinski pointed to a steady decline in on-time mail delivery in the 13th Congressional District which covers portions of Springfield and the Metro East. She says first-class mail delivered within two days has dropped from 92 percent in 2019 to about 83 percent today — with some downstate areas falling even lower in recent years.
Steiner says delivery performance is improving nationwide, but admits service levels are still not where they need to be.
He also confirmed the Postal Service has brought in a major restructuring firm to review operations, saying all options are on the table as the agency faces ongoing financial challenges.
Budzinski has continued to push for solutions, working with postal leaders locally and helping form a congressional postal caucus.