USPS OIG Report: Emergency Preparedness – Winter Storm Elliott

Background The U.S. Postal Service provides customers across the nation mail service six days a week as required by law. In December 2022, Winter Storm Elliott arrived in Western New York, and within minutes, winds went from 10 to 70 miles per hour and brought about 36 inches of snow over four days. During a…

 Continue reading

USPS OIG Report: Contract Trucking Safety and Compliance

Background The U.S. Postal Service and its contracted trucking companies and drivers play a key role in transporting and maintaining the safety and security of the mail. The Postal Service has approximately 4,600 trucking contracts (highway contract routes and freight auction services) with associated costs of $5.2 billion. The Postal Service’s ability to effectively manage…

 Continue reading

USPS OIG Report: Postal Inspection Service’s Inventory Controls Over Law Enforcement Surveillance Equipment

Background The mission of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is to support and protect the U.S. Postal Service and its employees, infrastructure, and customers. Postal inspectors are law enforcement agents who are assigned accountable property, such as surveillance equipment, for investigative purposes. Surveillance equipment is an electronic or mechanical device used to capture communications, visual…

 Continue reading

USPS OIG Report: Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment Acquisition – Testing, Performance, and Contract Oversight

Background To manage its aging delivery fleet while supporting financial and environmental sustainability strategies from its ten-year plan, the U.S. Postal Service is investing $9.6 billion, including $3 billion in congressional funding, to electrify its delivery vehicles and procure electric vehicle supply equipment — more commonly known as charging stations. In preparation for charging station…

 Continue reading

USPS OIG Report: Processing and Delivery of Veterans Affairs Medicine

Background The U.S. Postal Service provides a critical service to the American public by delivering essential items such as prescription medications and medical supplies. U.S. Veterans depend on this critical service for reliable and timely delivery of their medications. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, over 330,000 Veterans receive a prescription in the…

 Continue reading

USPS OIG Report: Effectiveness of Planning Mail Capacity on Air Transportation

Background As part of its Delivering for America 10-year strategic plan, dated March 2021, the U.S. Postal Service plans to capitalize on the strength of its surface network and lower costs by reducing its reliance on air transportation. However, the Postal Service spent about $3.5 billion on air transportation costs in fiscal year (FY) 2022,…

 Continue reading

USPS OIG Report: Fiscal Year 2024 Peak Mailing Season Preparedness

Background Each year, increased package volume and operational changes during the peak mailing season (peak season) — Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve — significantly strain the Postal Service’s processing and distribution networks. To help handle this increase, the Postal Service creates peak season initiatives. These preparedness initiatives are meant to help the Postal Service have…

 Continue reading

Independent Auditor’s Report on the USPS Fiscal Year 2023 Reclassified Financial Statements

Opinion on the Reclassified Financial Statements We have audited the accompanying Reclassified Financial Statements of the U.S. Postal Service, which comprises the Government-wide Treasury Account Symbol Adjusted Trial Balance System (GTAS) Reconciliation Report – Reclassified Balance Sheet as of September 30, 2023, and the related GTAS Reconciliation Reports – Reclassified Statement of Net Cost and…

 Continue reading