HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Local lawmakers got an inside look at a USPS facility in central Virginia on Friday — hoping to get answers about ongoing mail issues plaguing the area for the last several months.
U.S. Representatives Jennifer McClellan and Rob Wittman both said they got to see firsthand what’s been causing some of the mail issues in central Virginia. On Friday, both lawmakers toured the USPS Richmond Regional Processing and Distribution Center in the Sandston area of Henrico County to find out more about what’s been causing delays.
“We had a brief, and the brief included the metrics, the numbers, the graphics, which we never got before,” Wittman said. “So, it’s very telling to watch what happened when the delivery rates were on time here, and then it dropped off.”
Wittman explained that the issues inside the facility began in July of last year, when they put in new equipment.
“They put in place many pieces of new equipment, automated equipment, and that’s great. But the problem is, when you put it into that scale, and it breaks down, then you have big problems,” Wittman said.
In addition to that, Wittman said the main carrier that provided trucks for the agency went bankrupt in December.
“They had to scramble quickly, and then come up with their own organic capability, their own employees to drive trucks and lease trucks, that created a big issue,” Wittman said.
McClellan said the percentage at which the facility is delivering mail on time right now is in the high 80s, with a goal to get to 90 percent. She said they’re still waiting to see the numbers on how late mail has been on average.
Wittman said that, even though they’re getting answers now, they still likely won’t ever know what happened to the mail that simply disappeared. But both lawmakers said that the tour was an important step towards addressing the issues.
“Had [USPS] been this transparent and forthcoming from day one, we might have still gotten the same number of complaints, but I think people would have at least appreciated it,” McClellan said.
An audit of the facility has been expected to come out for the last several weeks. On Friday, McClellan said it could be coming soon. Lawmakers say that will give them more insight to what the facility needs to ensure mail gets delivered.
