USPS mail delivery delays causing frustration among metro Atlanta residents
Many metro Atlanta residents are having issues with delays in mail delivery.
Mail is moving slowly, and sometimes packages don’t leave the facility where they are dropped off for several days, customers told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Courtney McKenzie, who runs a small T-shirt company, visited a Dunwoody post office Friday and said the delays have been affecting her business and causing customer complaints.
She said in one case her package didn’t leave the post office for four days after being dropped off.
“My packages used to take like two to three days to get somewhere and now taking four to seven,” McKenzie said, adding that even priority mail takes “an extra two to three days on top of what they’re telling us it’s supposed to be.”
U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff sent a letter to USPS Postmaster Gen. Louis DeJoy on Thursday, demanding answers about the mail delays at the Atlanta Regional Processing and Distribution Center in Palmetto.
“Postal customers in Georgia are increasingly reporting untraceable or stalled packages ... in some cases for up to weeks,” Ossoff’s letter says. “The timely delivery of mail across the nation is a vital public service. I urge you to expeditiously investigate the reported delays across the metro Atlanta area and to take any necessary and appropriate actions to ameliorate any issues.”
Fred Johnston, another Dunwoody customer, had a similar issue trying to send a package to his niece in California for Girls Day, a Japanese holiday that’s celebrated March 3.
On Feb. 26, Johnston paid about $25 for two-day delivery, hoping the package would arrive early.
It was delivered three days after the holiday.
“In both everyday delivery and express delivery, things from Atlanta to either Atlanta or across the country, come late. I try to strategize by mailing early,” Johnston said.
He’s sent other holiday cards, like for the Persian New Year or St. Patrick’s Day, well in advance, just hoping it will be delivered on time.
“My people know I’m crazy. And I try to get on time with my crazy, but I can’t count on it. It’s the U.S. Post Office,” Johnston said.
About the Author
Jillian Price covers local news for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She is a graduate of Baylor University and the University of Texas at Austin. She joined the AJC in 2022 and mainly covers Gwinnett County cities.
