SALT LAKE CITY -- With the start of the holiday rush, thousands of packages are flooding into post offices all across the state. And, soon you'll be seeing a letter carrier every day of the week.
“It's busier this time for sure,” said Jeff Burns, who is a Letter Carrier for USPS.
A record number of 5.4 million packages and cards are expected to go through Utah post offices.
“The Christmas rush you see two to three times more packages,” Burns said.
Jeff Burns and other Utah postal workers are ready for the extra mail during the holiday rush and are making sure every parcel gets delivered.
But, how do they deal with all this extra mail?
“It's busy in the background, what you don't see are all the employees we hired processing the mail, getting it to the carriers--the extra carriers we've hired,” said Linda Pickett, USPS Retail Manager for the Salt Lake City District.
Starting this Sunday, carriers will be delivering 7 days a week in larger cities throughout the state.
“Check your mailbox regularly, especially on Sundays since you're not used to receiving packages on those days,” Pickett said.
Pickett warns of doorstep thieves during this time of year.
“If you're going out of town, make sure you put your packages on hold: don't let it pile up and letting people know you are possibly away from home,” Pickett said.
Postal workers know you spent a lot of time picking out that perfect gift, and they want to have it delivered on time. Here are some important dates to remember regarding deadlines to ship something and have it arrive by Christmas.
• Dec. 15 – Standard Post
• Dec. 19 – First Class (cards and letters)
• Dec. 21 – Priority Mail
• Dec. 23 – Priority Mail Express
“We know how important it is to get that package or letter to our loved ones that aren't close by,” Pickett said.
Even though it gets hectic, Burns says the spirit of the season makes it fun.
“We've delivered some packages that come from the 'North Pole'", he said. "We deliver Santa Clauses presents all the time."
For more information on deadlines and the best way to send your mail check, click here.
