‘Mail madness’: Senator Wyden visits Bend post office, blasts postmaster general’s ‘consolidation debacle,’ delivery delays

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Senator Ron Wyden joined union members and others outside the main Bend post office Wednesday to decry the “mail madness” that he said has resulted from Postmaster General Louis DeJoy's "consolidation debacle" and the headaches its caused for mail delivery around the state.

Wyden appeared with Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler, American Postal Workers Union members and The Vocal Seniority to continue to press for reversal of recent actions they say have caused serious delivery issues.

Isabella Warren was at the news conference and will have a report tonight on NewsChannel 21 at Five.

The Bend event came a day after Wyden and fellow Senator Jeff Merkley rallied with U.S. Postal Service workers in both Portland and Springfield, at the latter event expressing concern that sending mail to Portland, rather than local processing, was causing delivery delays in the area.

Last week, the senators demanded that Postmaster General DeJoy immediately reverse his decision to relocate outgoing operations at the regional postal distribution center in Medford.

Asked about the claims, Postal Service regional Strategic Communications Specialist Kim Frum provided this statement:

 "Through our Delivering for America investments, we have built capacity into our processing, logistics, and delivery infrastructure to meet customers' evolving mail and package needs. We are executing on strategies to pull together the people, technology, transportation, equipment, and facilities into a well-integrated and streamlined mail and package network.

"We have worked hard in past three years to stabilize our workforce. We have converted more than 191,000 pre-career employees to career status since January 2021.

"In addition, according to delivery data from the start of the fiscal year (Oct. 1, 2023) through Sept. 13, 97% of First-Class Mail within the 977 (Bend) ZIP Code area was delivered within the service standard.

"It takes less than two days to process and deliver mail sent within the 977 (Bend) ZIP Code. Additionally, delivery time has also been less than two days for the last two years.  

"Statewide, the processing and delivery time has stayed at less than two days since FY2022," Frum concluded.