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                    Most Recent Reports**1 - 20 of 1051 Reports**
	
	

	
	  **Released on   Mar 28, 2024**
          International Mail: Effects of Rate Increases and Other Factors on USPS and Domestic Stakeholders
    GAO-24-107383
      Published:   Mar 28, 2024
. 
        Publicly Released:   Mar 28, 2024
.
    The United States Postal Service delivers mail to and from countries around the world. In 2017, we reported that USPS lost money delivering international mail to U.S. customers. USPS has been able to cover its costs by increasing certain international mailing rates. But USPS has handled significantly less international mail since 2017. Stakeholders said that higher mailing rates, COVID-19 restrictions, and new customs laws contributed...
      **Released on   Dec 15, 2023**
          U.S. Postal Service: Opportunities Exist to Strengthen Workforce Diversity Efforts
    GAO-24-105732
      Published:   Dec 15, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Dec 15, 2023
.
    The U.S. Postal Service's workforce has become more diverse in recent years, but it's had challenges ensuring its leadership reflects the diversity of its workers. White employees are still more likely to be promoted to some management positions than non-White employees. And managers from historically disadvantaged groups are generally paid less than their White counterparts. USPS's executives have made commitments to supporting diversity, and USPS...
      **Released on   Sep 19, 2023**
          U.S. Postal Service: Better Incorporating Leading Practices for Project Management Could Benefit Strategic Plan Implementation [Reissued with revisions on Sept. 19, 2023]
    GAO-23-105297
      Published:   Jul 20, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Sep 19, 2023
.
    The U.S. Postal Service has been on our High Risk List since 2009 due to ongoing financial woes. To help address its financial condition, and improve service, USPS developed a 10-year strategic plan that touches on all parts of its operations. USPS is implementing its ambitious plan through more than 100 ongoing projects. We reviewed USPS implementation policies to see how well they incorporated GAO...
      **Released on   Apr 20, 2023**
          U.S. Postal Service: Action Needed to Improve Credibility of Cost Assumptions for Next Generation Delivery Vehicles
    GAO-23-106677
      Published:   Apr 20, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Apr 20, 2023
.
    USPS is replacing its fleet of 200,000 delivery vehicles. Its new vehicles will include features like air bags, collision sensors, and an electric vehicle option. USPS analyzed different factors, like fuel costs, to determine what proportion of gas and electric vehicles to purchase. In March 2022, USPS used a gas price of $2.71 in its analysis when actual gas prices were higher—affecting the decision to...
      **Released on   Apr 13, 2023**
          Electric Vehicle Infrastructure: USPS Should Plan for Potential Workplace Charging
    GAO-23-105781
      Published:   Apr 13, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Apr 13, 2023
.
    The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is preparing to introduce electric vehicles into its delivery fleet, and is planning to install chargers for these fleet vehicles at some facilities. USPS employees could also benefit from these chargers by being able to charge their personal vehicles during a work shift. However, USPS has not incorporated the potential for sharing its fleet chargers with employees—or installing additional chargers...
      **Released on   Jan 12, 2023**
          U.S. Postal Service: Few Differences in On-Time Performance between Rural and Urban Areas
    GAO-23-105169
      Published:   Jan 12, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Jan 12, 2023
.
    The U.S. Postal Service's financial woes have been on our High Risk List since 2009. Since then, USPS has made service changes to cut costs. Some of those changes affected on-time mail delivery, including in rural areas—where there may be few alternatives to USPS for mail and packages. Despite concerns that changes disproportionately affected rural areas, we found few differences in on-time delivery between rural...
      **Released on   Apr 5, 2022**
          Fleet Management: Preliminary Observations on Electric Vehicles in the Postal and Federal Fleets
    GAO-22-105931
      Published:   Apr 5, 2022
. 
        Publicly Released:   Apr 5, 2022
.
    We testified about the Postal Service's efforts to transition its fleet to electric vehicles and federal fleet transition issues. USPS recently ordered about 40,000 gas and 10,000 electric vehicles. Our preliminary review raises questions about certain assumptions in USPS's cost and benefit estimates. For example, it Used a gas price about $2 per gallon less than the current national average Assumed maintenance would cost more...
      **Released on   Sep 30, 2021**
          U.S. Postal Service: Better Use of Climate Data Could Enhance the Climate Resilience of Postal Facilities
    GAO-21-104152
      Published:   Sep 30, 2021
. 
        Publicly Released:   Sep 30, 2021
.
    The U.S. Postal Service has more than 32,000 facilities. We reviewed damages to them from recent weather-related natural disasters, what USPS is doing to make them more resilient to climate change, and more. About 3% of its facilities suffered damages in 21 disasters from FY 2015-2019, causing over $30 million in damages Over 10,000 of its facilities are in the potential path of floods, storm...
      **Released on   Sep 23, 2021**
          U.S. Postal Service Primer: Answers to Key Questions about Reform Issues
    GAO-21-479SP
      Published:   Sep 23, 2021
. 
        Publicly Released:   Sep 23, 2021
.
    Congress designed the U.S. Postal Service to be self-sustaining, covering its costs primarily from selling products and services. However, in FY 2007, expenses began exceeding revenue. This has led to losses of $87 billion from FYs 2007 through 2020, and $188 billion in unfunded liabilities and debt. USPS's financial viability has been on our High Risk List since 2009. We created this primer to help...
      **Released on   Sep 16, 2021**
          U.S. Postal Service: Further Analysis Could Help Identify Opportunities to Reduce Injuries Among Non-Career Employees
    GAO-21-556
      Published:   Aug 17, 2021
. 
        Publicly Released:   Sep 16, 2021
.
    The U.S. Postal Service has increased its hiring of non-career employees to save money. Non-career employees are paid less and receive fewer benefits than career employees, and USPS has more flexibility with their schedules. We found that non-career employees had higher rates of turnover and injury than career employees did—which adds costs for USPS. Although USPS collects workplace accident and injury data, it doesn't analyze...
      **Released on   Jun 14, 2021**
          U.S. Postal Service: Customer Complaints Process
    GAO-21-465
      Published:   May 25, 2021
. 
        Publicly Released:   Jun 14, 2021
.
    The U.S. Postal Service's financial viability has been on our High Risk List since 2009. Declining mail volumes and increased costs have made it harder for USPS to cover all its costs. USPS cites quality customer service as important to sustaining its business. We looked at USPS's process for addressing residential customer complaints. In fiscal year 2020, USPS received 10.7 million complaints, with 69% of...
      **Released on   Apr 29, 2021**
          U.S. Postal Service: Volume, Performance, and Financial Changes since the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic
    GAO-21-261
      Published:   Apr 29, 2021
. 
        Publicly Released:   Apr 29, 2021
.
    COVID-19 profoundly affected the U.S. Postal Service's mail delivery operations. Letters and total mail declined in 2020, but packages hit record levels. According to USPS, its on-time performance was significantly affected when record package levels combined with employee absences due to COVID-19—especially in December 2020. COVID-19 also drove up costs, with USPS reporting increased expenses for increased use of leave and personal protective equipment. Although...
      **Released on   Nov 23, 2020**
          Federal Contracting: Actions Needed to Improve Department of Labor's Enforcement of Service Worker Wage Protections
    GAO-21-11
      Published:   Oct 29, 2020
. 
        Publicly Released:   Nov 23, 2020
.
    The Service Contract Act provides pay and benefit standards for service workers—such as security guards and janitors—on covered federal contracts. The Department of Labor conducted more than 5,000 compliance investigations over 5 years and found violations of the Act leading to over $220 million in back wages for workers. Labor also determined that 60 contractors should be excluded from receiving new federal contracts for 3...
      **Released on   May 7, 2020**
          U.S. Postal Service: Congressional Action Is Essential to Enable a Sustainable Business Model
    GAO-20-385
      Published:   May 7, 2020
. 
        Publicly Released:   May 7, 2020
.
    The U.S. Postal Service touches virtually every U.S. household and business and is critical to the national economy. However, it has lost over $78 billion in recent years due to declining mail volumes and rising costs. Businesses and foreign postal organizations that faced similar challenges made significant changes, such as reducing less profitable products and services. However, USPS can’t make similar changes because it has...
      **Released on   Mar 25, 2020**
          Aviation: FAA Needs to Better Prevent, Detect, and Respond to Fraud and Abuse Risks in Aircraft Registration
    GAO-20-164
      Published:   Mar 25, 2020
. 
        Publicly Released:   Mar 25, 2020
.
    The Federal Aviation Administration manages the U.S. aircraft registry, which maintains information on about 300,000 civil aircraft. Accurate registry information can help investigators combat illegal activities such as drug trafficking or purchasing an aircraft as part of a money laundering scheme. We found FAA generally relies on self-certification and doesn’t verify key information such as applicant identity or aircraft ownership. Shell company or limited liability...
      **Released on   Mar 10, 2020**
          U.S. Postal Service: Expanding Nonpostal Products and Services at Retail Facilities Could Result in Benefits, but May Have Limited Viability
    GAO-20-354
      Published:   Mar 10, 2020
. 
        Publicly Released:   Mar 10, 2020
.
    The U.S. Postal Service has over 31,000 retail facilities—a network reaching into almost every community in the nation. As demand for some mail products has declined, USPS has been unable to cover its costs as it is required to do—putting it on our High Risk list . A task force and others have suggested allowing USPS to offer additional services at its facilities, such as...
      **Released on   Feb 27, 2020**
          International Mail: Stakeholders' Views on Possible Changes to Inbound Mail Regarding Customs Fees and Opioid Detection Efforts
    GAO-20-340R
      Published:   Feb 27, 2020
. 
        Publicly Released:   Feb 27, 2020
.
    Over 130 people in the U.S. die each day from an opioid overdose. Some of these overdoses involve illicit opioids that enter the country via international mail. Starting January 1, 2020, there is a $1 fee on items sent to the U.S. via international Express Mail Service. The fee helps fund inspection of that mail for illicit opioids and other prohibited goods. Should there be...
      **Released on   Jan 23, 2020**
          Federal Trust Funds and Other Dedicated Funds: Fiscal Sustainability Is a Growing Concern for Some Key Funds
    GAO-20-156
      Published:   Jan 16, 2020
. 
        Publicly Released:   Jan 23, 2020
.
    Every major federal department has at least 2 trust funds or dedicated funds that pay for key programs. The money comes from related taxes, fees, and premiums—e.g., U.S. postage stamp revenue goes to the Postal Service Fund. The overall federal trust fund balance is expected to start declining in 2022 as balances in the Medicare and Social Security trust funds drop. The government is projected...
      **Released on   Jan 17, 2020**
          U.S. Postal Service: Additional Guidance Needed to Assess Effect of Changes to Employee Compensation
    GAO-20-140
      Published:   Jan 17, 2020
. 
        Publicly Released:   Jan 17, 2020
.
    In the past 11 years, USPS’s revenue hasn’t covered its costs. To help address this, USPS lowered its employee compensation costs—a significant part of its expenses—mostly by paying new employees less. We found USPS overestimated its cost savings from these efforts. We substantiated $8 billion in savings and found USPS’s estimates ($9.7 billion in 2016-2018) may be overstated. Also, USPS’s estimates didn’t consider factors like...
      **Released on   Dec 18, 2019**
          U.S. Postal Service: Offering Nonpostal Services through Its Delivery Network Would Likely Present Benefits and Limitations  [Reissued with revisions on Dec. 18, 2019.]
    GAO-20-190
      Published:   Dec 17, 2019
. 
        Publicly Released:   Dec 18, 2019
.
    The U.S. Postal Service manages a vast network of mail carriers and vehicles that deliver mail to its customers. Since USPS’s costs are growing faster than its revenues, some have suggested that it provide nonpostal services using this network to generate revenue and enhance its value to communities. For instance, mail carriers could provide check-in services to older people. Additionally, attaching sensors to delivery vehicles...
    
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