U.S. Postal Service (USPS) workers will no longer deliver UPS SurePost packages after the government agency’s contract with the parcel service expired this year.
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, a union representing UPS delivery drivers, confirmed the negotiated service agreement’s expiration in a Facebook post last week.
“Millions of packages moved away from SurePost and the United States Postal Service and returned to UPS package cars this month, now being sorted and delivered by hardworking UPS Teamsters.” the social media post reads.
USA TODAY contacted UPS, USPS and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters on Thursday but has not received a response.
Here is what to know about the contract ending and what it means for UPS drivers and future SurePost deliveries.
Will this change how I get my mail?
With UPS and USPS’s contract ending, people in the U.S. will receive their SurePost packages possibly a day earlier as the transit time decreases from two to seven days to two to six days, according to the parcel service.
SurePost will no longer be available for those who are living in U.S. Territories, Alaska, Hawaii or Puerto Rico, according to Supply Chain Dive, which cited the previous overview of UPS SurePost. Also, the SurePost service will not be available for PO Box and Military APO/FPO deliveries, the outlet added.
What does the contract mean for UPS drivers?
With the contract ending, drivers will see an increase in volume which “provides more delivery opportunities and access to overtime for rank-and-file UPS Teamsters,” according to the Facebook post.
“Improved guardrails around SurePost, which saw smaller packages routed off UPS package cars to be delivered by the USPS, were a critical gain for UPS Teamsters during record contract negotiations in 2023,” the Facebook post reads. “Contract enhancements helped ensure UPS Teamsters were delivering more packages.”
With “millions” of SurePost packages going back on UPS trucks, thousands of new regular package car driver jobs can be created, Teamsters’ Facebook post says.
What is UPS SurePost?
According to UPS, SurePost is “an economy service for your less urgent, lower value shipments.”
SurePost deliveries can be shipped to 48 U.S. states and have an estimated transit time of two to six days. UPS said the ideal weight for SurePost packages is less than 10 pounds.
Before the contract expiration, SurePost packages could be delivered by UPS or USPS to the 48 US states, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, all U.S. Territories, PO Boxes and Military APO/FPO Destinations, Supply Chain Dive reported. The transit time for these deliveries was an estimated two to seven days within the U.S., and longer for other destinations.
What did USPS say about the contract’s expiration?
In a statement obtained by Supply Chain Drive, a USPS spokesperson said, “Some businesses negotiated new agreements with us, and some have not.”
“Prior agreements failed to reflect operational and financial realities, the evolving postal network, or the enhancements to our portfolio of product offerings,” the spokesperson added.
USPS had a contract with FedEx for domestic air transportation services, but it expired on Sept. 29, 2024. The government agency later chose UPS for its new air cargo contract.
“FedEx and the United States Postal Service have had a long and productive relationship for more than 20 years,” FedEx said in a statement in March. “Over time, our respective strategies have shifted as we transform our networks and operations for the future.”
