WASHINGTON, Nov. 5, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Postal Service expects to deliver a total of approximately 15.5 billion cards, letters, flats, and packages during the 2015 holiday season. In addition, they are projecting approximately 600 million packages will be delivered between Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve, which is an increase of 10.5 percent over last year's volume. In time for the holidays, the Postal Service will offer real-time delivery notifications – meaning customers who sign up for alerts at myusps.com will receive notification within a few minutes of the delivery scan for select packages. "Customers can count on the Postal Service and our more than 600,000 dedicated employees to deliver their holiday gifts, cards and letters," said Megan J. Brennan, Postmaster General and CEO. "We have been investing in our infrastructure including package sortation equipment, new delivery vehicles and scanning technology to expand our capacity, improve operating efficiency and provide real-time visibility." Additionally, the Postal Service plans to hire 30,000 employees for the 2015 holiday season to meet the needs of its customers. Following the success of the 2014 holiday season, the Postal Service will again deliver packages seven days a week in select major cities and high-volume areas beginning Nov. 29, for the four Sundays before Christmas. They expect to deliver on average approximately 5 million packages every Sunday during December. For additional news and updates throughout the season, please visit the USPS Holiday Newsroom . Busiest Mailing and Delivery Days
The Postal Service predicts that Monday, December 14, will be the busiest mailing and shipping day for holiday packages, letters and cards. The busiest mailing day also is expected to be the Postal Service's busiest day online with more than 7 million customers predicted to visit usps.com . Monday, December 21, is expected to be the busiest delivery day for holiday packages, cards and letters. The Postal Service anticipates that more than 30 million packages will be delivered on the peak delivery day alone. Holiday Advertising Campaign
The Postal Service launched its advertising campaign this week, featuring direct mail, television and print advertisements, as well as social media and digital promotions. The 2015 campaign stresses the reliability and value the Postal Service offers for both consumers and businesses during the holidays. In addition to real-time delivery notifications and enhanced tracking, other highlighted services include the ability to order free Priority Mail boxes and request free next-day Package Pickup. Consumers can also visit usps.com/holiday for more information and shipping options throughout the season. 2015 Christmas Shipping Deadlines
For delivery in anticipation of Christmas, the Postal Service recommends keeping the following mailing and shipping deadlines in mind: • Nov. 7 – APO/FPO/DPO Standard Post • Dec. 8 – Priority Mail Express International • Dec. 15 - Standard Post • Dec. 19 - First Class Mail • Dec. 19 – Global Express Guaranteed • Dec. 21 - Priority Mail • Dec. 23 - Priority Mail Express Full deadlines and additional details can be found here . The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. # # # Please Note: For broadcast quality video and audio, photo stills and other media resources, visit the USPS Newsroom. Reporters interested in speaking with regional Postal Service public relations professionals should visit this link. Follow us on twitter.com/USPS and like us at facebook.com/USPS. For more information about the Postal Service, visit usps.com and usps.com/postalfacts.
Sarah Ninivaggi 202-268-1997 usps.com/news
