I read an article claiming that UPS and FedEx take the easy deliveries, and hand off their tougher (more remote) ones to the USPS.
I would suppose Amazon does the same.
I have no idea how correct that article is. But if it is correct, then something is out of balance here. And no wonder the USPS is running a deficit.
I get very little Amazon purchases by the postal service. That said, these high gas prices are going to cause cost increases all around. Many people who are not wealthy are suffering.
The economy is not very good.
“I read an article claiming that UPS and FedEx take the easy deliveries, and hand off their tougher (more remote) ones to the USPS.”
That would make sense. USPS already has those routes.
USPS is the last mile on deliveries, you are correct. The Letter Carrier contract runs out in May, USPS Postmaster Generals have shifted money before every contract to show excessive loses during negotiations, but the Post Office is supposed to run at no profit. Raising costs on all services used to be a five year plan (surplus, smaller surplus, break even, small deficit, deficit), then raise prices again across the board. Letter Carriers receive usually .2%-.3% less than COLA. COLA 1.3% carriers receive 1%. Our last contract, with back pay raises and COLA was almost 2.3% less then accumulated COLA, 2023-2025 COLA. My take home pay was raised $52 every payday in 2026, my take home pay in November 2022 was $52 less. Around 2.6% take home pay increase since November 2022. My two cents.