College Station mail carriers set to transition to Bryan amid new sorting & delivery plan

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) -The United States Postal Service (USPS) is continuing its efforts to consolidate mail sorting and deliveries across the nation.

The USPS is moving forward with a plan that would combine and centralize carrier operations in new, larger mail sorting and delivery centers (S&DCs)

The Bryan postal facility located on East William Joel Bryan Parkway is one of three initial sites identified nationwide that would convert existing, underused spaces into sorting and delivery centers.

According to Postal Service documents, mail carriers from the College Station post office are set to shift to the Bryan facility before the end of February.

Changes are later expected at post offices in Caldwell, Hearne, Navasota, and North Zulch.

In a statement, USPS officials say the goal is to increase efficiency in the areas of transportation while improving conditions for employees.

“As part of this plan, carrier operations will shift, where feasible, to new S&DCs,” said Evelina Ramirez of USPS Corporate Communications. “These S&DCs will be optimized and configurable based on local market conditions – with many new S&DCs to be co-located in existing plants. These larger centers will have better infrastructure and adequate space, docks, conveyors, and material handling equipment to enable more efficient operations while modernizing and leveraging currently underutilized and vacant postal facilities around the nation.”

The National Association of Postal Supervisors says it is not for or against the changes, however, they have more questions than answers at the moment.

”We don’t necessarily oppose the process or endorsee the process,” says National Association of Postal Supervisors Executive Vice President Chuck Mulidore. “It’s hard for us to make a decision on the process when we don’t have all of what we think are the necessary facts to make some good decisions about the process.”

“What is the impact on that customer? What is the impact on that office? We just don’t know yet. We haven’t seen information on it yet. We’re asking for it. It’s developing I’m sure at some point but we think they’ll be significant challenges,” says Mulidore.

Staffing challenges and the impact on postal employees, specifically those in supervisory roles are a top concern for Mulidore and the association.

“From our vantage point, just think of yourself in a position where your job may be in jeopardy but you’re not sure. So do I have a job at this new facility? Will I have a job six months from now or a year from now,” Mulidore said. “We’ve been told they there will be no significant changes to supervisory staffing at least through February, but were looking for some longer term commitments beyond that.”

One major concern for community members is the uncertainty surrounding the possible closure of traditional brick-and-mortar facilities.

In a statement, USPS officials made no mention of impacts on traditional postal facilities.

“The creation of S&DCs will not change the locations of the Postal Service’s retail units, including PO Box service (where applicable), and will enable the Postal Service to maintain reliable and efficient delivery services for all customers while also improving the Postal Service’s ability appeal to both small and large shippers because it will enhance our ability to reach a much broader range of businesses and consumers under our new USPS Connect suite of products,” said Ramirez.

Post offices in Utica, Gainesville, Wodburn, and Panama City will also make the transition in February.

No date on when other Brazos Valley post offices might make the transition was immediately available.

A full statement and copy of the sorting and delivery center plan from the USPS can be found below.

“As part of our 10-year Delivering for America plan, the Postal Service is working to modernize our delivery network. One component of this initiative is combining and centralizing carrier operations in new, large Sorting and Delivery Centers (S&DCs) over the coming years.

The goal of this initiative is to make significant improvements to the delivery network to better serve the American public and our business customers more efficiently and effectively.  As part of this plan, carrier operations will shift, where feasible, to new S&DCs. These S&DCs will be optimized and configurable based on local market conditions – with many new S&DCs to be co-located in existing plants. These larger centers will have better infrastructure and adequate space, docks, conveyors, and material handling equipment to enable more efficient operations while modernizing and leveraging currently underutilized and vacant postal facilities around the nation.

This model will greatly improve our transportation utilization by reducing time and the cost of transportation to facilities, and in cases of co-location, eliminating the need for transportation entirely. Additionally, it will allow postal delivery routes to be revamped to make them more efficient and cost-effective.  Furthermore, this initiative will enable us to utilize more battery electric vehicles, since more routes would be at the optimal length to make such vehicles operationally feasible, and since the vehicles would be originating from facilities with enhanced electricity infrastructure to support the necessary charging stations.

The creation of S&DCs will not change the locations of the Postal Service’s retail units, including PO Box service (where applicable), and will enable the Postal Service to maintain reliable and efficient delivery services for all customers while also improving the Postal Service’s ability appeal to both small and large shippers because it will enhance our ability to reach a much broader range of businesses and consumers under our new USPS Connect suite of products.

This process will take time. The first S&DC opened in Athens, Georgia in November. We are currently evaluating more than 100 new locations nationwide driven by operational and financial modeling to best serve our customers. The Postal Service will adhere to all legal, statutory, contractual, and regulatory requirements as we evaluate a potential nationwide rollout of this initiative in the coming years.”

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