Machines help postal service process letters faster ahead of holiday season

USPS Processing Center ready for busy shipping season

With the holiday season also comes a busy shipping season, and USPS officials are talking about what they are doing to make sure cards and packages get to where they need to be. FOX 10's Ty Brennan reports.

PHOENIX - As the holiday season approaches, it also means the busy shipping season is upon us.

During 2020's holiday season, the United States Postal Service saw record numbers. Although they expect fewer packages for 2021, that does not mean they are slowing down, as officials with the postal service are rolling out some new ways to make sure everyone's cards and packages get to where they need to be.

Processing Centers Gear Up

Even before Thanksgiving, USPS's West Valley Processing and Distribution Center is seeing a flurry of activity.

"Right now, we're looking at about 750,000 packages a day between Thanksgiving and New Years," said Rod Spurgeon with the USPS.

Spurgeon says at the 500,000 square foot facility, mail is sorted and shipped out across the state. 1,100 employees, including 400 seasonal employees, keep things running smoothly, but a new piece of technology is assisting as well.

"We spend the entire year outfitting machines across the nation," said Spurgeon. "112 packaging machines have been installed across the country, including here."

That machine can process 6,000 packages an hour, helping get letters, cards, and presents where they need to be.

Meanwhile, officials with USPS say in order to prevent any delays, people should always double-check the address, inclduding the ZIP Code, before an item is shipped.