Mail Processing Facility Review

Notice of Public Input Meeting

North Platte P&DC in North Platte NE to Denver P&DC in Denver CO

March 11, 2024

As part of a $40 billion investment strategy to upgrade and improve the Postal processing, transportation, and delivery networks, the U.S. Postal Service announced that it is conducting an evaluation of current operations and potential future uses of its North Platte Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC) facility in North Platte NE. 

The USPS ten-year Delivering for America (DFA) plan includes initiatives to improve organizational and operational processes and actively make the Postal Service an efficient, high-performing, world class logistics and delivery provider.  Improvements to Postal operations will enhance the level of service provided to the public; drive innovation and enable a broader array of postal products and services; enhance organizational competitiveness; improve efficiency and lower the cost to operate; and provide better workplaces and careers for Postal Service employees.

This specific facility review will inform the best allocation of resources and strategies to improve customer service and to achieve significant cost savings through operational precision and efficiency.  Business mail entry, Post Office, station, and branch retail services are not expected to change, and delivery services will be unaffected throughout this review. The evaluation is a first step in the Postal Service review and investment process in this facility and will not result in this facility’s closure or career employee layoffs.

Public input will be considered as part of the review. A public meeting will be held to share the initial results of the study and to allow members of the local community to provide their additional feedback and perspectives on the Initial Findings of the MPFR. The meeting will be held on Thursday, March 28, at 6:00 PM at the Sandhills Convention Center, 2102 S Jeffers St, North Platte NE 69101. A summary of the MPFR will be posted on about.usps.com at least one week prior to the public input meeting. 

Members of the local community may submit comments at:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/mpfr-north-platte-ne

Please go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/mpfr-north-platte-ne to submit written comments. All written comments must be received by April 12, 2024.

Source: https://about.usps.com/what/strategic-plans/mpfr/welcome.htm?fbclid=IwAR36vAT0eGzbCPqIfC6BtkQYJOHABpLe7VK14hp1fdhGMxAGHvBjPC15ey4

Initial Findings Document
Mail Processing Facility Review
North Platte P&DC in North Platte, NE

March 19, 2024

As part of a $40 billion investment strategy to upgrade and improve the Postal processing, transportation, and delivery networks, the U.S. Postal Service announced that it is conducting an evaluation of current operations and potential future uses of its North Platte Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC) facility in North Platte, NE.

The USPS ten-year Delivering for America (DFA) plan includes initiatives to improve organizational and operational processes and actively make the Postal Service an efficient, high-performing, world class logistics and delivery provider. Improvements to Postal operations will enhance the level of service provided to the public; drive innovation and enable a broader array of postal products and services; enhance organizational competitiveness; improve efficiency and lower the cost to operate; and provide better workplaces and careers for Postal Service employees.

This specific facility review will inform the best allocation of resources and strategies to improve customer service and to achieve significant cost savings through operational precision and efficiency. Business mail entry, Post Office, station, and branch retail services are not expected to change, and delivery services will be unaffected throughout this review. The evaluation is a first step in the Postal Service review and investment process in this facility and will not result in this facility’s closure or career employee layoffs.

This ongoing review was initiated to evaluate what role the facility will take in the redesigned postal network and to assess potentially moving some of the mail processing operations from the North Platte P&DC to the Denver P&DC in Denver, CO.

Below are initial findings from the study:

Facility Future

The initial results of the facility review support the business case for keeping the North Platte P&DC open and modernizing the facility as a Local Processing Center (LPC) with simplified processes and standardized layouts. The North Platte LPC will be a critical node to the unified movement of mail and packages across the regional processing and transportation ecosystem in a logically sequenced manner and will benefit from the expanding services the Postal Service plans to deploy to increase its revenue and enhance its role in this community. The facility will offer expanded and streamlined package processing and distribution capabilities in the local market and new workplace amenities for USPS employees.

CONTINUE TO READ THE ENTIRE DOCUMENT...

'More questions than answers':
Postal Service hears frustration from public on plans for North Platte facility
March 28, 2024 | North Platte Telegraph

Concerned citizens, employees and customers of the U.S. Postal Service filled a conference room at the Ramada at Wyndham Thursday night.

Representatives from the USPS gave a presentation on the proposed changes to the local Processing and Delivery Center.

Kathy Hand, senior division director for the USPS, delivered the presentation for the public prior to the public comment period.

She outlined the tentative transition from a processing and delivery center for the region to a local processing center.

Many questions from the public centered around that transition and what would be transferred to the Denver facility, both local jobs and freight.

“If I am going to drop a letter at a blue box here in North Platte or the surrounding area … when will it be canceled by Denver, just assuming, because that’s where you’re going to send it to, right?” asked Derek Andre.

Hand told him it would be processed that night in Denver, where all outgoing mail will now be shipped.

“If you find that the public opinion etc. is against this proposal, what other options are there going to be?” one public commenter asked.

“If this change doesn’t go through, obviously we can’t speak to what’s going next because this is an ongoing process. So I’m not sure we can really answer that comment for you,” said Mark Inglett, a strategic communications specialist for the USPS. Continue reading...

See also:

Residents attend USPS North Platte Distribution and Processing Center meeting, March 29, 2024 | North Platte Post

Nebraska citizens voice concerns over potential US Postal Service changes, March 29 | NTV News

A mail detour without delay?
Officials say '2-day' delivery standard would remain
March 30, 2024 | North Platte Telegraph

A current "two-day shipping standard" would remain, but all local mail would be rerouted to Denver for sorting before returning to North Platte if a U.S. Postal Service plan takes effect, officials told a crowd Thursday at the Ramada by Wyndham.

The Postal Service held the public comment period after publications of initial findings on proposed changes to the local North Platte Processing and Delivery Center.

The proposal is to downgrade North Platte to a local processing center.

In general, people who attended the sometimes contentious Thursday meeting voiced numerous concerns, especially at the announcement that all outgoing mail from the North Platte area, and other ZIP codes that start with 69, would be transported to Denver if the changes go into effect. Continue reading...

Proposed mail move: Objection after objection voiced at public meeting
March 31, 2024 | North Platte Bulletin

Complaints about mail service and strong objections to sending North Platte mail to Denver for processing were constant at a public meeting Wednesday night.

Early in the meeting, the audience of about 200 loudly hooted when a USPS manager said that there would no significant delay in delivery times, despite the fact that mail would travel 250 miles to Denver and back.

The meeting, required by law, was held at North Platte’s Sandhills Convention Center. According to USPS, it is the final step in a review that leads to moving mail processing to Denver. The postal service was represented by two managers – one from Nebraska and one from Kansas City.

Eliminating about 60 USPS processing centers in the U.S. is part of a $40 billion, 10-year plan to cut postal service costs and upgrade services. Continue reading...