Little Rock — As a result of a study conducted last year, the U.S. Postal Service has made the decision to close the South Station in Ft. Smith.

“Given the extraordinary decline in mail volume — a decline of nearly 26 billion pieces this past year alone — we must take action to reduce the size of our retail and delivery network,” said David Camp, Arkansas District Manager. “By consolidating, streamlining and adjusting our operations, the Postal Service becomes a more efficient and effective organization.”

The office will not close before November 20, 2010 and affected postal employees will be reassigned in accordance with applicable collective bargaining agreements and established repositioning processes.

“Local mail delivery will not be affected by this move. Full retail services will still be available in neighboring offices and our customers will continue to receive the same excellent service they always have,” said Camp.

Customers wishing to conduct postal business at a local retail office can continue to do so at:

• Fianna Hills Station, 2712 Market Trace
• Midland Station, 3100 Wirsing Ave.
• Ft. Smith GMF, 3318 S. 74th St.
• Downtown Station, 1020 Garrison Ave.
• Barling Station, 609 Fort St.
• Rogers Avenue Station, 3400 Rogers Ave.

Customers can skip the trip to the Post Office altogether and purchase stamps and shipping labels online using the Postal Service’s website, usps.com. Customers can also request free package pickup at usps.com. The Postal Service will pick up packages during regular mail delivery the next business day – and, unlike other shipping companies, there is no fee for this service. Postage stamps can also be purchased at 1.800.STAMP 24, thousands of banking ATMs and in more than 55,000 retail outlets across the nation.

This announcement updates a review process which began last summer that examined approximately 3,300 stations and branches in urban and suburban areas across the country, focusing on those facilities in relative close proximity to one another to determine where consolidations might be feasible, while maintaining customer access to postal services.

The only provider of delivery service to every home and business address in the country, the Postal Service is committed to providing ready access to reliable, secure, affordable postal products and services. Unlike most federal agencies, America’s national mail system receives no tax subsidy 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 at www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/welcome.htm.

A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 150 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes. The Postal Service receives no direct support from taxpayers. With 36,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website in the federal government, the Postal Service relies on the sale of postage, products and services to pay for operating expenses. Named the Most Trusted Government Agency five consecutive years and the sixth Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute, the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $68 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail. If it were a private sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 28th in the 2009 Fortune 500.