Reporters must call contact number 412.359.7119 for appointment

Media Appointments available only between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
for Monday, December 14, 2015

This Monday, December 14, is expected to be one of the busiest mailing days of the year when the Western PA District anticipates collecting and canceling over 2.5 million pieces of mail – more than double a normal day’s volume – unofficially making it the “busiest mailing day” of the season.

In anticipation of the busiest mailing day of the season, blue collection boxes will be collected after 3 pm on Sunday, December 13 throughout the city of Pittsburgh, as heavier weekend mail volumes are expected to be generated by holiday mailers and shoppers. Normal Saturday collection runs will be conducted as well. 

The Postal Service is asking customers to deposit their mail in collection boxes in front of businesses, on main streets and in front of Post Offices - early in the day Saturday and Sunday - to assist collections drivers in transporting the mail to processing centers earlier.

On an average day, the Pittsburgh Plant cancels approximately 1 million stamped letters and flats. First-Class Mail volume on Monday, Dec. 14 is projected to exceed 2 million pieces. Depositing mail early in the day, on the weekend, helps the Postal Service get a jump on mail processing and better prepare for the anticipated high volumes to be received on Monday the 14th.   

The Postal Service recommends mailing by the following dates for the holidays:

For added customer convenience, Self-Service Kiosks (SSK) are available at the following Western PA District locations and most provide 24-hour access to many postal products and services:

Blawnox Branch – 1310 Old Freeport Road
Brentwood Branch – 350 Towne Square Way
Castle Shannon Branch – 370 Castle Shannon Blvd.
Coraopolis Post Office – 1140 Thorn Run Road
Cranberry Township – 240 Executive Drive
Erie Main Post Office – 2108 E. 38th Street
GMF (Main) Finance Station – 1001 California Ave
Greensburg Post Office – 238 S Pennsylvania Ave
Hermitage Branch – 3386 E. State Street
Indiana Post Office – 47 S. 7th Street
Montour Branch – 1936 Park Manor Blvd.
McKnight Branch – 4981 McKnight Road
McMurray Retail Branch – 392 Washington Road
Meadville Post Office – 212 Arch Street
Monroeville Branch – 2630 Monroeville Blvd.
Murrysville Post Office – 1 Priority Lane
Penn Hills Branch – 11650 Penn Hills Drive
Pleasant Hills Branch – 500 Regis Drive
Presque Isle Branch – 2711 Legion Road
South Erie Station – 3607 Poplar Street
Squirrel Hill Station – 1800 Murray Ave
State College Post Office – 237 S. Fraser Street
Upper St. Clair Branch – 2211 Lesnett Road
Wexford Post Office – 10675 Perry Highway

Using a credit or debit card, these self-service kiosks enable customers to conduct business at their convenience. SSKs enable customers to:

• Buy the same self-adhesive stamps provided through ATMs.
• Weigh, calculate and purchase postage in amounts for items weighing up to 70lbs.
• Send items via Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail and First Class Mail, as well as by Parcel Post services.
• Look up ZIP Codes and obtain Postal Service mailing information.
• Obtain Priority Mail Express, Certified Mail, and Return Receipts
• Purchase Delivery Confirmation service.
• Obtain a purchase receipt.

There are also many online options that allow customers to skip the trip. The busiest mailing day is expected to be the Postal Service’s busiest day online with more than 7 million customers predicted to visit usps.com. Customers can use Click-N-Ship to print and pay for shipping labels. They can also schedule a package pickup online, and order additional shipping supplies.

Shipping Tips

Customers are reminded of these tips to help make mailing and shipping simple, and to help ensure their cards, letters and gifts arrive safely:

• Priority Mail Flat Rate is a convenient option for holiday shipping. It’s reliable, and provides expected delivery dates, improved tracking and included insurance up to $50.  
• When sending a gift or card, print mailing and return addresses clearly and include all address elements, such as apartment numbers and directional information (ex: 123 S Main St. Apt. 2B). Use the ZIP Code finder on usps.com if unsure of the correct one.
• Make sure to pack gifts and boxes properly, and secure fragile items with packaging materials.
• Priority Flat-Rate Mail boxes are available free of charge at the Post Office, online at www.usps.com/shippingsupplies, or by calling 800-STAMP-24.
• USPS provides a money-back guarantee on Priority Mail Express and includes an automatic $100 of free insurance. Free Priority Mail Express boxes and envelopes are available as well.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

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Please Note: For broadcast quality video and audio, photo stills and other media resources, visit the USPS Newsroom at about.usps.com/news/welcome.htm. A complete list of the holiday shipping deadlines can be found at about.usps.com/holidaynews.

For reporters interested in speaking with a regional Postal Service public relations professional, please go to about.usps.com/news/media-contacts/usps-local-media-contacts.pdf. Follow us on Twitter (twitter.com/usps), Instagram (instagram.com/uspostalservice), Pinterest (pinterest.com/uspsstamps), LinkedIn (linkedin.com/company/usps), subscribe to our channel on YouTube (youtube.com/usps), like us on Facebook (facebook.com/usps) and view our Postal Postsblog (uspsblog.com).

For more information about the Postal Service, visit usps.com and usps.com/postalfacts.