We go everywhere…more efficiently (see link.usps.com/video/we-go-everywhere).
USPS® goes everywhere — and routes optimization helps us get there more efficiently. As part of the Delivering for America plan, USPS announced a new strategy to optimize carrier routes for the changing delivery environment (see about.usps.com/what/strategic-plans/delivering-for-america). This redesigned surface transportation network will extend service reach, create more efficient surface routes, and increase capacity usage to achieve our operating plans.
One key component of this plan is the adoption of performance-based highway contracting. Our current mail transport network uses a redundant surface network and routes; USPS is now shifting towards a consolidated surface network that optimizes surface trips.
Additionally, USPS is deploying a state-of-the-art logistics platform that will manage inbound and outbound trips, as well as the integration of supplier and carrier collaboration tools. This platform will ensure that highway contract route vehicles maximize mail volume capacity, which allows USPS to remove redundant routes. This allows us to better coordinate with our carriers so they can deliver more packages, collect more returns, and help us develop solutions to drive commerce and connect our communities.
This not only makes ground transportation more efficient, but also allows USPS to reduce reliance on our air transportation network. The result of this shift is lower costs, more efficiency, and a reliable surface transportation network that reduces emissions along the way.
In 2022, The Surface Logistics Transportation Team was recognized with the Chief Technology Officer Sustainability Excellence Award, as well as the top award, the Postmaster General Sustainability Excellence Award, for their highway contract routes optimization solution (see link.usps.com/2022/06/14/bright-green). The team worked with Enterprise Analytics to identify existing highway contract routes that would benefit from consolidation.
The team identified three daily trips between Pittsburgh and Washington, DC, that could be eliminated by consolidating mail volume. This route optimization effort removed 221,000 miles from the USPS network, which saved 34,000 gallons of diesel fuel and approximately $530,000 in contracted transportation costs, while maintaining the same service targets.
The success of this pilot effort led the Surface Logistics Transportation Team to conduct similar analyses across other routes nationwide. In FY 2021, due to highway contract routes optimization, USPS achieved the following benefits:
n Reduced routes mileage by 20.9 million miles (or 501 trips).
n Reduced diesel fuel consumption by 2.6 million gallons.
n Saved approximately $57.6 million in contracted transportation costs.
Due to the success of this program, future routes optimization work is ongoing.
In 2022, USPS quantified the environmental benefits of our route optimization project by calculating the carbon dioxide emission equivalent (CO2e) of a mile driven by a diesel mail carrier. The Environmental Affairs and Corporate Sustainability Energy Initiatives Team then created a greenhouse gas (GHG) calculator to determine the emissions avoided by various routes optimization projects. To accomplish this, USPS converted the miles of highway contracting routes eliminated to pounds of CO2e emissions avoided using USPS data and nationally recognized methodologies.
In total, the FY 2021 routes optimization projects avoided the equivalent of over 58.8 million pounds of CO2e emissions. Every route optimization effort adds up and helps us meet our sustainability goals.
Innovative projects like these demonstrate how the Postal Service™ is Delivering for America — we provide prompt, reliable, and efficient mail and package shipping services to all Americans, regardless of where they live, and at affordable rates.
For more information about how USPS environmental leadership drives our social, economic, and environmental bottom line, visit usps.com/green.
— Environmental Affairs and Corporate Sustainability, Corporate Affairs, 9-22-22
