Your Mail Is About to Get Slower, Pricier

"Get used to me," Postmaster General Louis DeJoy told Democratic lawmakers who described him as a "Trump holdover" earlier this year. Starting next month, Americans will have to get used to some of the changes he has introduced, including slower mail for a higher price, CBS reports. The federal regulator overseeing the US Postal Service has approved a plan to raise the price of first-class stamps from 55 cents to 58 cents; the change will take effect Aug. 29. The USPS also plans to press ahead with slower delivery standards, another part of DeJoy's 10-year cost-cutting plan. The Washington Post has a map showing how much slower mail will be in different zip codes. Under the current standard, 100% of first-class mail is to be delivered in three days; under the new plan, that drops to 79%. Western states, especially Nevada, will be most affected, though Florida will also see significant slowdowns.

Earlier this week, the plan to slow down the mail was criticized by regulators, though that will not stop it from going ahead, Forbes reports. The Postal Regulatory Commission's advisory opinion said the move would not bring "much improvement, if any, to the Postal Service’s current financial condition." Under the plan, which was opposed by 21 state attorneys general, the standard for first-class mail would change to within five days instead of three. The USPS argues that customers would prefer mail on time within a five-day window instead of potentially late under the current three-day requirement, but PRC commissioner Ashley Boling said the USPS had provided no evidence for its claim that "the majority of American citizens and businesses will actually experience increased satisfaction with these sweeping service cuts." (DeJoy is being investigated for possible campaign finance violations.)