July 29, 2022

Postal Service Accelerates Delivery for Retail Ground, Parcel Select Ground Products

The Postal Service will implement upgraded service standards for its USPS Retail Ground (RG) and Parcel Select Ground (PSG) products effective Aug. 1, 2022. Within the contiguous United States, service standards for these products will be accelerated from two- to eight-days to two- to five-days for the same affordable price. Items containing hazardous materials or live animals are not eligible for the upgraded service standards.

RG is a ground shipping product for packages, thick envelopes, and tubes (with a maximum weight of 70 pounds) that are not required to be mailed via First-Class Mail service and are available only through retail channels. PSG is an economical ground delivery service similar to RG for commercial shippers.

The Postal Service is aligning the RG and PSG service standards with the current First-Class Package Service (FCPS) standards within the contiguous US. Processing this mail with FCPS packages will enhance customer service and better optimize the Postal Service’s package processing and surface transportation networks.

“Upgrading service standards for Retail Ground and Parcel Select Ground products is another way we are improving delivery for our customers,” said Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. “Offering faster, affordable delivery is how we will become the best in the industry.”

On March 21, 2022, the Postal Service filed a request with the Postal Regulatory Commission for an advisory opinion regarding proposed changes to the service standards for RG and PSG competitive products. Following a hearing on the record, on June 9, 2022, the Commission issued an advisory opinion acknowledging the change improves service, and therefore generally benefits mailers and is in the public interest. The Commission made certain recommendations in its opinion, and the Postal Service will, consistent with those recommendations, closely monitor the impacts of the change to ensure it achieves the anticipated operational and customer service benefits.

These service standard changes further the Delivering for America 10-year plan to achieve service excellence, defined as meeting or exceeding 95 percent on time delivery across all product categories, and financial sustainability.