Holiday mail volume expected to hit 20 billion

This Friday, the United States Postal Service begins its annual holiday mail campaign across the country and around the world — a task that requires more than 200,000 trucks, a 30% increase in air cargo transport, 37,000 post offices, and 700,000 employees.

All to make sure that holiday cheer arrives on time.

Nationwide, the U.S. Postal Service expects to deliver 20 billion pieces of mail between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. The season’s busiest mailing day will be Monday, Dec. 17, when more than 275 million cards and letters enter the mail stream. That’s more than three times the average daily volume of 82 million. Total mail volume — cards, letters, catalogs, packages, magazines — should approach one billion on December 17, up from an average daily volume of 703 million pieces.

The busiest delivery day will be Wednesday, Dec. 19.

To ensure delivery of holiday cards and packages to military APO/FPO addresses overseas by December 25, Carl Wiles, postmaster at the Gallatin Post Office, recommends that mail for service members be postmarked by the following dates: First-Class Mail – December 4 (Iraq and Afghanistan only); First-Class Mail – Dec. 11 (all other APO/FPO); Priority Mail – Dec. 11; Express Mail – Dec. 18.

Gallatin Post Office hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday. Phone 663-3312.