PITSBURGH — USPS officials say there was a disruption in service due to the snowstorm. Your mail is still on its way - just a little late.
A mail truck got stuck at the corner of Kleber Street and Brandon Road in Brighton Heights on Tuesday morning outside of Lydia Carpenter’s home.
“9 o’clock this morning, I think my husband had peeked out the window, and he was just tires continuing to rotate, he only had a little car windshield scraper and was trying to pick his way out,” Lydia Carpenter said.
It’s just one example of what postal service workers are facing right now.
“Ultimately, everybody wants their mail, so they usually do shovel, clean up, throw some salt down there,” said Paul Stitch.
Stitch has 37 years of experience with the U.S. Postal Service. As a mail carrier, he’s driven a million miles - without ever having an accident.
“I take my time, I’m constantly thinking about safety, and obviously I don’t put the vehicle in any risk,” Stitch said.
USPS officials say the snowstorm did have an impact on mail delivery.
“Service is disrupted; however, whatever we have, we’re delivering, whatever we collect, we’re collecting. We’re bringing it back to the plants and processing, but safety is our number one priority,“ USPS official Mark Wahl said.
There are a few things you can do to help your mail carrier.
“People are really good about cleaning their walkways and things like that to make it safe. We need a clear path to your mailbox,” Stitch said.
Make sure to shovel around your mailbox.
“So if you have this type of mailbox, it would be like a curbside delivery. You want to clear the area in front of it so that the mail carrier can get close to the mailbox.”
Check for any hidden hazards, like a buried snow shovel or anything carriers might trip on, and spread salt where needed.
“Painted surfaces are super slick, any kind of porches that are painted, that’s really icy conditions can make it really slick,” Stitch said.
Another option is to put a hold on your mail and you can pick it up at your post office. You can also use informed delivery, which sends an email to you letting you know what mail you’re getting.
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