CENTRAL COAST—As the holiday season barrels ahead and gift-giving inches closer for some, the United States Post Service (USPS) has taken on extra help and expanded its hours.
In Watsonville, to brace for the uptick, postmaster Vicki Amarus said the post office has hired four new clerks through the end of the year.
“Our parcels have definitely increased,” said Amarus, who stepped in as post master three weeks ago. “The average parcel volume is around 8,000 packages a day. Monday we took in close to 11,000. Our average has gone up around 2,000 packages a day.”
Some letter carriers are also hitting the streets at 6am, and are typically delivering around 2,000 parcels between then and 9am.
“Nothing is getting delayed,” Amarus said. “We have also added special holiday hours to help with the holiday: On Dec. 12 and 19, we will be open from 9am to 3pm.”
In order to keep pace with the holiday rush, USPS spokesman Augustine Ruiz said there are several immediate holiday and long-term positions available throughout the Bay Area.
“We still have a need for as many as 400 people throughout the Bay Area, including south to Salinas,” Ruiz said. “The U.S. Postal Service has been busy making sure every box on Santa’s sleigh is ready to go this holiday season. A little preparation will make sure your gift arrives safe and secure to your loved ones.”
The USPS is also offering some helpful tips to help things move smoothly and get gifts to their target on time. Those tips can be found at bit.ly/3lAj9Gx.
“The holiday is always about people sending their best in greeting cards and gifts to extended family and friends,” Ruiz said.
The post office offers these holiday packaging tips:
- Select a sturdy box that is strong enough to protect the contents. If you are reusing a box, totally remove or obliterate all previous labels and markings with a heavy black marker. The Post Office provides free Priority Mail Boxes in a variety of sizes.
- If you mail heavy items, make sure to use a sturdy box with heavy packing tape and no content shifting.
- Place cushioning all around your item until you cannot hear the item move inside when you shake it. Use newspaper to stuff glass and fragile, hollow items, like vases to avoid damage. When mailing framed photographs, take the glass out of the frame and wrap it separately.
- Remove batteries from toys. Wrap and place them next to the toys in the mailing box. Keep new batteries in the original packaging
- Use the proper address. Don’t guess. To find the correct spelling of a city name and state abbreviation or to find a ZIP Code visit www.usps.com.
- Print addresses clearly and include all address elements, such as apartment numbers and directional information (ex: 123 S Main St. Apt. 2B)
- Include both “to” and “from” information on packages – and only on one side.
- Place a card inside the package that contains the delivery and return address. This ensures the package can be delivered or returned should the mailing label become damaged or fall off.
- Mark your packages “Fragile” if they can break. Mark food items as “Perishable.”
- Don’t use twine around your box. Use high quality 2-inch packaging tape.
- Pay for your postage and print your postage at home using Click N Ship at usps.com
- Drop off at a Post Office or leave for your carrier.
- The Post Office recommends these dates to mail so gifts arrive on time: First Class by Dec. 18; Priority Mail by Dec.19; Priority Mail Express by Dec. 23.
Job opportunities are available at www.usps.com/careers. Type in the city you are interested in.
