USPS carriers say holiday demand has pushed package numbers to double or triple the norm—up to four times his usual deliveries and 50–60 extra packages daily.
SAN ANTONIO — The holiday mail crunch has arrived, and the United States Postal Service (USPS) is preparing for what it expects to be its busiest week of the year. More than 5 billion pieces of mail are already moving nationwide, according to the agency’s holiday tracker, and USPS says the system is operating around the clock to keep deliveries on schedule.
“This upcoming week is our busiest week of the year,” said Becky Hernandez, a strategic communications specialist for USPS. “We are going 24/7, all the machines are clicking, carriers are out… you’ll even see them sometimes on Sunday this coming week.”
Hernandez said the surge means every delivery truck is full, processing centers are at capacity, and the entire workforce is mobilized. “It means all hands on deck,” she said.
The Postal Service has spent the past several years overhauling its network to keep up with rising demand. Since 2020, USPS has installed more than 600 package sorters, expanded nearly 200 processing centers, and rolled out tens of thousands of new delivery vehicles, including a growing number of electric trucks.
The upgrades increased processing capability from 60 million pieces of mail a day to 88 million, Hernandez said.
The modernized system is aimed at moving mail “faster, safer, and more reliably,” as carriers work to deliver letters, parcels and holiday gifts under tight timelines.
On San Antonio’s Northwest Side, letter carrier Leo Monsivais — based out of the Cedar Elm branch — is experiencing the surge firsthand.
“The busy part now stretches from November all the way to the end of the year because all the sales start early now,” he said. “Now, since it’s spread out, it’s busy all the time.”
Monsivais said his workload has doubled or tripled on recent routes. “This past Monday I had at least three or four times as much as I normally do,” he said. “Every day so far this week, I’ve had at least 50 or 60 extra [packages].”
For him, delivering during the holidays is both a responsibility and a family legacy.
“My dad was a retired supervisor. My brother and brother-in-law worked and work for the Post Office still,” he said. “I just wanted to follow in their footsteps…My regret is that I didn’t start earlier.”
Even years after his father’s passing, Monsivais said he still hears his voice while working.
With higher volume comes greater caution, too. Monsivais said carriers are trained to be watchful, especially during the holidays.
“My manager says, ‘Keep your head on a swivel.’ Always looking around,” he said.
He takes steps to protect customers’ packages — ringing doorbells, hiding parcels behind posts or bushes, and placing them out of view.
Above all, Monsivais said he aims to deliver with care.
“I’d want it on time and not damaged,” he said. “Just do the job as fast as I can and as safe as I can. Do the job safe and do it correctly.”
“We don’t delay anything,” he added. “I just want to make sure packages get to where they need to go quickly.”
USPS expects to deliver its 7-billionth mail piece of the season in Windcrest on Monday — a milestone Hernandez says the San Antonio region is “looking forward to.”
A special holiday section, including recommended shipping deadlines and mailing tools, is available at USPS.com. For a full breakdown of dates and guidance, read KENS 5’s holiday mail breakdown.