Washington– The U.S. Postal Service is seeking to impose a temporary 8% fee on some common products, including Priority Mail, to help mitigate the impact of rising transportation costs.
USPS filed a notice Wednesday with the Postal Regulatory Commission seeking the rate increase, which will take effect April 26 and remain in effect until Jan. 17, 2027, pending final approval.
“This temporary price adjustment will provide the Postal Service with needed flexibility by helping to ensure that the actual costs of doing business are covered, as required by Congress,” the agency said in a press release, noting that its competitors have responded to rising fuel prices with “a number of surcharges.”
“We have steadfastly avoided surcharges and these fees are less than a third of what our competitors charge on fuel alone,” the agency said in a statement. If approved, the price increase will affect Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, USPS Ground Advantage, and Parcel Select. No other products or services, including first-class stamps, will be affected, the agency said.
The notice comes as Postmaster General David Steiner warned Congress has warned that the Postal Service, which has seen a decline in letter volume, will run out of cash within a year unless lawmakers lift the decades-old cap and allow the independent agency to borrow more money. Steiner favors other reforms as well, including the power to raise postal rates to a level sufficient to cover losses.