08/14/2025
NEW: A recent audit by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General has identified significant service problems at postal processing and distribution facilities in St. Louis and Hazelwood, Missouri, which serve Southern Illinois.
The report cites months of delivery delays, lost packages, and substandard service affecting local families, businesses, and municipalities.
According to the audit, which was requested by Congressman Mike Bost, the St. Louis Processing and Distribution Center frequently missed deadlines for processing letters and flats.
The audit found more than 2.5 million pieces of mail delayed between June 3 and June 4, 2025. Contributing factors included staffing shortages, poor supervisor oversight, inefficient sorting, inadequate mail labeling, and limited machine maintenance.
The audit also found that scan rates for loading and unloading mail were well below the 93 percent goal, which hindered accurate mail tracking. Network issues, unclosed placards, and unrecorded extra trips were among the causes.
In addition, registered mail was not always transferred with proper documentation or hand-to-hand procedures, creating risks of loss or theft of valuable items. From May 2024 to April 2025, 56 percent of all outbound truck trips were late, canceled, or extra, with driver shortages, contractor no-shows, and dock congestion contributing to the delays.
The Inspector General issued 12 recommendations to address the problems, including filling vacant positions, improving oversight, resolving dock congestion, and ensuring proper handling of registered mail. The Postal Service has agreed to implement all of the recommendations by January 2026.
A similar audit in 2022 found comparable operational challenges, including inadequate staffing and poor mail handling, which also led to delivery delays. Despite prior commitments to improvement, the Inspector General noted that complaints have continued from local residents, businesses, and officials.
