On some evenings in Oglethorpe County, the mail doesn’t arrive until after dinnertime. Residents say they’ve waited as late as 8 p.m. for delivery, a far cry from when letters and bills once showed up by early afternoon.
The delays reflect a broader shift in how the U.S. Postal Service operates after consolidating small-town offices, such as Crawford and Lexington, into regional sorting centers like the one in Athens.
While the agency said the changes will save billions and improve efficiency, according to USPS’ Quarter One Review for fiscal year 2025, Georgia ranks among the worst states for on-time mail delivery.
Many residents question whether cost-cutting is coming at their expense.
David McGee, a Lexington resident and the city’s former postmaster, said he has noticed drastic changes in service since his retirement in 2012.
“We used to make sure that everything was timely,” McGee said. “Every once in a while, there would be something, but usually it was one of the distribution centers. It (didn’t have) anything to do with the carriers because everything went out.”
McGee worked for the Lexington Post Office for 29 years before being reassigned to Crawfordville in his final year, when Lexington carriers were moved either there or to Crawford.
“That was kind of a mistake right then because towns lose their identity when they don’t have a post office,” McGee said.
In November 2022, consolidation forced carriers who formerly reported to Crawford to begin picking up directly from the Athens Sorting and Delivery Center. Other post offices, including Winterville, Oconee County and Madison County, were also folded into the new facility.
McGee said the changes have led to a loss of local postmasters and weakened community ties. Many longtime carriers retire or quit due to the added distance, he said, while new city carriers often lack knowledge of the county, leading to further delays.
“I got a girl of mine that’s doing a really good job,” McGee said. “But the days that she’s not there, I don’t know if I’m going to get mail or not.”
Warren Gilson, a Maxeys resident and the town’s former mayor, said his copy of The Echo sometimes arrives days late. He said the post office doesn’t represent Maxeys well because if it delivers mail, it has to go through Stephens.
Amy Wall-Lance, Crawford’s clerk, said the consolidation has also impacted billing operations in the city.
“Every month, somebody doesn’t get their water bill,” Wall-Lance said. “It’s not as bad as it was, but it’s not great.”
Oglethorpe County’s struggles mirror statewide and nationwide slowdowns tied to consolidation and shifting service standards.
Georgia is second-worst in the nation for on-time delivery, with only 61.6% of two-day deliveries and 54.5% of standard three- to five-day deliveries arriving on schedule between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, 2024.
Gilson said his family in Ohio is experiencing similar issues.
“Mail delivery is a hit or miss,” Gilson said. “Not just here, but nationwide.”
USPS introduced a 10-year plan in 2021 to reduce costs. But in fiscal year 2022, the service still reported a $473 million loss.
With new Postmaster General David Steiner taking over in July, questions remain about whether reforms will continue in the same direction.
USPS has said that “Customers, regardless of where they live, will still receive delivery six and sometimes seven days a week,” but Oglethorpe residents say delays in newspapers and bills tell a different story.
As USPS rolls out service standard changes this year, including increasing the reach of two-, three- and four-day service standards for First-Class Mail and USPS Ground Advantage, many in rural counties fear they will continue to be deprioritized.
“I’m just disappointed,” McGee said. “I wish it would be back like it was. It was so efficient the way we had things.”