In Less Than 48 Hours, Spanberger Receives More Than 1,600 Responses to USPS Survey, Shares Personal Impacts of Mail Delays on Virginians

Since First Launching Her Survey in August 2020, the Congresswoman Has Received More Than 11,000 Responses from Virginians Expressing Concerns About USPS Delays

WOODBRIDGE, Va. — U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger today announced the initial results of her relaunched survey focused on U.S. Postal service mail delivery and service delays — particularly amid ongoing delays and disruptions originating at the Richmond Regional Processing and Distribution Center (RPDC) in Sandston, Virginia.

Since Wednesday, Spanberger’s office has received more than 1,600 individual responses from seniors, families, small business owners, and Veterans across Virginia detailing significant delays in deliveries and shipments of medications, bills, tax documents, checks, letters to family, and more.

The USPS Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a new audit report on Monday assessing the effectiveness and operational impacts of the new Richmond RPDC, which began operating in July 2023 and serves much of Virginia’s Seventh District. The report highlights various issues on the local, regional, and national levels that have impacted service in Virginia — including an egregious lack of attention to detail, poor synchronization between machines processing mail at the facility and the schedules of trucks transporting mail, and broader questions about whether the RPDC model is generating the cost savings and efficiency improvements this model has promised.

“For years, Virginians have shared with me stories of essential prescription medications never making it to their doorsteps, checks getting lost in the mail, bills arriving past-due or payments getting delayed in transit, goods shipped by small businesses taking weeks to deliver — the list goes on and on. These are the same experiences that I am continuing to hear about from small business owners, Veterans, and families I serve,” said Spanberger. “Operational issues at the Sandston processing and distribution facility are clearly contributing to ongoing delays and disruptions. Virginians across our Commonwealth rely on the postal service, and these widespread issues are unacceptable. USPS leadership must listen to Virginians and Americans across the country who no longer trust their service and work to fix it. I am grateful to every Virginian who took the time to respond to my survey and share their struggles, and I am continuing to look for ways to renew support for USPS employees and improve service for Virginians.”

On Wednesday, Spanberger relaunched her survey as Virginians continue to experience USPS mail and delivery delays. In total, the Congressman has received more than 11,000 responses from Virginians since first launching her survey in August 2020.

Some of the 1,600 responses that Virginians shared through the survey in the last 48 hours include:

“A few times a package was delayed for several weeks (on 3 day priority mail) and other times when it was delayed and the tracking showed that it traveled to states far away from the destination. For example, a Priority Mail Package mailed from Canada to Fredericksburg, Virginia ended up in Sandston, then to Florida, marked out for delivery in Florida 3x times only to eventually be corrected and sent back to Virginia. This type of situation has happened several times. Package sent to California from Virginia, went to Florida, etc. Sandston (Richmond) has a reputation as a place packages go to disappear.” — Robert Alton, Fredericksburg

“I have had Priority Mail 3 Day packages sent to me sit at the sort facility in Sandston for as much as TWO WEEKS before delivery to my PO Box in Garrisonville, VA, per tracking info. It’s gotten to the point now when I mail something important I wonder whether it is going to arrive.” — Jeff, Stafford County

“Sent my daughter in-law a $200 gift card for her birthday over a month ago. She still hasn’t received it and she lives 2 hours from my address.” — Frank, Spotsylvania County

“I mailed a monthly bill payment on February 1, 2024. It was due on February 10. Tractor Supply received it on March 12. Even though I had paid the entire balance every time, and this was for the entire balance also, they saw fit to lower my available credit by $1800.00.” — Ellen Spivey, King George County

“We’ve seen delays of over two weeks on parcels. We track them, and they’d go from Richmond to some other city than ours, (Fredericksburg), then to a long distance away, back to Richmond, and then to us.  Some have taken 3-4 weeks. In addition, my wife ships small packages to various locations in the US, and USPS quotes a delivery window of 3-21 days, and for a lower cost, UPS is quoting (and delivering) 2-3 days.” — Jay Thompson, Fredericksburg

“Several times my package has gone to the Sandston distribution center and then be shipped back to Maryland or Bowling Green or somewhere else instead of the Woodford P.O. which is the next stop before delivery. This usually delays my receiving my package usually about a week more than necessary.” — Ray, Caroline County

“I’m a VA patient whose labs were not delivered on time to the Richmond VA and had to be destroyed.” — Chad, Greene County

“Sending mail out to pay bills was delayed somehow that cost us late fees. Additionally, USPS took several months to get a monthly retainer check to a consultant to my business causing me to issue another one.” — Pat Gallagher, Spotsylvania County

“USPS failed to deliver a certified letter that was needed for estate settlement purposes, causing the need to obtain notary services a second time and hand deliver signed documents due to loss of confidence in USPS. Original certified letter appears to be lost at Sandston according to tracking, has been there for weeks. Multiple family members distressed over the situation.” — Jacob Rumph, Orange County

“We are receiving mail that has been post marked 30 days prior. We are receiving other mail that is not on our street. It has taken over 30 days to mail payments to our creditors. The prices are going up and the service is BAD!” — Hattie, Caroline County

“Mail does not arrive and I first discovered this when my life insurance lapsed. We never received any of the bills which would have prompted us to pay. Thankfully the insurance agent contacted us via phone. I have now signed up with informed delivery and compare the received mail to the informed delivery email to make sure everything was received.” — Linda, Fredericksburg

“I mailed a card to NH during the 1st week of December, which wasn’t received until the 3rd week of January.” — Sharo, Culpeper County

“2 certified pieces of mail and 1 package sent priority mail still have not arrived at their destination and it’s been 27 days now! Their progress through the system stopped 4-5 days after they were dropped at the post office.” — Karin, Stafford County

“Mail is often late, damaged, or not received at all!” — Jemal, Caroline County

“Just received a Christmas card that was mailed from a neighbor across the street. I also work in Richmond and we are having a horrible time getting mail to our clients in a timely manner.” — Shayne, Spotsylvania County

“I’ve taken mail & packages to Ruckersville post office (22968) that needed delivered within 22968. Mail personnel have told me to take mail & packages to the 22968 addresses myself, as it could be days/weeks for them to go to Richmond & then back to Ruckersville (22968) area. Ruckersville can’t just accept & deliver within 22968; everything must first go to Richmond & come back.” — Faye Brown, Greene County

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