USPS workers prepare to deliver 200 million packages during busiest week of the year

It’s not Santa’s workshop at the North Pole, but it is just as busy during the holiday season, as the United States Postal Service in Lexington works to make sure all of the cards and gifts that don’t come from the big man are delivered too.

"We will run approximately 90,000 packages per night just through this one facility,” Plant Manager for Lexington P&DC Doug Caswell said. “Not to mention, 1.2 to 1.3 million letter mail per night."

That's the norm for what they call "peak season." It starts on Black Friday, but the majority of their processing and delivery happens between Dec. 16 and Dec. 22. During that week alone, nearly 200 million packages are expected to be delivered.

"That's the kind of volume we're running through here," Caswell said.

And, that requires the employees and the automated systems to work together as one well-oiled machine.

"We promise to have the customer their mail within a certain amount of time, so we have everything here in house to make that happen,” Caswell said. “We have our own maintenance in house to keep the machines running and we have a set schedule when we get these things done."

That makes sure your cards and presents are delivered just in time to open them Christmas morning.

Corporate Communications Spokesperson Susan Wright said the key is mailing early to beat the rush.

But, there is still plenty of time to ship out any packages you still have. USPS recommends First Class mail be shipped by Friday, Dec. 20, Priority Mail by Saturday, Dec.21, and Priority Mail Express by Monday, Dec. 23.