By Shannon Lukens. (File photo)
The U.S. Post Office in Steamboat Springs is short-staffed and some residents aren’t receiving their mail.
One Routt County resident says it has been since Jan. 3, for homes on Routt County Road 44A. Maribeth Len lives north of the airport, near 129.
“I’ve noticed in the last ten days we have not received any mail whatsoever. And I’m expecting some important medications and supplements that I need. So I went into the post office in person this morning and was told that our regular mail delivery person had retired on Dec. 31. They hired a new person that worked one day and quit, and that they are not in charge of hiring anyone here and that it is all handled in Denver. So they could not help us. They could not let us go back and look through the aisle of mail for the whole route. They said we would just have to wait for a new delivery person.”
Others say they aren’t getting mail in the neighborhoods on the west side of Steamboat Springs, like Silver Spur and Steamboat II. “Does anyone know what is happening at the post office? I live west of town and we aren’t getting mail delivered….”
James Boxrud with the corporate office out of Denver says they have been short by as much as half of the office staff in Steamboat Springs and they are trying to hire in the Steamboat Springs office. Current employees are trying to serve their customers but he says, “We know we have not met service expectations of the community and are working hard to restore the respect of the public.” If a neighborhood is unable to get mail one day, they will make it a priority the next day and no one will go without mail for more than two days. Boxrud expects mail delivery in Steamboat Springs should be caught up by the end of the week. He also says there are some great jobs with full benefits available at USPS.com/careers.
Here is the full response from James Boxrud, Strategic Communications with the United States Postal Service; Jan. 10, 2023.
This week in Steamboat Springs we’ve been short as much as ½ of our office staff and our current employees are doing all they can to serve their customers. We know we have not met service expectations of the community and are working hard to restore the respect of the public. For many months, we have been aggressively seeking both clerks and carriers to stabilize our workforce. These challenges are not unique to our mountain and resort communities like Steamboat. The advent of the pandemic, the increase of consumer use of ordering necessities online and the national employment challenges have exacerbated this for many communities. Our workforce, like others, is not immune to the human impacts of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the national labor shortage. We will continue flexing our available resources and augmenting from the surrounding region to help with the workload.
When we are unable to deliver to a particular neighborhood due to the increased workload or staffing, we make deliveries a priority for next day so no one goes without mail for more than two days. We are very proud of the extraordinary effort our employees are making during this post-holiday season. When speaking with the Manager of Post Office Operations today, he told me that mail delivery should be caught up by the end of the week.
I would appreciate if you would again mention our ongoing hiring needs. We have numerous positions available in Steamboat and we encourage all interested applicants to visit USPS.com/careers. These are great jobs that can quickly lead to career opportunities with full benefits, including paid annual and sick leave, holiday pay, health care, retirement, and other benefits.
Interested applicants are encouraged to apply online.
To apply: Go to usps.com/careers, click on “Search Jobs,” select “Colorado,” click “Start,” then click on the link for the appropriate job. A general overview of USPS employment requirements, specific job requirements, and hourly pay is available at the website. Other positions are also available including mail handler assistant, mail processing clerk, and more. Job postings are updated weekly, so check back for additional opportunities.
Applicants must be 18 years of age and be able to pass drug screening and a criminal background investigation. For driving positions, applicants must have a valid state driver’s license, a safe driving record, and at least two years of unsupervised experience driving passenger cars or larger. Driving experience must have taken place in the United States, its territories or in U.S. military installations worldwide. USPS is an equal opportunity employer offering a fast-pace, rewarding work environment with competitive compensation packages, on-the-job training and opportunities for advancement.
Join one of the largest workforces in the country! Review full benefits, requirements, and job opportunities online at: usps.com/careers
James Boxrud | Strategic Communications
WestPac Area
1745 Stout Street, Suite 1075
Denver, CO 80299
Office // 303.313.5134