Post offices reduce hours of operation after holiday rush

The U.S. Postal Service said post offices around the island would begin to reduce hours in response to a decline in the volume of packages. 

It also said post offices will remain busy after the holiday rush, sorting mail delayed after the pandemic hit and the rush of the Christmas season. 

The adjusted hours of operation take effect immediately, according to Tammy Schoenen, Guam postmaster. He said the U.S. Postal Service delivered a record number of packages to Guam customers during the holidays. She didn't say how many packages Guam delivered overseas. 

The hours of operation for our retail counters were adjusted. Times for package pickup service also changed: 

• Barrigada: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, closed on holidays 
• Hagåtña: 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays, 7 a.m. to noon Saturdays, closed on Sundays and holidays
• Tamuning: 7:30 a.m.  to 3:30 p.m. weekdays, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays, closed on Sundays and holidays

Holiday packages and election mail gummed up post offices as workers faced coronavirus protocols, which limited services. 

"The pandemic led to a large increase in our package delivery volume from last March," Schoenen said. "The rest of the year was like a nine-month-long Christmas rush." 

To avoid delivery items caught in the mail backlog, Schoenen said customers should plan ahead and mail their items as early as possible, any time of the year.

"That suggestion is even more important as long as we’re still dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic," she said. 

News: Virtual meeting, COVID-19 testing, vaccination for DOE employees

Reach reporter Anne Wen at awen@guampdn.com. 

This article originally appeared on Pacific Daily News: Post offices reduce hours of operation after holiday rush