JARRETT GOODMAN
Staff Writer
The United States Postal Service (USPS) is in the works of implementing a temporary 8% surcharge in a move to offset rising transportation costs caused by the ongoing conflict between the U.S. and Iran.
The surcharge is set to take effect on April 26 and last until Jan. 17, 2027, if officially approved. USPS publicly stated the purpose of the charge will allow the agency to acquire needed flexibility to continue operations and conduct business in a financially efficient manner in the wake of rising gas prices and dropping volumes of mail.
At the time of writing, average gas prices in Tennessee are at $3.629 for regular fuel, diesel being the costliest at $5.281 according to the American Automobile Association (AAA). This marks an over $1.00 increase in fuel across the Volunteer State since the ongoing conflict with Iran first began in late February, the state’s highest price on record being $4.64 per gallon back in July 2022.
If passed, USPS’s temporary charge increase would affect services such as Priority Mail, USPS Ground Advantage, Priority Mail Express, and Parcel Select. However, no other services would be affected by the temporary charge.