Trending Now - USPS Proposes 8% Surcharge Amid Rising Fuel Costs
WHO:
David Steiner, postmaster general of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), stated that the agency is at a “critical juncture.”
David Steiner, postmaster general of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS)
JB Pritzker, Governor of Illinois
Raphael Warnock, U.S. Senator
U.S. Postal Service (USPS)
Marc Jacques, postal carrier
WHAT:
The USPS reported a decrease in mail volume from 213 billion pieces per year in 2006 to 109 billion pieces currently.
David Steiner mentioned that if all lost volume was paid at the current price of a stamp (78 cents), it would amount to about $81 billion in revenue loss.
Steiner proposed raising the price of First-Class Stamps to 90 or 95 cents to address the agency’s “controllable loss.”
The USPS is introducing its first-ever fuel surcharge on packages.
The surcharge is set at 8% and is intended to offset rising energy costs.
The average price per gallon for diesel gas in the U.S. is now $5.37, up from $3.75 one month prior.
David Steiner, the postmaster general, stated that the USPS is poised to run out of funds within the next year unless Congress changes borrowing limits.
USPS is seeking to impose a temporary 8% fuel surcharge for package and express mail deliveries.
The surcharge would apply to Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, USPS Ground Advantage, and Parcel Select products.
First-class stamps and other mail services would not be affected.
Oil prices have increased by more than 40% since February 28th, 2026.
WHERE:
Miami, Florida
WHEN:
The surcharge is expected to take effect on April 26th, 2026, and remain in place until January 17th, 2027.
The surcharge is proposed to take effect on April 26th, 2026.
The surcharge would remain in place until January 17th, 2027.
The announcement was made on Wednesday, March 25th, 2026.
WHY:
The USPS cited rising transportation costs and competition from UPS and FedEx, which have their own surcharges, as reasons for the new surcharge.
Rising fuel costs are cited as a financial obstacle for the USPS, with David Steiner stating, “Less than a year from now, the Postal Service will be unable to deliver the mail if we maintain the status quo.”
JB Pritzker criticized the surcharge, referring to it as the "Trump Mail Tax."
Raphael Warnock stated, "Trump has messed up on affordability so badly that he’s even managed to make the mail more expensive."
The surcharge is due to rising transportation costs, including higher oil prices as a result of the Iran war.
HOW:
The USPS emphasized that the new surcharge is less than one-third of what competitors charge for fuel alone, maintaining that it continues to offer some of the lowest rates in the industrialized world.
The USPS has avoided surcharges until now, but the new surcharge is less than one-third of what competitors charge for fuel alone.
The surcharge is subject to approval by the Postal Regulatory Commission.
(UPDATED March 26, 2026 15:20 UTC)
David Steiner, the postmaster general of the U.S. Postal Service, announced that the agency is facing a critical juncture as it grapples with a significant drop in mail volume, plummeting from 213 billion pieces in 2006 to just 109 billion today. He highlighted that if the lost volume were charged at the current stamp price of 78 cents, it would translate to an $81 billion revenue loss, prompting his proposal to increase First-Class Stamp prices to between 90 and 95 cents. Steiner also pointed out that rising transportation costs and competition from UPS and FedEx, which impose their own surcharges, have necessitated this change, while assuring that the new surcharge remains less than one-third of what competitors charge for fuel.
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(UPDATED March 26, 2026 07:19 UTC)
David Steiner, the postmaster general of the U.S. Postal Service, announced that the USPS will introduce its first-ever fuel surcharge on packages, set at 8%, to help offset rising energy costs. This surcharge is expected to take effect on April 26, 2026, and will remain in place until January 17, 2027. Steiner emphasized the urgency of this measure, stating that without it, the Postal Service may struggle to deliver mail within the next year.
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(UPDATED March 26, 2026 05:32 UTC)
The average price for a gallon of diesel gas in the U.S. has surged to $5.37, a significant increase from $3.75 just a month ago. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker criticized the new surcharge from the USPS, dubbing it the "Trump Mail Tax," while U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock pointed out that Trump has made affordability issues so severe that even mailing costs have risen. The USPS has managed to avoid surcharges until now, but this new fee is still less than one-third of what competitors charge for fuel alone.
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(UPDATED March 26, 2026 03:52 UTC)
The U.S. Postal Service is proposing a temporary eight percent fuel surcharge for package and express mail deliveries, which would take effect on April 26th and remain in place until January 17th, 2027. This surcharge would apply to services like Priority Mail Express and USPS Ground Advantage, while first-class stamps and other mail services would not be affected. The announcement, made on Wednesday, comes as oil prices have surged over 40% since February 28th, driven by rising transportation costs linked to the ongoing conflict in Iran, and the surcharge is still subject to approval by the Postal Regulatory Commission.