Updated Review of the Quality of Mail Service in Louisiana

Since issuance of a report on October 29, 1976, the Postal Service has completed most actions suggested for improving mail service in Louisiana.

In spite of these actions, first-class mail delivery performance has declined. Under normal commitments, performance for the year-ending December 31, 1976 was lower than the 1-year period covered in the previous review. Large volume areas, such as New Orleans, had lower performance scores than many of the other Louisiana facilities. Performance under upgraded commitments of the Service Improvement Program improved for overnight area mail and declined for 2- and 3-day area mail. Actions taken or planned by the Postal Service to improve service included: (1) diversion of 9 percent of the 2- and 3-day mail from New Orleans to Shreveport; and (2) increasing the capacity of letter-sorting machines at Baton Rouge and Shreveport, with further increases scheduled for completion in April 1977. Future plans to process city secondary mail on letter-sorting machines should result in increased productivity.