Editing United States Postal Service (section)

==== Internal streamlining and delivery slowdown ====
In response, the USPS has increased productivity each year from 2000 to 2007,<ref name="strategicplanning">{{cite web|url=http://www.usps.com/strategicplanning/cs08/chpt1_pg5.htm |title=Comprehensive Statement on Postal Operations 2008 |publisher=USPS |year=2008 |access-date=August 4, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090508213247/http://www.usps.com/strategicplanning/cs08/chpt1_pg5.htm |archive-date=May 8, 2009}}</ref> through increased automation, route re-optimization, and facility consolidation.<ref name="amp" /> Despite these efforts, the organization saw an $8.5&nbsp;billion budget shortfall in 2010,<ref>McElhatton, Jim [http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/nov/12/postal-service-reports-8-billion-losses/ "Postal Service Reports $8 billion in Losses"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930132830/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/nov/12/postal-service-reports-8-billion-losses/ |date=September 30, 2011}}, ''The Washington Times'', November 12, 2010, accessed August 4, 2011.</ref> and was losing money at a rate of about $3&nbsp;billion per quarter in 2011.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nacsonline.com/Magazine/PastIssues/2011/October2011/Pages/Feature3.aspx |title=NACS Magazine {{pipe}} Going Postal |publisher=Nacsonline.com |access-date=July 18, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131030152926/http://www.nacsonline.com/magazine/PastIssues/2011/October2011/Pages/Feature3.aspx |archive-date=October 30, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

On December 5, 2011, the USPS announced it would close more than half of its mail processing centers, eliminate 28,000 jobs and reduce overnight delivery of First-Class Mail. This will close down 252 of its 461 processing centers.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/us/postal-service-to-delay-cutbacks-until-mid-may-staving-off-bankruptcy/ Postal Service to Delay Cutbacks Until Mid-May, Staving Off Bankruptcy], [[Fox News]]. Accessed: December 13, 2011.</ref> (At peak mail volume in 2006, the USPS operated 673 facilities.<ref name="USPS plan">{{cite web|url=http://about.usps.com/news/electronic-press-kits/our-future-network/assets/pdf/postplan-fact-sheet-120509.pdf|access-date=September 27, 2012|title=Fact Sheet: Modified Network Realignment Plan|author=USPS|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120522160108/http://about.usps.com/news/electronic-press-kits/our-future-network/assets/pdf/postplan-fact-sheet-120509.pdf|archive-date=May 22, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>) As of May 2012, the plan was to start the first round of consolidation in summer 2012, pause from September to December, and begin a second round in February 2014; 80% of first-class mail would still be delivered overnight through the end of 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://about.usps.com/news/national-releases/2012/pr12_058.htm|access-date=September 27, 2012|date=May 17, 2012|title=Postal Service Moves Ahead with Modified Network Consolidation Plan|author=USPS|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121003052800/http://about.usps.com/news/national-releases/2012/pr12_058.htm|archive-date=October 3, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> New delivery standards were issued in January 2015, and the majority of single-piece (not presorted) first-class mail is now being delivered in two days instead of one.<ref name="jan2015">{{cite web |url=http://about.usps.com/news/electronic-press-kits/our-future-network/ofn-usps-delivery-standards-and-statistics-fact-sheet.htm |title=USPS Delivery Standards and Statistics fact sheet |publisher=USPS |date=March 23, 2015 |access-date=June 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150530091804/http://about.usps.com/news/electronic-press-kits/our-future-network/ofn-usps-delivery-standards-and-statistics-fact-sheet.htm |archive-date=May 30, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> Large commercial mailers can still have first-class mail delivered overnight if delivered directly to a processing center in the early morning, though as of 2014 this represented only 11% of first-class mail.<ref name="jan2015" /> Unsorted first-class mail will continue to be delivered anywhere in the contiguous United States within three days.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://about.usps.com/news/electronic-press-kits/our-future-network/ofn-usps-key-fact-on-network-rationalization.htm |title=Key facts on network rationalization |publisher=USPS |date=March 23, 2015 |access-date=June 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150530091855/http://about.usps.com/news/electronic-press-kits/our-future-network/ofn-usps-key-fact-on-network-rationalization.htm |archive-date=May 30, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>