USPS improves mail operations at processing facility in Santa Barbara
GOLETA, Calif. – The United States Postal Service facility in Goleta announced Tuesday it will remain open and modernized thanks to an investment of up to $16 million for a 10-year Delivering for America plan to help postal networks nationwide.
Below is a press release on the upcoming changes for the Goleta facility:
GOLETA, CA — As part of a $40 billion investment strategy to upgrade and improve the Postal processing, transportation, and delivery networks, the United States Postal Service announced its plan to modernize mail operations at its Santa Barbara Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC) in Goleta, CA.
The announcement comes following a thorough business review and solicitation of public feedback on the facility’s future. In addition to determining the facility will remain open and modernized as a Local Processing Center (LPC), the business case supports transferring mail processing outgoing operations to the Santa Clarita P&DC in Santa Clarita, CA. Currently, a majority of mail and packages are destined outside the Santa Barbara area to the rest of the world.
The investment in the Santa Barbara facility is a part of the Postal Service’s 10-year Delivering for America (DFA) plan to improve organizational and operational processes and actively make the Postal Service an efficient, high-performing, world class logistics and delivery provider.
The Postal Service will invest up to $16.0 million in the Santa Barbara LPC, which will result in expanded and streamlined package and mail processing and distribution capabilities for the facility. These investments include $9.5 million for modernization efforts and deferred maintenance. For example, these funds will be used for new workplace amenities for Postal Service employees such as new lighting and renovated bathrooms and breakrooms. To help improve delivery services, investments totaling $1.5 million will be made to locate 1 High Speed Tray Sorter into this facility.
In addition, consolidating plant operations will allow the Santa Barbara LPC to be co-located with a Sorting and Delivery Center (S&DC). These facilities will allow the Postal Service to provide faster and more reliable mail and package delivery over a greater geographic area. S&DCs will have upgraded sorting equipment, offer Same Day or Next Day delivery options, and provide better facilities for Postal Service employees.
S&DCs will be equipped with the necessary infrastructure to support the deployment of the Postal Service's new Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) and charging stations. In locations where BEVs will be used, the Postal Service will upgrade and develop the infrastructure required for their effective deployment. Based on the average deployment numbers at S&DCs, new vehicle investment in BEVs is around $5 million per site. The S&DC that will be co-located with the Santa Barbara LPC will have 118 delivery routes that are eligible to be serviced by BEVs.
The S&DC will also feature evolving USPS’s self-service tools and technology to give customers added services and new choices in how they ship and receive packages:
The Postal Service also announced there will be no career layoffs as part of this initiative. All career bargaining unit reassignments, as well as any reduction in any number of pre-career employees, will be made in accordance with respective collective bargaining agreements. As part of its strategy, the Postal Service is enhancing package processing and shipping capacity, which may result in increased plant activity and the need for additional support in the future.
Once changes are implemented, Business mail entry, Post Office, station, and branch retail services are not expected to change, and delivery services will be enhanced. After the Santa Barbara facility is converted to an LPC, it is anticipated that it will be able to mail and ship packages, manual letters, and flats. The LPC is also anticipated to offer express services and accept bulk and permit mail.
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