Use This USPS Online Tool to Find Out If Mail Is Really Slow in Your Area

Along with the weather, comments about mail taking longer to reach its destination are another reason for a little conversation. And while there’s not much you can do about these delays, you can now find out if delivery in your area is really as slow as it seems.

This is because the United States Postal Service (USPS) recently rolled out a new online dashboard that allows users to check the speed and reliability of the postal service by their zip code. Here’s what you need to know.

How to use the new USPS Online Dashboard

According to a May 12 USPS press release , 98% of the nation now receives mail and packages in less than three days. A week later, the Postal Service introduced a new online dashboard on its website where people can learn more about delivery performance in their (or any) area.

Using the control panel is quite simple: just enter the postal code, then select the type of mail from the following options:

• First class mail : letters, postcards, bills, etc.
• USPS Marketing Mail : Advertisements, Flyers, Catalogs, Merchandise
• Periodicals : Newspapers, magazines, other published materials.
• Related print, media, and library mail : books, sheet music, printed learning materials, etc.

From there, you can select a specific email product (although it’s not required) and then hit search.

The summary page will present various data, including the percentage of on-time delivery in your area compared to the previous year, and the average number of days between receiving a mailing and delivering it to that area. According to the USPS, this data is updated weekly.

For more information and further instructions, click the red paper icon at the bottom of the page labeled “Documentation”.