WASHINGTON — Louis DeJoy, the leader of the U.S. Postal Service, announced his intention to resign, according to an announcement made by the federal agency on Tuesday. His tenure, which has spanned nearly five years, has been shaped by the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the increase in mail-in ballots during elections, and his efforts aimed at reducing financial losses through various measures affecting costs and services.
In a letter sent on Monday, DeJoy requested that the Postal Service Board of Governors initiate the search for his replacement. He noted, “As you know, I have worked tirelessly to lead the 640,000 men and women of the Postal Service in accomplishing an extraordinary transformation. We have served the American people through an unprecedented pandemic and through a period of high inflation and sensationalized politics.”
Taking charge of the postal service in the summer of 2020 during Donald Trump’s presidency, DeJoy, a Republican fundraiser and former logistics business owner, was the first postmaster general in nearly two decades without a prior career in postal operations. He introduced a comprehensive 10-year strategy aimed at modernizing the agency’s operations and addressing its financial challenges. DeJoy has remarked that postal customers should prepare for “uncomfortable” rate increases as the Postal Service aims for greater fiscal stability and self-reliance.
This strategic plan centers on enhancing the efficiency and reduced costs of the mail delivery system by consolidating processing centers. However, critics, including lawmakers from various states, argue that these consolidations have slowed down services, with further reductions potentially adversely affecting mail delivery in rural areas.
DeJoy has countered these concerns, asserting in a heated hearing with a U.S. House subcommittee in September that the Postal Service has begun essential investments in outdated facilities and is implementing changes that will ultimately create “a Postal Service for the future” that can provide faster mail delivery.
During his leadership, DeJoy managed the postal service amidst two presidential elections that witnessed a surge in mail-in ballots. Prior to the 2020 elections, a federal judge intervened to restrict one of the postal service’s cost-cutting strategies, citing its role in causing mail delivery delays. This followed DeJoy’s decisions to limit overtime for postal workers and cease the agency’s traditional practice of late and additional truck deliveries, which had inadvertently led to some mail being postponed until the following day.
In his resignation letter, DeJoy expressed his willingness to assist in making the transition as smooth as possible for his successor.
