USPS

Why Are Some Bay Area Residents Getting Their Mail at Night?

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Residents of a South Bay community are wondering why they have been receiving their mail in the middle of the night.

Turns out the problem is tied to a mail carrier shortage.

"We're not immune to the ebb and flow of the hiring crisis that's going on," United States Postal Service spokesman Justin Hastings said.

USPS said it does not have enough carriers to deliver all the mail during the day and have no other choice but to make drop-offs in the evening with employees working overtime. It is happening all across the west coast.

"I wouldn't say it's exclusive to California," Hastings said of the mail carrier shortage. "It's exclusive to the job market right now. I think everyone is short handed and having to wait longer for a lot of stuff."

The post office is holding a job fair next Wednesday at the Willow Glen post office -- pay is between $20 to $22 per hour, plus federal benefits.

But for now, residents in San Jose like Dennis Watson does not like what he is seeing in terms of mail being delivered late night.

"The fact that my mail is sitting in my mailbox overnight concerns me from a safety standpoint, privacy standpoint, and information security," Watson said.

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