FARMVILLE, Va. -- Yvette Faulkner is worried about her sister. The concerns grow each day her sister goes without a crucial package.
The package, containing vital medication, was recently mailed from Farmville to her sister in Maryland.
Despite paying extra to send it USPS priority mail, Faulkner says it's been days and her sister has yet to receive it.
"I really don't know what she's going to do," said Faulkner.
Faulkner says she's been getting the same message everyday.
"Your package will arrive later than expected but it's still on its way. Currently it is in transit to the next facility," she read.
Faulkner says the package has been sitting in the USPS Richmond Processing and Distribution Center in Sandston for days. It's the same facility that made headlines because of major holiday delays.
"It's not just, oh it's a little inconvenient because it's just a package of socks or a hat that I don't need. It is vital, important things that need to be delivered, like the medication," said Faulkner.
Unable to get in touch with anyone there to help her, Faulkner says she reached out to the Sandston Post Office.
"What I'm told is we are backed up from Christmas and it's COVID. This is from the post office. I never could get in contact with the mail sorting facility itself," she said.
Faulkner was floored to read so many online complaints from other USPS customers.
"Numerous comments from people who had mail dating back months just sitting there. From Thanksgiving, Christmas. Toys that were supposed to go to underprivileged children. They never got it," said Faulkner.
She contacted CBS 6 Problem Solvers hoping to get connected with someone within USPS and get her package into the right hands ASAP.
A USPS spokesperson tells CBS 6 they are now looking into Faulkner's case. The spokesperson says they delivered more than a billion packages during holidays, a record, and delays were also spurred by COVID issues.
"It may just be a package to a postal worker. It may be a trailer full of mail that they can't get out, but at the end of all of that mail is a life that is impacted," Faulkner added.
CBS 6 Problem Solvers asked the USPS spokesperson if they have made any staffing changes since the mail delay ordeal at their Sandston facility.
“We closely monitor staffing and hire new employees when needed, not just for the holidays, but year-round. We believe staffing at the Sandston Processing and Distribution Center is adequate," the spokesperson replied. "Currently we are not hiring for this location, but individuals looking for career opportunities should check our job application website, usps.com/careers, often.
The Postal Service, as with all shippers, experienced recent delays related to historic volumes of holiday mail. We appreciate customers’ patience as our service standards rapidly continue to normalize.”
Customers with questions/complaints can reach a representative at 1-800-ASK-USPS, online at usps.com or by using the Twitter handle @USPSHelp.
