U.S. Postal Service Launches Online Bidding Platform for Last Mile Delivery Access

On January 20, 2026, the U.S. Postal Service announced the launch of an online bidding platform designed to provide external access to its extensive last-mile delivery network infrastructure. This network includes more than 18,000 destination delivery units and local processing centers nationwide across the US. Postmaster General david steiner stated that the initiative aims to monetize underutilized capacity, as the agency currently sells approximately 1.7 billion units of last-mile delivery capacity despite having a total capacity for 3.5 billion to 4 billion units.

The move comes as the postal service faces a dire financial situation. david steiner indicated that the platform could potentially add billions of dollars in revenue, noting that the agency could run out of cash within 12 to 24 months. The U.S. Postal Service has previously warned that its cash reserves could be depleted as soon as early 2027. This follows a report from the Government Accountability Office showing that net losses have totaled $118 billion since 2007, a period during which first-class mail volume has fallen to its lowest level since 1967.