U.S. Postal Service: Cost-Cutting Initiatives and Other Factors Have Contributed to Declining Service Performance I just wish GAO reports carried more weight… Since USPS launched its strategic plan in 2021, it has worked to cut costs and improve service. To align with its cost-cutting initiatives, USPS has extended expected mail delivery times by 1 to 2 days. And it has decreased the amount of mail it expects to handle within the slower delivery times. But USPS has largely failed to meet even these reduced service standards. USPS’s continuing poor financial condition and service performance issues indicate that its actions haven’t been effective.