Postal Workers Celebrate 95% On-Time Delivery

They usually work in the shadows, little noted by the public as they carry out their daily work. But Wednesday morning, U.S. Postal Service letter carriers and clerks were the center of attention at the main post office in Van Nuys.

About 70 postal workers took turns hitting a carnival-like bell with a sledgehammer. They banged it 95 times to commemorate the 95% on-time delivery record the San Fernando Valley postal district scored from February through May. It was the best score in California and the second-best in the country, said postal service spokeswoman Terri Bouffiou.

“This gives us an opportunity to celebrate what we do best,” said Van Nuys Postmaster Woody DeWitt. “It’s only just the beginning. I’m looking forward to the day we can close the other 5%.”

Every night, processing centers in the Valley district, which stretches from Pasadena to Santa Barbara, handle more than 5 million pieces of mail, Bouffiou said. From February through May, she said, the district processed and delivered more than 375 million pieces of mail.

In the San Fernando Valley alone, about 1,800 carriers deliver mail on 1,200 routes, DeWitt said. Clerks, maintenance people, drivers and managers work behind the scenes to get the job done.

“It’s a team effort for all of us,” said Dave Adams, 47, a letter carrier in Van Nuys. “I think most people don’t realize the physical part of the job and how many people have to take part to get it done.”

“Unfortunately, with all the negative jokes, folks have a bad view of us,” added letter carrier Yvette Solache-Ramirez, 32, who delivers mail in San Fernando. “We’ve been working really hard and hopefully we’ll keep it up.”