Postal Service contract drivers faulted for English-language violations

Independent contractors delivering mail for the U.S. Postal Service have been found to have security clearance deficiencies, unsafe driving habits, and inadequate English skills, according to a recent audit by the organization's inspector general. These issues potentially jeopardize mail integrity, public safety, financial stability, and the Postal Service's reputation.

The Postal Service contracts with independent contractors who supply their own vehicles to deliver mail to homes and businesses, particularly in rural and underserved areas. In the fiscal year 2025, the Postal Service had over 8,273 active delivery service contracts, costing around $593 million.

The Office of Inspector General's report revealed that inadequate management and inconsistent processes within the contractor program contributed to these issues. Poor security screening and badging practices led to unauthorized access to Postal Service facilities, while flawed accident reporting procedures and insufficient English proficiency evaluations compromised safety and mail security.

Mismanagement resulted in unnecessary expenses, with local administrators making additional trip payments totaling $1.9 million due to improper rate application, largely caused by inadequate training and inconsistent guidance.

The Inspector General identified significant security breaches during site visits, revealing that only 35% of 69 outside mail carriers held a valid badge, indicating they had passed a background check. Thirty-one individuals lacked a badge altogether, and more than 60% did not possess an electronic barcode, suggesting they had not completed a background check.

Over 60% of the sample had not been issued an electronic barcode, implying they had not passed or completed a background check. Postal administrators failed to ensure supplier compliance with badge requirements, as many administrators were unfamiliar with or failed to adhere to the security screening process.

In some cases, administrators granted exceptions to contract mail carriers who did not meet security clearance requirements due to insufficient time in the United States. Additionally, there is no system in place to notify local officials when clearances and badges are near expiration or have expired, undermining management's ability to verify authorized personnel and mail delivery access.

Badge sharing across multiple offices further undermined the accuracy of route-level performance checks, with nearly 3,800 instances of a single contractor's badge scanning mail on multiple delivery routes on the same day. This practice was particularly concerning as owner-operators were expected to use their own badge exclusively for scanning mail assigned to their specific route.

Badge sharing also extended to Postal Service employees accessing scanners used by vendors, resulting in 1.5 million pieces of mail scanned using unauthorized credentials, with 416,000 scans performed using badges not linked to the local facility or region.

The auditors urged the Postal Service to ensure local administrators verify all independent drivers have active security clearances and valid badges, and to terminate access for contract mail carriers denied security clearance. Furthermore, the head of delivery operations should establish an automated process to notify post office managers when a supplier's badge is approaching expiration, prompting administrative officials to either renew or collect and return the badge after expiration.

The inspector general highlighted that language barriers pose safety risks, as some suppliers lacked sufficient English proficiency to routinely respond to inquiries from Postal Service personnel and customers. At two of 10 sites, some mail carriers could not answer basic questions about their badge and vehicle. Limited English proficiency can hinder a carrier's ability to interpret traffic signs, navigate addresses, process official paperwork, handle emergencies, and communicate effectively with law enforcement or customers.

The inspector general emphasized that lax safety and security measures increase the risk of vehicle accidents, employee injuries, and lost, damaged, or stolen mail.