In recent months the U.S. Postal Service had announced plans to stop delivering mail on Saturday, but legislators had included language in a recent continuing resolution preventing implementation of the cost saving plan.

In an official announcement today, the postal service said “although disappointed with this Congressional action, the Board will follow the law and has directed the Postal Service to delay implementation of its new delivery schedule until legislation is passed that provides the Postal Service with the authority to implement a financially appropriate and responsible delivery schedule. The Board believes that Congress has left it with no choice but to delay this implementation at this time.”

The reduced schedule was expected to save $2 billion per year and was an important part of a five year plan to return the service to profitability.

By no longer offering the overnight services the the postal service can close an additional 250 offices, eliminate 35,000 jobs and would expect to save up to $3 billion.

Retired postmaster Larry Hanson spoke up at a recent facility closure meeting saying that the closures beg the question that ” if we throw that away, why don’t we just turn it all over to ups and let them carry all the mail?”

The impact to mail customers will add a day to all first class mail delivery – envelopes that typically arrive 1-3 days after being sent. The specific impact is to mail in “overnight delivery areas” where the mail is expected to be delivered within one day.

The postal service has been examining this option since the summer and has now formally submitted the proposal to the Postal Regulatory Commission for approval.