Many rural South Dakotans are expressing growing frustration with delays in mail delivery through the United States Postal Service.
Last month, Senator Mike Rounds revealed he had received hundreds of emails from constituents about the issue. Since then, he’s spoken directly with Postmaster General David Steiner. While both acknowledge that delivery times are problematic, they differ on whether the current system will eventually resolve itself.
Rounds warned that the situation could deteriorate further as winter approaches.
Currently, much of South Dakota’s mail is routed through out-of-state processing centers in Omaha and Fargo. Rounds believes this reliance on distant facilities is contributing to the delays and should be reconsidered.
Todd West, President of the South Dakota American Postal Workers Union, echoed those concerns. He said the system continues to experience errors and fears it may be part of a broader push toward privatization.
West also warned that winter could exacerbate the problem, noting that mail already takes several days to travel to and from Omaha and Fargo. He highlighted Interstate 29, which leads to Fargo, as one of the most weather-challenged routes in the country.
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