Residents of Hawaii County do not have equitable access to the USPS.

Many of the residents within the county do not enjoy access to the same curbside delivery service offered in other communities through out the state and nation.

In turn, our post offices aren't equipped with enough boxes to meet the demand of the community.  Residents without access to curbside delivery or a post office box are relegated to the use of General Delivery pickup at the counter.

To receive General Delivery mail, to ship parcels, or to sign for and receive larger packages, residents regularly spend one half hour to forty-five minutes waiting in line. Wait times of over an hour are not uncommon, and residents receiving General Delivery will frequently spend over two and one half hours per week to check their mail three times. (Due to Covid-19 safety precautions these lines are largely exposed to the elements.) Longer delivery times to the State of Hawaii means that many residents expecting time sensitive materials from the mainland have few other options than to check their mail daily.

Parking areas for many of our post offices are also inadequate.  There is a general lack of capacity, especially ADA spaces.  In many instances entering and exiting the overcrowded USPS parking lots creates traffic hazards and patrons are often left to park on dangerous roadways and/or private property.

Because of their fees schedules, private sector shipping services are not the solution. Set up fees can range from seventy dollars to over one hundred, box rentals are frequently thirty dollars per month, and some facilities charge to hold and/or receive parcels. Hawaii County residents should not have to pay for what other citizens enjoy for free.

We ask the the respondents initiate proceedings to determine the best course of action for remediation; including but not limited to: increased staffing at USPS facilities, installation of community mailbox banks in secure sub-stations, funding for the establishment of curbside delivery for rural residents, and construction of new USPS facilities.