Postal Service Adds First Fuel Surcharge

The U.S. Postal Service will add an 8% fuel surcharge to package deliveries starting in April and expected to run until January 2027; the fee is explicitly limited to packages and excludes letter mail. This is the first time the USPS has applied a fuel surcharge, aligning it with private carriers and signaling a shift in how the agency prices parcel delivery amid rising oil costs and financial pressure. — Raises stakes for e‑commerce prices, small‑business shipping costs, and debates over USPS’s role and financial sustainability compared with private carriers.