US Postal Service head DeJoy to step down after 5 years marked by pandemic, losses and cost cuts

US Postal Service head DeJoy to step down after 5 years marked by pandemic, losses and cost cuts

US Postal Service head DeJoy to step down after 5 years marked by pandemic, losses and cost cuts

Louis DeJoy, the head of the U.S. Postal Service, plans to step down after nearly five years in the role, the federal agency announced Tuesday. His tenure was shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, a surge in mail-in election ballots, and efforts to cut costs and improve efficiency.

In a letter on Monday, DeJoy asked the Postal Service Board of Governors to begin the search for his successor.

“I have worked tirelessly to lead the 640,000 men and women of the Postal Service in accomplishing an extraordinary transformation,” he wrote. “We have served the American people through an unprecedented pandemic and a period of high inflation and sensationalized politics.”

DeJoy took over as postmaster general in the summer of 2020, during President Donald Trump’s administration. A major Republican donor and former logistics business owner, he was the first postmaster general in nearly two decades without a career background in the postal service.

During his tenure, DeJoy introduced a 10-year plan aimed at modernizing operations and addressing financial losses. He warned that customers should expect “uncomfortable” rate hikes as part of efforts to stabilize the agency and make it more self-sufficient.

His plan focused on making mail delivery more efficient and cost-effective by consolidating processing centers. However, critics, including members of Congress, argued that these changes initially slowed service and could significantly impact rural mail delivery. DeJoy defended the plan, insisting that long-overdue investments in infrastructure would ultimately improve efficiency.

DeJoy also oversaw the postal service during two presidential elections marked by a surge in mail-in ballots.

Ahead of the 2020 election, a federal judge limited one of his cost-cutting measures after it was found to contribute to mail delays. That summer, he had restricted overtime payments and ended the agency’s practice of allowing late and extra truck deliveries—moves that reduced costs but led to some mail being delayed until the following day.

In his letter, DeJoy expressed his commitment to ensuring a smooth transition, saying he would be "as helpful as possible" in the process.