Topeka USPS utilizes new, rare shipping technology before the holidays

TOPEKA (KSNT) - Local shipping deadlines for packages are quickly approaching, and one delivery service is using some new technology to ship packages more efficiently.

The United States Postal Service (USPS) is introducing a new machine into its Sorting & Delivery Center (S&DC) in Topeka. It automatically sorts thousands of packages each day, and delivers them all from the same facility.

"It saves us on transportation, and improves efficiency and time of delivery," USPS Strategic Communications Specialis Mark Inglett said.

Christmas is the biggest time for package deliveries. These rare S&DC's are helping USPS top the 11.8 billion packages sent out nationwide last year. This prototype in Topeka helps them reach that number.

"This machine here can work up to 3,000 packages an hour, so you figure in just an eight-hour day, there's 25,000 packages right there," Inglett said. "If they go working it 24 hours, or three shifts, you're looking at almost 75,000 packages a day worked right out of this facility here at home."

This machine makes sorting packages in the correct slot much easier than it was before for employees.

"They would have to manually see where it goes and toss it to a container," Inglett said. "Now, with the capability of the sorting and delivery center we have here, this mail is automatically deposited on that machine."

As part of its 'Delivery for America' plan, USPS is planning to add even more of these machines throughout the country.

"We're a prototype for several of them throughout the country, and as I said before, it's special enough to be one of 23, but we're going to roll out about another 400 in the next year or so," Inglett said.

In Topeka, the deadline for Priority Mail is Wednesday, Dec. 20. The deadline for Priority Mail Express is Thursday, Dec. 21.