Middle East conflict spreads to express delivery: US Postal Service plans to charge an additional 8% fee on some packages to cope with soaring oil prices.

The United States Postal Service (USPS) announced on Wednesday that it is seeking to impose a temporary 8% fuel surcharge on parcels and express mail to address the rising transportation costs (including the increase in oil prices due to the Iran war). This adjustment will apply to Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, USPS Ground Advantage, and Parcel Select. Regular stamps and other mail services will not be affected. According to a notice posted on its website, if approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission, the surcharge will take effect on April 26 and continue until January 17, 2027. FedEx Corporation and United Parcel Service, the two major parcel transport companies, have been imposing fuel surcharges on parcels for many years. Since the US and Israel's attack on Iran on February 28, these surcharges have increased significantly, with the attack causing oil prices to rise by over 40%. The USPS stated in the announcement, "This temporary price adjustment will provide necessary flexibility for postal services to ensure that actual operating costs are covered, as requested by Congress." The announcement further stated, "Transportation costs have been rising, and our competitors have also been implementing surcharges. We have always tried to avoid surcharges, and the cost of this adjustment is less than a third of our competitors' fuel surcharges. Therefore, even with the price adjustment, the USPS can still offer extremely valuable services, with its rates among the lowest in developed countries."