The U.S. Postal Service processing and distribution facility in Omaha. (Photo courtesy of USPS)
U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts has sent a letter to the U.S. Postal Service’s Omaha Processing and Distribution Center urging improvements following an audit conducted by the Postal Service’s Office of the Inspector General.
The audit, carried out last fall, identified numerous problems at the Omaha center, which serves as the primary hub for all of Nebraska.
Among the major issues highlighted were employees not being properly assigned to ensure mail is processed on time, aging machinery that frequently breaks down, and improper sorting procedures.
All of these problems contributed to delays in mail processing and delivery.
For instance, the audit found that between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025, nearly a quarter of all mail delivery trips from the facility were delayed, while 7% were canceled.
The audit also showed that in nearly every month during that period, scanning accuracy at the facility fell well below the Postal Service’s benchmark.
In his letter, Ricketts outlined several mail issues reported by his constituents.
“Several constituents have shared complications related to sending sensitive materials such as checks and prescriptions through the USPS,” Ricketts wrote in the letter, which was addressed to Daniel Hirai, senior processing operations leader for the Midwest Division branch at USPS.
“A constituent who sent a check that was never delivered went to the Plattsmouth post office to report the issue. They were told that lost mail was a common occurrence. Another constituent from Osmond who owns a business has experienced significant delays when sending checks through the mail. He mailed a check within his zip code that took more than nine days to arrive. Checks sent within Omaha on January 9th were not delivered until February 14th. A pharmacy in Burwell, Nebraska, reported delays in prescription deliveries. The pharmacy told me that mail prescriptions are taking up to six weeks to reach destinations as close as 30 miles away. These delays are affecting the ability of Nebraskans to run their businesses and maintain their health.”
Ricketts also pointed to cases where mail and packages were misrouted.
“For example, a Nebraskan sent a package from Elkhorn, NE to Arlington, VA. The package traveled from Elkhorn to a sorting center in St. Louis, MO. It was then sent back to a distribution center in Omaha, NE. The package never reached Arlington,” Ricketts wrote. “These routing problems have caused emotional distress. Three young children who were recently orphaned needed passports to join their uncle in Japan. While two of the passports were sent from Colorado to Nebraska, the third somehow ended up in New Hampshire. It remained in a distribution center there for five days, delaying the children’s opportunity to reunite with family.”
The audit issued eight recommendations, and in each case the facility’s management agreed either to implement the suggestions or stated that work was already underway to make the necessary changes. Deadlines for six of the recommendations have already passed, while the remaining two are expected to be completed by the end of this month.
A USPS spokesperson said Thursday morning that she could not immediately confirm whether the recommendations had been implemented but added that she would work to find out.
In his letter, Ricketts said the delays continue to impact Nebraskans.
“It is clear that these recommendations are not working,” he wrote. “It is important that these recommendations are implemented and that Nebraska mail facilities continue monitoring their operations. We need to hold our offices accountable, as these issues and deficiencies are leading to delays, cancellations, and concerns. It is imperative that our constituents have reliable mail service systems for daily activities, as well as for emergency situations.”
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