Postal Service contract drivers faulted for English-language violations

Security breakdowns

The Inspector General found widespread gaps in security during site visits. Only 35% of 69 outside mail carriers interviewed possessed a valid badge, which indicates they had passed a background check. In 14 cases, badges had expired as far back as 2021. Thirty-one persons did not possess a badge. More than 60% of the sample size had not been issued an electronic barcode, suggesting they had not passed or completed a background check. 

Post office administrators didn’t ensure supplier compliance with the badge requirements because a large majority of them didn’t understand or follow the required security screening process, according to the report. One administrator told investigators he granted exceptions to several contract mail carriers to work without approved clearances because they had not been in the United States long enough to pass their security clearance.

Additionally, there is no system or controls in place to notify local officials when clearances and badges are approaching expiration, or had expired. Missing or expired badges hinder management’s ability to verify if someone is authorized to access Postal Service operational areas or permitted to deliver mail, the inspector general said.

Irregular badge use across multiple offices also undermined the accuracy of route-level performance checks. Data showed nearly 3,800 instances where a single contractor’s badge was used to scan mail on two or more delivery routes on the same day, suggesting that badges were shared. Owner-operators are supposed to use their own badge to scan only the mail assigned to their specific route. 

Badge sharing violations even extended to Postal Service employees who logged into scanners used by vendors, resulting in 1.5 million pieces of mail scanned using unauthorized credentials. Worse, more 416,000 of those scans were completed using badges not tied to the local facility or even the region, indicating broader control deficiencies, the report said. 

In comparison to the total volume — the USPS processes and delivers 361 million pieces per day — the affected mail is small.

Auditors called on the USPS to make sure local administrators verify all independent drivers have active security clearances and valid badges and terminate access to Postal Service facilities for contract mail carriers who were denied a security clearance. And the head of delivery operations should establish an automated process to notify post office managers when a supplier’s badge is approaching expiration and prompt administrative officials to either submit a renewal package for badge continuation or verify the badge is collected and returned after expiration. 

Insufficient English-language proficiency

Language barriers also pose safety risks. Investigators found that some suppliers couldn’t speak English well enough to routinely respond to inquiries from Postal Service personnel and customers despite contract requirements. At two of 10 sites, some mail carriers could not answer simple questions such as: Do you have a current badge? What type of vehicle do you have? 

“Beyond general miscommunication, limited English proficiency can impede a carrier’s ability to interpret traffic signs, navigate addresses, process official paperwork, handle emergencies, and effectively communicate with law enforcement or customers. When the Postal Service does not enforce adequate safety and security measures, the risk of vehicle accidents, employee injuries, and lost, damaged, or stolen mail increases significantly,” the inspector general stated.

The ability of drivers in the trucking industry to speak and understand English has become a top safety priority of the Trump administration. The Department of Transportation says more than 26,000 commercial drivers have already been placed out of service for failing English-language proficiency since the administration reinstated strict enforcement. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is now proposing to codify guidelines requiring that truck drivers who cannot sufficiently read or speak English, or understand highway traffic signs and signals, be forced to stop operating until they can demonstrate proficiency.

U.S. lawmakers have also debated whether drivers participating in rideshare applications that receive federal government contracts should be required to be proficient in English. 

Upper management should direct post office administrators to assess contract carriers’ ability to understand and speak English during the preliminary screening process, the audit recommended. Active carriers suspected of lacking required English proficiency should be reevaluated and any individuals who fail to meet the standard should have their contract terminated. 

In response, the USPS said it will send a memorandum to all local administrators by July 31, 2027,reiterating the standard for basic English competency as described in the contract.

Driver deficiencies

Investigators said they also discovered safety issues associated with the driving practices of some owner-operators. 

Site visits uncovered vehicles with modifications, such as a brake and gas pedal installed on the front passenger side of the vehicle and a contract carrier unsafely delivering the mail while seated on the center console. The Postal Service doesn’t require mail carriers to sit directly behind the steering wheel or use a seat belt while delivering mail on rural routes, but those driving practices “could potentially endanger Postal Service personnel, contract mail carriers, and the public, while also exposing the Postal Service to reputational risk,” the report said.

Compounding that concern is the lack of tracking for motor vehicle accidents involving contract mail carriers. In 2024, the Postal Service initiated measures to monitor contractor accidents and fatality data, but those procedures only apply to larger trucking companies. In May, management issued a memo to all last-mile contractors outlining mandatory accident reporting requirements. 

The USPS disagreed that vehicle modifications are unsafe. Management stated there is no data to substantiate the implication that vehicle modifications mentioned have any bearing on accident rates or employee safety. Additionally, management stated that Postal Service policy allows for right-hand conversion and provides guidance on the use of seat belts. 

Click here for more FreightWaves/American Shipper articles by Eric Kulisch.

Write to Eric Kulisch at ekulisch@freightwaves.com.

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