BUFFALO, N.Y. — Cyber Monday is a name that has become more fitting with each passing year as more people do most of their Christmas shopping online.
The post office on Williams Street in Buffalo is one of many preparing to deliver all of those tidings of joy on time.
This holiday season, workers will see a 40% increase in the number of packages coming in. The Williams Street office is open 24 hours a day so workers will be there seven days a week to be prepared to get gifts out on time.
The Buffalo processing facility is expected to see 3 million packages during the holiday season, including those from Cyber Monday, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. U.S. Post Office officials say they expect 750 to 800 million packages nationwide.
The Williams Street distribution center services millions of customers all the way from Batavia to Bradford, Pennsylvania. With that level of volume, officials recommend sending out packages by December 17 if you want them to arrive before Christmas.
After the wave of online shopping many did during the height of the pandemic, officials say they've made adjustments to ensure this holiday season is smooth sailing.
“We expect volume to run pretty steady like last year. The difference is in the fact that we added to our workforce, said Rhonda Spates-Benton, Buffalo plant manager. "Here in the Buffalo plant, we have added over 100 employees. The Postal Service has also invested in additional equipment, package processing equipment and technology.”
Everyone is being reminded to shovel their walkways so deliveries reach the door safely.