Many people take the day after Thanksgiving off to go Black Friday shopping and, for some, that means buying gifts and shipping them out to friends and family so they arrive in time for Christmas. Although Friday isn’t a federal holiday, there seems to be some confusion about post office hours and the UPS and FedEx delivery schedule.
If you are expecting a package from the US Postal Service, FedEx, or UPS, here’s what you need to know about Black Friday delivery schedules.
Mail delivery always comes to a halt on Thanksgiving, one of ten federal holidays that the U.S. Postal Service is closed. Even the iconic brown UPS trucks and white FedEx delivery vehicles are off the road on Thursday, except for deliveries of the UPS Express Critical packages.
Fortunately, for those who are expecting mail or need to ship a package out this week, it’s business as usual on Black Friday, with a few exceptions.
USPS
According to the US Postal Service , letter carriers will deliver mail on Friday and all branch offices will be open normal business hours. ‘Tis the season for shipping gift and cards, so be prepared for long lines at your local post office on Black Friday and throughout the holiday season.
FEDEX
FedEx will also reopen on Friday but not all packages will be delivered per the company’s normal weekday schedule. According to the Federal Express holiday shipping schedule, there will be modified service for FedEx Express packages as well as “early station, on-call pickups, and drop box closings in some areas.”
UPS
United Parcel Service employees get the day off on Thanksgiving, but the brown UPS trucks will be back on the road on Black Friday. However, there are uncertain times ahead for the delivery company.
According to the Business Insider , UPS aircraft mechanics are “threatening to go on strike” during the busy holiday season due to a disagreement over health care benefit changes. Despite the potential strike, UPS promises that customers will be “in good hands” during the holidays.
Although all three shipping companies will be open on Black Friday, a previous report by the Inquisitr states that the USPS, FedEx, and UPS have holiday shipping deadlines in place. If you don’t to ship your holiday gifts and cards on Friday, make sure you check out the holiday schedule so your package gets to its destination before Christmas.
[Featured Image by Scott Olson/Getty Images]
