USPS Last-Mile Service Expanding in 2026

The United States Postal Service’s unofficial motto is “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” The USPS reliably delivers to both commercial and residential addresses and completes last-mile deliveries for companies such as Amazon, UPS, and FedEx. In a December 17 press release, the national Postal Service announced it would expand access to its last-mile program.

Postmaster General and CEO David Steiner explains the new offering, saying, “In the logistics business, the most expensive part of delivery is generally the ‘last mile’ portion of a route. As part of our universal service obligation, we deliver to more than 170 million addresses at least six days a week, so we are the natural leader in last-mile delivery.”

Today, we’re sharing what we know about the new approach, who’s eligible, and how to apply.

What is USPS’s Last-Mile Network?

The USPS last-mile network will give approved shippers access to more than 18,000 USPS delivery destination units (DDUs) nationwide for same-day or next-day delivery.

While previously available to larger carriers (for example, FedEx Ground Economy uses USPS for last-mile deliveries), Steiner says this expanded offering will be “available to a wide range of customers that see the worth of last mile access — other logistics companies and retailers large and small.”

Why Choose Last-Mile with USPS?

Last-mile with USPS is a win-win for all involved. Steiner says, “Because our delivery operations are already visiting every home and business daily, we can help shippers reduce their costs while generating much-needed revenue for the Postal Service.” Recent modernization investments have increased parcel processing capacity, and USPS is opening access to a wide range of shippers.

What’s the Process for Joining the USPS Last-Mile Network?

The Postal Service intends for shippers to bid for access to the DDU network based on a combination of volume, pricing, and tender times at each location.

USPS announced that bidding would begin in January or February 2026. However, there are still some logistics to work out for the process. In its press release, the Postal Service reported that in order to create a dedicated bid solicitation program, it needed to “engage shippers to discuss the procedure, gauge interest in participation, and fine-tune the bidding process based on feedback to provide the most effective platform.”

USPS intends to formalize bids through negotiated service agreement contracts, alerting winning bidders in the second quarter, and beginning service in the third calendar quarter of 2026.

Steiner reminds everyone that the USPS “universal service obligation means we are already going to every address six days a week, and so businesses — large and small, national, regional and local — can achieve same-day or next-day service through our ubiquitous reach.” The Postal Service is for everyone. The new last-mile expansion just opens access to its existing framework.

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