USPS slowdown starts Oct. 1: What to know about new delays and price hikes for mail

If you're like me, sending a letter or package across the country through the US Postal Service feels like a game of chance. Will it get there in a week -- or two? During the first quarter of this year, around 20% of first-class mail across the US was delivered late. And now snail mail is about to get slower for some of the 160 million residences and businesses that rely on the Postal Service.

Starting Oct. 1, the USPS will implement new service standards for first-class mail and packages, lengthening delivery...