A significant number of independent contractors who deliver and collect mail for the U.S. Postal Service lack security clearances, engage in unsafe driving practices, or do not possess the required English skills, threatening mail integrity, public safety, finances and the brand’s reputation, according to an audit by the organization’s inspector general.

The Postal Service contracts with individuals or companies that supply their own vehicles to provide mail service for homes and businesses, primarily in rural and underserved areas. In fiscal year 2025, the Postal Service had more than 8,273 active delivery service contracts, which cost about $593 million. The outsourcing program was established as a cost-effective way to extend the Postal Service’s reach without sunk costs for vehicles and personnel, but that model depends on consistent screening and oversight to protect facilities, mail and the public.

The Office of Inspector General said in a report this week that local and headquarters management of the contractor program needs to be improved, noting that inconsistent security screening and badging created risks for unauthorized access to Postal Service facilities, while poor processes for motor vehicle accident reporting and insufficient evaluation of English proficiency compromised safety and mail security. Sloppy management also resulted in unnecessary spending because some local administrators made extra trip payments totaling $1.9 million using the incorrect rate, primarily due to inadequate training and inconsistent guidance.

Recent oversight failures have led to significant mail security breaches involving contract mail carriers. In 2024, for example, a vendor who had not completed a mandatory background check discarded deliverable mail in a dumpster. Multiple outsourced carriers also took mail to their residences to sift through and destroy it rather than completing their assigned routes.

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 people did not possess a badge. More than 60% of the sample had not been issued an electronic barcode, suggesting they had not passed or completed a background check.

Post office administrators did not ensure supplier compliance with badge requirements because a large majority of them did not 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.

In addition, there is no system or control in place to notify local officials when clearances and badges are approaching expiration or have expired. Missing or expired badges hinder management’s ability to verify whether 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 in which a single contractor’s badge was used to scan mail on two or more delivery routes on the same day, suggesting 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 extended to Postal Service employees who logged into scanners used by vendors, resulting in 1.5 million pieces of mail scanned using unauthorized credentials. More than 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 with total volume — the USPS processes and delivers 361 million pieces per day — the affected mail is small, but the findings underscore how quickly lapses in contractor controls can compound across a large delivery network.

Auditors called on the USPS to make sure local administrators verify that all independent drivers have active security clearances and valid badges, and to terminate access to Postal Service facilities for contract mail carriers who were denied a security clearance. The head of delivery operations should also 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 that the badge is collected and returned after expiration.

Insufficient English-language proficiency

Language barriers also pose safety risks. Investigators found that some suppliers could not 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 anyone who fails 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 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 does not 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 said there is no data to substantiate the implication that the vehicle modifications mentioned have any bearing on accident rates or employee safety. Management also said Postal Service policy allows for right-hand conversion and provides guidance on the use of seat belts.