Next-Day Delivery of Mail Improving

Mail delivery in Orange County has improved over the past two years and surpasses the national average in the number of first-class letters that get to their Southern California destinations the next day, according to a study released Thursday.

Postal service in the Santa Ana district, which serves Orange County, received a 93% delivery rate, meaning 93 of 100 letters or packages mailed in the area arrived the next day. The national average is 91%, the study conducted by Price Waterhouse said.

“This means that we’re focused on providing our customers with the best service possible,” said Richard Maher, spokesman for the U.S. Postal Service in Santa Ana. “It’s reflective of a lot of teamwork.”

The study is part of an ongoing effort by Price Waterhouse to monitor mail delivery for the U.S. Postal Service. The delivery rate was determined by random mailing of letters and packages, authorities said. The city of Industry district, which covers the San Gabriel Valley, received the highest rating in the country with 96%. Second were San Diego and Birmingham, Ala., with 95%. Six other districts received 94% and Santa Ana tied with 16 other districts, according to the study.

Of about 95 districts surveyed, Chicago had the worst record of 80%.

In 1995, Santa Ana scored 91%, an increase from 1994’s rate of 87%, Maher said.

“We’re continuing to improve,” he said.