A near-record amount of snow covers the ground in Omaha, a fact that isn’t lost on Mary Bennie or the other employees of Mail Services.
“Our mobility has been limited because of the snow,” said Bennie, who manages Mail Services for UNMC and The Nebraska Medical Center. “We’re doing the best that we can, but our services are dependent on how bad the weather conditions are. There will be some delays in gathering and delivering mail.”
Today, 21 inches of snow covers the ground in Omaha, just six inches shy of the record set in 1960. Because the locations are limited where the snow can be piled, finding passable routes for mail carts has proven to be a challenge.
Normally, Mail Services personnel pick up and deliver mail three times a day to 450 campus locations, beginning at about 8:30 a.m., 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Bennie said that the midday delivery will continue in nearly any circumstance, because that is when overnight FedEx packages are delivered and picked up. Delivery people will continue to attempt to make at least one other “run” to each campus post each day, Bennie said.
If packages need to be mailed, Bennie encourages campus employees to call her office at 559-5315.
“In these types of conditions, it’s easier to send out a special pick-up than to send a cart full of mail,” Bennie said. “If someone needs something delivered, they can call and we’ll make arrangements to pick it up.”
With another round of snow expected for mid-week, Bennie said, Mail Services employees will continue to do their best.
“We’ll deliver the mail as efficiently as we can,” she said. “Sometimes, things happen that aren’t within your control.”