Seeing the tracking status “Processed through USPS Regional Facility” can be confusing if you don’t know what regional facilities are or what role they play in getting your mail or packages delivered. This article will explain what this tracking update means and give you a better understanding of how the United States Postal Service (USPS) uses regional facilities to process and transport mail across the country.
What are USPS Regional Facilities?
USPS has a network of large mail processing and distribution centers located in strategic regions across the United States. These facilities are known as regional facilities, regional distribution centers, or just distribution centers.
There are more than 20 of these large plants that serve defined geographic regions. For example, the USPS San Francisco Distribution Center handles much of the mail flowing in and out of the West Coast states. The Southern Maryland Processing and Distribution Center covers the Mid-Atlantic region.
These regional facilities serve as central hubs in the transportation and sorting system that USPS uses to process and deliver over 129.2 billion mail pieces annually. The regional plants connect the local post offices to the network of transportation (trucks, planes, etc.) that moves mail between regions of the country.
Why Your Mail Goes Through Regional Facilities During Transit
When you see that your package or letter was “processed through regional facility,” it simply means it passed through one of these large plants on its way to you.
There are a few reasons your mail gets routed through regional facilities:
- Consolidating mail – Local post offices collect outgoing mail and send it to regional facilities to be consolidated before going to other regions. This allows bundles of mail headed to the same place to be transported more efficiently.
- Sorting – Machines at the regional plants sort incoming mail by ZIP Codes so it can continue to the correct local post office nearer its ultimate destination.
- Transportation – The facilities connect directly to airplanes, trucks, and other transportation that moves large volumes of mail between regions overnight.
So in most cases, your package is simply passing through one of these facilities as part of its journey across the country. The regional plants act as transit hubs that allow USPS to quickly move millions of pieces of mail between different cities and states.
What Happens During and After Regional Facility Processing?
Once your mail arrives at a regional distribution center, it goes through several steps before continuing to you:
- Unloading – Trucks deliver mail and packages from local post offices to the large regional facility. Consolidated bundles of mail are unloaded.
- Processing – Machines and manual sorters process letters and flats by ZIP Codes. Packages get sorted by destination zones. Address scanning verifies correct delivery points.
- Transportation – Sorted mail gets loaded onto trucks, planes, and other vehicles for transportation between regions overnight.
- Delivery to local post office – Mail bound for local delivery arrives at local post offices in the region to get loaded on routes for the mail carriers.
- Out for delivery – Local mail carriers deliver the processed mail and packages to homes and businesses.
So in most cases, after passing through the regional facility, your mail will arrive at your local post office within a day or two and get delivered. The regional plants enable this fast processing of millions of mail pieces across a widespread geographic area.
How Long Should Mail Be at a Regional Facility?
There is no firm rule for how long mail will sit at a regional distribution center before moving again. Some packages may only need a few hours of processing. Others could be there for up to a day or two depending on transportation connections.
Here are some factors that can impact how long mail stays at a regional facility:
- Volume of mail – More volume means longer processing time. Holidays see a huge spike in mail.
- Destination – If transportation connections are limited, it may have to wait on certain trucks or flights.
- Priority – First Class mail gets priority over slower classes at each processing step.
- Errors – Missed scans or unreadable addresses can cause sorting delays.
- Weather – Bad weather can delay transport between facilities.
- Facility size – Larger facilities process more volume than smaller ones.
So there is no definitive answer, but the regional plants are built to process huge volumes of mail quickly. The goal is to get it in and out of the facility within a day or two at most. You should only start to worry about lost mail if there are no scans or updates for several days.
What If My Package Spends “Too Long” at a Regional Facility?
If you notice your package seems to be stuck at a regional facility for several days with no further scans or updates, here are some steps to take:
- Double check the tracking number is correct on the USPS website. Look for other indications besides just “processed through regional facility.”
- Look up the exact location of the regional facility. Call the consumer affairs number for that facility and inquire.
- Visit your local post office and talk to them. They can often look into a package’s status in more detail.
- File a missing mail claim online at USPS.com or call USPS customer service at 1-800-ASK-USPS.
- Request the local postmaster do a package trace. They can search within the facility.
But give it several days, since brief facility delays of even 2-3 days are not uncommon. Calling USPS to open an investigation is recommended if there are no scans for 4+ days or the expected delivery date has passed.
When Should I Worry About “Processed Through Regional Facility” Scans?
In most cases, seeing the “processed through regional facility” scan is a routine part of a package’s journey and not cause for concern. But here are some circumstances that may warrant a call to USPS to look into it:
- No location or city is listed – Just says “processed through regional facility” with no details for over 2 days.
- No further scans after drop off – The only scan is the regional facility with no delivery confirmation several days later.
- Wrong direction – The package went to a facility clearly nowhere near its destination.
- Delivery date passed – The expected delivery date has come and gone with no package.
- Multiple facilities – It processed through several regional facilities over 4+ days.
- Stuck in transit – The tracking shows “in transit to next facility” for several days after facility processing.
So unless you notice one of those red flags, seeing the normal “processed through regional facility” scan just means your mail is moving one step closer towards its destination. But USPS does recommend checking back in 24-48 hours for another scan update to confirm it is on the move.
Frequently Asked Questions About Regional Facilities
Here are answers to some common questions about USPS regional facility processing:
How many regional facilities does USPS operate?
USPS has over 20 major regional processing plants across the United States. There are also dozens of smaller auxiliary facilities.
What volume of mail do they process?
In 2021, USPS handled more than 129.2 billion mail pieces. Much of that huge volume passed through their regional processing network. The largest plants process millions of pieces per day.
What are some other names for regional facilities?
They are also known as distribution centers, regional distribution centers, processing and distribution centers, or just processing facilities. But they all serve a similar purpose as transit mail hubs.
Where can I find the location of the regional facility handling my mail?
Check the tracking details on USPS.com or the USPS mobile app. It should list the city where that facility is located. You can then search online for that facility’s contact info if needed.
Why does mail have to move through so many facilities?
The “wheel and spoke” system allows consolidation and sorting of mail headed to same regions for more efficient transportation. It also allows USPS to meet timetables for delivery standards.
How fast does mail move between regional facilities?
Mail typically moves overnight via air or truck between facilities. USPS has established transportation timetables to keep mail moving rapidly across the country.
So in summary, while the process may seem complex, the USPS regional facility network is designed to help, not hinder, mail delivery across the 50 states. So unless there are signs of an abnormal delay, seeing this scan means your mail is moving as it should within their large logistics system.
Key Takeaways on USPS Regional Facility Processing
- Regional facilities are large mail processing plants that serve as transit hubs for mail transportation.
- Packages typically spend 1-2 days at a regional facility being processed and sorted before moving closer to delivery.
- There are legitimate reasons for some delays, but you can contact USPS if package appears stuck.
- Repeated “processed through” scans at multiple facilities over several days could indicate a problem.
- “Processed through regional facility” means your mail is in transit as expected unless other red flags arise.
- USPS processes over 129 billion mail pieces annually, so delays at busy facilities are to be expected at times.
Knowing these key facts about USPS regional facilities takes some mystery out of the tracking process. Seeing this common “processed through” scan update means your package or letter is continuing its journey closer to your mailbox.
