The island that is the Wood River Valley just got a little more isolated: DHL, an international shipping company, will no longer deliver or pick up packages in the area.
Instead DHL will pay the United States Post Office to deliver packages initially sent through DHL to Blaine County. DHL will no longer provide pick-up service to any individual or business in the area.
In a statement e-mailed to the Mountain Express, the DHL press office said that the change is simply "an expansion of our current arrangement with USPS for final mile delivery service in areas of the country that have the highest cost to serve." The suspension of service to Blaine County is also part of DHL's U.S. restructuring initiative and is intended to significantly reduce costs for the company.
Individuals and businesses of Blaine County seem unfazed by DHL's announcement. A number of art galleries, restaurants, bookstores, banks, realtors and even some local manufacturers like Smith said they do not rely primarily on DHL for shipping service. Of 30 businesses called at random, the only one to say it used DHL heavily was Scott USA.
In fact, the only ones to notice a serious difference were the employees of the USPS in Ketchum. Since DHL now pays USPS to deliver its packages there has been an increase in volume. John McDonald, Post Master of the Ketchum Post Office, was quick to say it is an increase they can handle.
To ensure swift and accurate delivery, Mcdonald has requested that individuals include their post office box and physical address on all packages.
