LEWISTON, Maine—Some banks, credit unions and retailers in Maine are experiencing disruptions in cash deliveries tied to service issues involving armored transportation provider Brink’s, with at least one credit union temporarily limiting customer cash withdrawals.
Maine Credit Union League President Elise Baldacci told WMTW credit unions across the state have faced ongoing problems related to cash delivery and replenishment services provided by Brink’s.
“These issues have included missed deliveries, replenishment discrepancies, inconsistent service, and limited communication when deliveries are delayed or missed,” Baldacci told WMTW.
WMTW reported that Oxford Federal Credit Union said it has experienced problems in recent weeks with armored truck cash deliveries to local branches. Those deliveries are typically handled through its contracted vendor, Brink’s.
According to WMTW, Oxford FCU said its branch in Mexico, Maine, most recently failed to receive two scheduled cash shipments.
Restrictions on Cash
As a result, WMTW reported, members at the Mexico branch were temporarily restricted Thursday morning to withdrawing no more than $500 in cash. The credit union later lifted that limit.
“We understand this situation is inconvenient, particularly for members in the River Valley area, and we sincerely appreciate their patience and understanding,” Oxford FCU said in a statement quoted by WMTW. “Our team continues to work closely with our vendor to ensure normal delivery schedules and minimize future disruption to member service.”
Baldacci also told WMTW that the issue extends beyond credit unions and has affected some community banks and large retailers in Maine.
“Financial institutions and large retailers rely on armored transportation providers like Brink’s to safely and securely move physical currency,” Baldacci said, according to WMTW. “While our industry has worked through multiple channels to address these concerns directly with Brink’s, communication and service reliability issues have continued.”
Baldacci emphasized to WMTW that the disruption is limited to Brink’s transportation and delivery operations and does not reflect any concerns related to the financial condition or stability of Maine financial institutions.
