Upgraded Aug 3 from v1.3.9H to v1.5.3

All has been functioning error free until Aug 17 when php was upgraded from 5.3.28 to 5.4.31. PHP settings is beyond my paygrade. DrByte said that php upgrade to any stable version should not cause any problems.

It's probably safe to assume that the error is php version related.

[19-Aug-2014 12:08:29 America/Los_Angeles] #1 usps->quote() called at [/home/chainwea/public_html/includes/classes/shipping.php:140]
#2 shipping->quote() called at [/home/chainwea/public_html/includes/modules/pages/checkout_shipping/header_php.php:188]
#3 require(/home/chainwea/public_html/includes/modules/pages/checkout_shipping/header_php.php) called at [/home/chainwea/public_html/index.php:36]

[19-Aug-2014 12:08:29 America/Los_Angeles] PHP Warning: Illegal string offset 'ServiceName' in /home/chainwea/public_html/includes/modules/shipping/usps.php on line 437
[19-Aug-2014 12:08:29 America/Los_Angeles] #1 usps->quote() called at [/home/chainwea/public_html/includes/classes/shipping.php:140]
#2 shipping->quote() called at [/home/chainwea/public_html/includes/modules/pages/checkout_shipping/header_php.php:188]
#3 require(/home/chainwea/public_html/includes/modules/pages/checkout_shipping/header_php.php) called at [/home/chainwea/public_html/index.php:36]

[19-Aug-2014 12:08:29 America/Los_Angeles] PHP Warning: Illegal string offset 'ServiceName' in /home/chainwea/public_html/includes/modules/shipping/usps.php on line 437
[19-Aug-2014 12:08:29 America/Los_Angeles] #1 usps->quote() called at [/home/chainwea/public_html/includes/classes/shipping.php:140]
#2 shipping->quote() called at [/home/chainwea/public_html/includes/modules/pages/checkout_shipping/header_php.php:188]
#3 require(/home/chainwea/public_html/includes/modules/pages/checkout_shipping/header_php.php) called at [/home/chainwea/public_html/index.php:36]

[19-Aug-2014 12:08:29 America/Los_Angeles] PHP Warning: Illegal string offset 'ServiceName' in /home/chainwea/public_html/includes/modules/shipping/usps.php on line 440
[19-Aug-2014 12:08:29 America/Los_Angeles] #1 usps->quote() called at [/home/chainwea/public_html/includes/classes/shipping.php:140]
#2 shipping->quote() called at [/home/chainwea/public_html/includes/modules/pages/checkout_shipping/header_php.php:188]
#3 require(/home/chainwea/public_html/includes/modules/pages/checkout_shipping/header_php.php) called at [/home/chainwea/public_html/index.php:36]
and repeats for a total of 900 lines in the myDEBUG file

In a separate myDEBUG file:
[19-Aug-2014 12:08:09 America/Los_Angeles] #1 usps->quote() called at [/home/chainwea/public_html/includes/classes/shipping.php:140]
#2 shipping->quote() called at [/home/chainwea/public_html/includes/modules/shipping_estimator.php:140]
#3 require(/home/chainwea/public_html/includes/modules/shipping_estimator.php) called at [/home/chainwea/public_html/includes/templates/westminster_new/templates/tpl_shopping_cart_default.php:197]
#4 require(/home/chainwea/public_html/includes/templates/westminster_new/templates/tpl_shopping_cart_default.php) called at [/home/chainwea/public_html/includes/templates/westminster_new/common/tpl_main_page.php:253]
#5 require(/home/chainwea/public_html/includes/templates/westminster_new/common/tpl_main_page.php) called at [/home/chainwea/public_html/index.php:97]

[19-Aug-2014 12:08:09 America/Los_Angeles] PHP Warning: Illegal string offset 'ServiceName' in /home/chainwea/public_html/includes/modules/shipping/usps.php on line 437
[19-Aug-2014 12:08:09 America/Los_Angeles] #1 usps->quote() called at [/home/chainwea/public_html/includes/classes/shipping.php:140]
#2 shipping->quote() called at [/home/chainwea/public_html/includes/modules/shipping_estimator.php:140]
#3 require(/home/chainwea/public_html/includes/modules/shipping_estimator.php) called at [/home/chainwea/public_html/includes/templates/westminster_new/templates/tpl_shopping_cart_default.php:197]
#4 require(/home/chainwea/public_html/includes/templates/westminster_new/templates/tpl_shopping_cart_default.php) called at [/home/chainwea/public_html/includes/templates/westminster_new/common/tpl_main_page.php:253]
#5 require(/home/chainwea/public_html/includes/templates/westminster_new/common/tpl_main_page.php) called at [/home/chainwea/public_html/index.php:97]
repeated for a total of 1260 lines

& there are multiple instances of the same myDEBUG files