US Postal Service makes move toward rate increase
The nine-member US Postal Service board has directed post-office management to prepare a rate-case request. The rate hike aims to cover USD3.1bn a year in escrow requirements. A price hike can take at least 10 months before it is enforced since the federal Postal Rate Commission would still have to review it. Large mailers, the general public and rivals can also question the request. Large mailers believe that the Postal Service will file its request this spring so that the new rates would be implemented by next year.