Tag: Standard Mail

The U.S. Postal Service will ask for a 23 percent increase in its federal appropriation in the next fiscal year as it copes with a dramatic decline in mail shipping this year.

The USPS says mail volume will be down some 9 billion pieces in the current fiscal year from last year, partly because of the downturn in the American economy.

The USPS says it is cutting costs by reducing work hours for its employees because it must “take steps now to shore up its business.”
But the Postal Service says it will also need sharply more funding from the federal government to keep its operations on track. The Postal Board of Governors approved on Wednesday (24th September) a USD 144.6 billion appropriation request for the 2010 fiscal year, up from USD 117.7 million the USPS requested for the 2009 fiscal year.

As the current economic climate continues to contribute to a decrease in mail volume, and with no reversal in the trend in sight, the Postal Service reported it expects to end the current fiscal year with a volume decline of nine billion pieces. The end-of-year financial results will be released in November.
At Board of Governors meeting, Postmaster General John Potter said the magnitude of the loss in mail requires the Postal Service to take steps now to shore up its business, which it is doing by reducing work hours.
Savings and Service Improvements from New Program
The Board approved funding for the next phase of a letter recognition improvement program that further automates mail operations, resulting in reduced error rates and manual sorting costs.
In other action, the Board:
• Approved Vision 2013, the Postal Service’s new 5-year strategic plan. The plan focuses primarily on customers — meeting their needs by creating new value through the mail and generating profitable revenue for the Postal Service in an increasingly challenging environment. Vision 2013 will be available on usps.com on October 1.
• Authorized the purchase and renovation of an existing 28,500-square-foot building in San Francisco to serve as the new Townsend Carrier Annex to support present and future delivery requirements.

With more than 31 million ballots expected to be mailed this fall, the U.S. Postal Service is encouraging voters to “mail early” this election season.
Voters are asked to mail completed absentee ballots five days before they are due to ensure the safe, timely delivery of their vote. Americans overseas, including men and women in the Armed Services, should plan on sending ballots back at least two weeks before Nov. 4, the date of the federal general election. Service members stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan are asked to mail completed ballots by Sept. 30, where possible.

Americans with busy lifestyles and the desire for flexibility are seeking voting options. 28 states allow individuals to vote by mail via absentee ballot, without requiring an excuse or explanation; three additional states allow each county within the state to offer voting by mail as an option. In the state of Washington, 36 of its 39 counties are completely vote by mail. Oregon is the only state in the country that casts ballots exclusively by mail.

The Postal Service plays no role in how elections are carried out in the United States, although it is fully authorized to inform and educate election officials about USPS products and services available.

Postmaster General John E. Potter challenged the mailing industry, cautioning mailers about the severity of the current economic climate and urging them to create new growth opportunities.

Citing fluctuating oil prices, inflation in paper prices and the strife in the financial markets, Potter described challenging economic conditions as the most difficult time since the 1960s. The additional move of hardcopy messages to the Internet and questions about mail’s environmental impact have led to a volume decline of 9 billion pieces this year.

Despite the tough times, Potter called on the mailing industry to seek new sources of growth.

Despite the challenges ahead, Potter remains confident in the strength and commitment of the Postal Service and the mailing industry as a whole.

The Postmaster General’s comments came during the national Postal Customer Council (PCC) Day broadcast, an annual event that brings mailers, industry partners and customers together to recognize their contributions to the Postal Service and outline future plans and goals.

To help keep the lines of communication open, the Postal Service has launched the first official postal blog at 2blogPCC.com. Customers can discuss important topics facing the mailing industry, access the latest information and provide feedback.