Tag: USA

USPS to lower bar code height on Intelligent Mail

Posted by | May 18, 2007 | |

The U.S. Postal Service will lower the height of the bars in the Intelligent Mail bar code from .134 inches to .125 inches.

Charlie Bravo, senior vice president of Intelligent Mail and Address Quality at the USPS, announced the news May 16. The Intelligent Mail bar code, formerly called 4-State Customer Bar code, lets business mailers track up to one billion pieces of mail at a time and also allow them to more easily request services, including address correction and confirmation of delivery, and enable the USPS to process and deliver mail more efficiently.

In the past mailers expressed concern that the current length of the bar code makes them hard to read on some mail processing machines and others are concerned that the height of the bars takes up too much space or “real estate” on the envelope.

Mr. Bravo said that because of some software changes and testing, the change would take place in about nine months.

The bar code is the latest offering under the USPS Intelligent Mail program. The Postal Service expects that the program, begun in late 2001, to eventually let customers track every piece of mail from pickup to delivery. The bar code will be required to receive automation discounts in 2009.

In September, the use of Intelligent Mail bar codes for automation discounts became available for letter mail. The bar code became available for flats mail beginning May 1. Since the reading technology is different on flats than it is on letters, the USPS had delayed the start date for flats.

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UPS Franchisees protest during Annual Meeting

Posted by | May 18, 2007 | |

As some 50 UPS franchisees from around the country picketed in a light rain outside Wilmington’s Hotel DuPont Thursday (May 10) during UPS’ annual meeting, several shareholder-franchisees directed questions about their concerns to CEO Mike Eskew.

During the question and answer period, Joe Wightman, who owns a Mail Boxes Etc. franchise in New York, asked Eskew why it is that UPS’ 4,000-plus-store retail franchise network of UPS Stores and Mail Boxes Etc. (MBE) is invisible in the UPS annual report and in the presentation Eskew made at the shareholders meeting May 10 in Wilmington. Wightman suggested that it is due to the “abysmal” failure of UPS’ effort and the unhappiness of its franchisees.

Eskew’s response, which Wightman said appeared rehearsed, was that he (Eskew) checked the source for Wightman’s report last year claiming that 60% of the UPS network is unprofitable, and Eskew replied that the information is not accurate. He did not say what his “source” was. Platinum Shield Association (PSA) Board member and UPS shareholder Glenn Sturgis then pointed out to Eskew that the 60% figure came from a written report by UPS’ Franchise Advisory Council, which includes UPS and MBE management as well as its UPS Store franchisees.

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Echo Global Logistics, Inc. acquires Mountain Logistics, Inc.

Posted by | May 17, 2007 | |

Echo Global Logistics, Inc., a technology-driven transportation management outsourcing firm, has acquired Mountain Logistics, Inc. doing business as Transportation Management Group, a third party logistics provider based in Park City, Utah.

Mountain Logistics, founded by Ryan Renne and Buster Schwab in 2001, has a strong West Coast carrier and customer base with offices in Park City, Utah and Los Angeles, California. Effective immediately, Mountain Logistics will begin doing business as Echo Global Logistics, Inc.

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Learn about shipping options at the postal service's Ebay Day

Posted by | May 17, 2007 | |

On eBay Day, learn about online shipping options and how to package your products correctly from the U.S. Postal Service.

The world’s largest online market place, eBay is where million of buyers and sellers come together to trade almost anything. The Postal Service is hosting a couple of eBay Days where you will not only find out how simple it is to buy, sell and ship on eBay, but also learn about options the Postal Service offers to eBay users.

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Berlin mayor presents DHL GoGreen parcel to Bill Clinton

Posted by | May 17, 2007 | |

During the Large Cities Climate Summit in New York City on May 16th, Klaus Wowereit, Mayor of Berlin, met with former President Bill Clinton to present him with a DHL GoGreen carbon-neutral parcel containing cultural gifts from Berlin. The parcel was among more than a dozen that DHL transported to New York City from Berlin using its unique GoGreen service. DHL is the first logistics provider to offer customers the option to help offset emissions stemming from their shipments by paying a small voluntary fee. The DHL verified Carbon Management system guarantees that the money is invested in internal and external carbon-reduction projects such as alternative fuel vehicles, solar cells and reforestation projects. Launched in Europe in late 2006, DHL intends to expand the GoGreen service to other regions including the United States over the next few years. President Clinton was the principal speaker at the Climate Summit that evening.

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