Tag: USPS

The U.S. Postal Service’s Board of Governors yesterday accepted the Postal Rate Commission’s recommendation to increase postal rates an average of 7.7 percent on June 30. The increase will generate $4.16 billion in additional revenue for the USPS. Regular Standard Mail rates would increase an average of 7.8 percent; Nonprofit Standard, 6.6 percent; Commercial Enhanced Carrier Route Standard Mail, 6.2 percent; and Nonprofit Enhanced Carrier Route Standard Mail, 6.5 percent.

Postal officials said Friday they hope sometime rival and current business partner FedEx Corp. will put its lobbying muscle behind a reform plan that would give the Postal Service more flexibility to change prices while retaining its monopoly over first-class mail.
Postmaster General Jack Potter also said they plan to close as many as 500 small post offices and some of their 400 distribution centers. But he promised no stamp hike in 2003 if, as expected, the Postal Board of Governors approves an increase from 34 to 37 cents starting this summer.

The idea of the cash-strapped U.S. Postal Service stopping mail delivery on Saturdays is being recycled. Reaction from a random sample of businesspeople ranged from “It’ll never happen” to “It wouldn’t affect us much.”
Bob Brinkman, spokesman for the Newspaper Association of America, said he didn’t expect the delivery schedule to change.
“There isn’t a chance in a thousand that they could stop Saturday delivery,” Brinkman said. “That’s because they have so much volume in the system that if they didn’t clean out their facilities six days a week, their facilities would grind to a halt, and there would be massive gridlock.

The Postal Service has delivered its Transformation Plan to Congress. This comprehensive Plan was developed to address both the near-term and long-term efforts that will result in a continued ability to fulfill the mission of the Postal Service – to deliver business and personal mail affordably to everyone, everywhere.

Postal Service leadership commits to leading the near-term effort of managing the immediate challenges facing the Postal Service. Successful long-term transformation that safeguards universal service in the future is contingent upon the commitment of all stakeholders to work together toward a common vision. It is hoped that this Transformation Plan will spur public policy debate on the most appropriate long-term structure necessary to ensure an efficient, reliable and innovative delivery service sector that meets the future, diverse, economic needs of the nation.

Full plan available at http://www.usps.com/strategicdirection/transform.htm