U.S. Postal Service to File for an 8.5 Percent Rate Increase

The United States Postal Service today will file for an average 8.5 percent postal rate increase, Postmaster General John E. Potter told the USPS board of governors.

The average increase means that some postal rates will be higher than 8.5 percent and some lower. The filing with the Postal Rate Commission also includes permission to issue a non-denominational First Class forever stamp to hedge against future rate increases.

Among the increases planned, Standard Mail will increase 9 percent; Priority Mail 13.8 percent; Standard Mail 9 percent; Express Mail 12.5 percent; package services 13.4 percent; and special services 11.2 percent. First Class mail will go up 7.1 percent to 42 cents, from the current 39 cents.

"Our pricing proposal recognizes the underlying costs and market conditions, and includes pricing initiatives to improve efficiency, which helps keep rates affordable for everyone," Mr. Potter said in a statement.

"We will work closely with our business mailers in the coming months to show them how they can take advantage of the new pricing to keep their mailing costs as low as possible," he said.