The Postal Regulatory Commission has issued its procedural schedule for the U.S. Postal Service’s rate reconsideration of the Priority Mail Flat Rate Box, the nonmachinable surcharge for First Class Mail letters and Standard Mail flats.
According to a filing dated March 29, initial comments on these rates are due no later April 12 and reply comments are expected by April 19. Motions to reopen the record are due no later than April 4 and answers are expected by April 11.
On March 19, the Governors of the USPS issued a decision approving the PRC’s average 7.6 percent rate increase, with requests for reconsideration of these three matters.
The Governors also requested that the PRC “move as expeditiously as possible” to enable mailers to plan effectively for future mailings.
The Board of Governors set May 14 as the effective date for changes in rates and fees, with the exception of Periodicals, for which the implementation date has been deferred until July 15.
In a related pleading filed on March 28, the USPS offered procedural suggestions on the reconsideration process in general, and proposed specific resolutions of the three issues identified in the Governors’ decision.
