I read Melissa Campanelli’s article about the latest round of postal increases (“Postal Rate Increases Take Effect as USPS’ Mail Drops,” Jan. 8) and was struck by the following: “The average increases for each class of mail are … 4.5 percent for regular standard enhanced carrier route [and] 8.8 percent for all other regular Standard Mail.”
A form letter from my local business mail entry manager also informed me that the “average Standard Mail … increase is 8.8 percent.” Where do these “average” figures come from?
When the increases were first projected, I recall hearing that the USPS wanted to increase Standard Mail rates by around 14 percent. And now, after analyzing our mailing list of 168,000 names, my assessment is that, with the new rates, what we are actually facing is a 14.8 percent increase. We mail flats that weigh just less than 3 ounces, and we mail nationwide. About 12 percent of our list goes ECR basic, and about 83 percent goes Regular Automated 3/5 digit.
How deviant from the “average” is that?
Susan Andres
Director of information services
The Grantsmanship Center
Los Angeles
