Daily News: August 11, 2022

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Peak pricing

USPS seeks brief increase for holidays
The Postal Service plans to temporarily increase some package product prices in the fall.

USPS has notified the Postal Regulatory Commission of plans to temporarily increase some package product prices for the peak holiday season.

If approved by the commission, the increases will affect Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express, First-Class Package Service, Parcel Select and USPS Retail Ground.

International products will not be affected.

The temporary price bump would go into effect Oct. 2 and remain in place until Jan. 22, 2023.

The seasonal adjustment will bring prices for the organization’s commercial and retail customers in line with competitive practices.

Delivering for America, the Postal Service’s 10-year plan for achieving financial sustainability, calls for appropriate pricing initiatives.

Here’s a list of the planned increases:

• Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express: Commercial: 75-cent increase for Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express Flat Rate Boxes and Envelopes; 25-cent increase for zones 1-4, 0-10 lbs.; 80-cent increase for zones 5-9, 0-10 lbs.; 75-cent increase for zones 1-4, 11-25 lbs.; $2.80 increase for zones 5-9, 11-25 lbs.; $3 increase for zones 1-4, 26-70 lbs.; and $6.50 increase for zones 5-9, 26-70 lbs. Retail: 95-cent increase for Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express Flat Rate Boxes and Envelopes; 30-cent increase for zones 1-4, 0-10 lbs.; $1 increase for zones 5-9, 0-10 lbs.; 95-cent increase for zones 1-4, 11-25 lbs.; $3.20 increase for zones 5-9, 11-25 lbs.; $3.25 increase for zones 1-4, 26-70 lbs.; and $6.45 increase for zones 5-9, 26-70 lbs.

• First-Class Package Service, Parcel Select Ground and USPS Retail Ground: Commercial: 25-cent increase for zones 1-4, 0-10 lbs.; 40-cent increase for zones 5-9, 0-10 lbs.; 75-cent increase for zones 1-4, 11-25 lbs.; $1.60 increase for zones 5-9, 11-25 lbs.; $3 increase for zones 1-4, 26-70 lbs.; and $5.50 increase for zones 5-9, 26-70 lbs. Retail: 30-cent increase for zones 1-4, 0-10 lbs.; 60-cent increase for zones 5-9, 0-10 lbs.; 95-cent increase for zones 1-4, 11-25 lbs.; $2.70 increase for zones 5-9, 11-25 lbs.; $3.25 increase for zones 1-4, 26-70 lbs.; $5.85 increase for zones 5-9, 26-70 lbs.

• Parcel Select Destination Delivery Unit (DDU): Starts at $3.50 (current), 25 cents (planned increase)

• Parcel Select Destination Sectional Center Facility (DSCF): Starts at $3.77 (current), 75 cents (planned increase)

• Parcel Select Destination Network Distribution Center (DNDC): Starts at $4.84 (current), 75 cents (planned increase)

There will be no change in the rates for USPS Connect Local, Parcel Select Lightweight and Parcel Return Service.

A news release on the filing with the PRC has more information, and the Postal Explorer website has a full list of commercial and retail pricing.

Sunken treasures

Marine Sanctuaries stamps dedicated in CA
Leon Panetta, left, and William D. Zollars display framed stamp artwork following the dedication ceremony.

National Marine Sanctuaries, the latest Forever stamps issued by the Postal Service, were dedicated at the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center in Santa Cruz, CA, on Aug. 5.

“Protecting our environment is one of the most important things we can do now and for future generations,” said William D. Zollars, a USPS Board of Governors member who helped dedicate the stamps.

“The habitats protected by these marine sanctuaries and monuments help ensure the survival of threatened and endangered species,” he said.

The sanctuary system was established by the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act, which was signed into law in 1972. The system is composed of 17 marine sanctuaries or monuments extending over 620,000 square miles and is managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA.

Zollars was joined at the ceremony by Paul Scholz, deputy assistant administrator at NOAA’s National Ocean Service, and Leon Panetta, former U.S. secretary of defense and co-chair of the Monterey Bay chapter of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation.

The stamps are “a colorful celebration of the beauty, abundance and diversity of our nation’s most iconic underwater places,” Scholz said.

“As these stamps circulate across the nation, we hope they’ll generate excitement about these incredible places and what people can do to help protect them. We especially hope they inspire people to visit a national marine sanctuary. Perhaps, the stamps will even inspire a child who one day grows up to become a marine biologist, environmental educator, science communicator or a passionate protector of our blue planet.”

National Marine Sanctuaries comes in panes of 16, each stamp depicting a different treasure of the system. Art director Greg Breeding used existing photographs to design the stamps.

They can be purchased at Post Offices and on usps.com.

Focus on the Front

Final virtual fair for supervisory jobs is Aug. 14
USPS has more than 1,700 Executive and Administrative Schedule Level 17 supervisory positions to fill.

The Postal Service will hold its final virtual career fair for front-line supervisory positions on Aug. 14.

More than 28,000 employees registered for the first three fairs, held in May, June and July.

The fairs are part of Focus on the Front, an initiative to fill more than 1,700 Executive and Administrative Schedule (EAS) Level 17 supervisory positions throughout USPS.

Each fair features an overview of the knowledge and skills needed to be an applicant, individual sessions on how to apply for vacancies in eCareer, and tips for interviewing.

Additionally, participants will receive information on what positions may be available as they continue their career journey beyond the supervisory role.

The Aug. 14 fair will begin at 1 p.m. Eastern and is open to both career and noncareer employees. Employees must complete the online registration form to participate.

News Briefs

Scanning snapshot

Delivery data also highlighted
Central was the area leader in scanning during the week ending Aug. 5, while Washington finished first among the districts.

Scanning snapshot. A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 97.09 percent during the week ending Aug. 5, down 0.13 percent from one week earlier.

The data was collected Aug. 10.

Central led the four areas with a rating of 97.28 percent, while Atlantic ranked last with a 96.87 percent rating.

Among the 50 districts, Washington, part of WestPac Area, ranked first with a 97.89 percent rating, while California 5, also part of WestPac, ranked last with a 95.17 percent rating.

Scanning data allows customers to track their mail and packages, which helps USPS deliver excellent service, boost loyalty and drive revenue.

To see the latest data, go to the Informed Visibility website and select “Customer Experience,” followed by “DES 2 Scan Performance.” Postal Service employees must request Informed Visibility access through eAccess.

Delivery data. From July 22-29, the Postal Service delivered 93.2 percent of First-Class Mail on time when compared with the organization’s service standard, according to data released last week.

During the same period, USPS delivered 94 percent of Marketing Mail and 86.3 percent of Periodicals on time, the figures show.

Got news? Email your submissions to uspslink@usps.gov.