Insufficient Response

The Postal Service’s attitude toward the Postal Regulatory Commission became more confrontational and dismissive under the tenure of former postmaster general Louis DeJoy, and apparently continues to be so even now that he’s gone. Background Docket SS2022-1, Special Study on Issues Related to Flats Operations, was opened on July 14, 2022, to fulfill a requirement of the Postal Service Reform…

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PRC Rebuts DeJoy’s Claim it’s “Unnecessary”

The Postal Regulatory Commission wasted little time responding to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s claim in his March 13 letter (see p. 2) that it’s an “unnecessary agency.”  In a press release issued later that day, the commission said: “The Postmaster General’s statements about the Postal Regulatory Commission’s role during the recent mismanagement of USPS are false.  The Commission follows the…

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DeJoy Turns to DOGE for Help – Analysis

In a three-and-a-half page letter sent March 13 to the leadership of the House and Senate and the respective committees with USPS oversight, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy recited – again – the many faults he found with the agency when he arrived, and listed seven areas in which his 10-year Plan has led to “impactful” accomplishments. The task list In…

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USPS Rejects PRC Advice, Proceeds with Service Changes

In perhaps the least surprising announcement since the last rate case, on February 26 the Postal Service stated it would proceed with implementing the network and service standard changes it revealed last October 4 in a filing with the Postal Regulatory Commission. That 55-page filing, seeking an advisory opinion from the PRC, explained how the USPS is reorganizing its processing…

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Perception vs Reality

Very few – if any – regular readers of Mailers Hub News may include in their daily routine monitoring the Federal Register or the docket postings on the Postal Regulatory Commission’s website.  Those who do, however, likely have noticed the dozens – hundreds – of Postal Service negotiated service agreements that have been filed and approved in recent months. Paperwork…

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Futile Opposition – Commentary

Few Americans may be interested, and fewer may be observing closely, but those who are will soon see how an autocrat gets to do what he wants. To comply with statute, and allay Congressional critics – who won’t do anything anyway – the Postal Service is going through the process of seeking an advisory opinion from the Postal Regulatory Commission…

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USPS Seeks Advisory Opinion on Service Reductions

Although everyone knows the Postal Service will implement its plans regardless of what the Postal Regulatory Commission advises, the USPS nonetheless is following the required process and seeking an advisory opinion from the PRC on its latest round of service reductions. Filed October 4, the request, styled editorially as Operational and Service Standards Changes to Meet Statutory Requirements for Reliable,…

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USPS Proposes to Lower Service Standards – Again

Though spun to appear as improving service performance, the Postal Service has announced a proposal to further reduce service standards so it can eliminate afternoon collections nationally.  The announcement preceded a planned webinar to discuss the proposal in advance of filing for an advisory opinion from the Postal Regulatory Commission.  Though the USPS is overtly committed to going through the…

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Missing the Opportunity – Commentary

It’s not news that frequent price increases, declining volume, and worsening service have characterized the Postal Service as the policies of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy have been implemented.  It’s also not news that these conditions have drawn increasing attention from Congress and the Postal Regulatory Commission.  Nonetheless, nothing has been done – other than hearings and letters and other protestations…

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PRC “Acknowledges” Parcel Select Price Increase

As has become its custom, the Postal Service coordinates price changes for market-dominant and competitive products so both can be implemented on the same day; the price change implemented yesterday was no exception. What was different – in both – was that the Postal Regulatory Commission did not silently go through the motions of checking compliance with statutory and regulatory…

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