Tag Archives: Rate Increase

USPS Rate Comparison First Class

In an order issued on November 9th, the Postal Regulatory Commission(PRC) approved the Postal Service’s proposed prices for market-dominant products. In its 63-page decision, the PRC found that the proposed rates do not violate the price cap and that the workshare discounts meet statutory requirements; proposed classification changes also were approved.

Earlier the commission also approved USPS price changes for competitive products.

As a result, the price changes announced last month by the USPS will be implemented as planned on January 21, 2018.  Below is a price comparison chart for First Class Rates.  For a downloadable PDF of the January First Class Rates, click here.

January USPS Rate Increase

BEB UP ON THE HILL LOGOThe Postal Service has signaled for months that it will be filing for GUEST BLOGGER TOM GLASSMAN 2a general price increase later this year (calendar below). Publication of revised mailing standards (some below) that would also take effect in January.  Much of this follows a pattern the Postal Service sought to establish years ago: regular price changes announced in the fall and effective in January. The question of consequence for Customers, is less whether there will be a price change as how much an increase will be. The amount that prices for market-dominant mail can increase is tied to the CPI-based price cap, including how much “rate authority” from previous rate filings remains unused. As of the July CPI (based on the June CPI), was at an annualized cap of 0.676%. However, under the rules for calculating the CPI cap, because it’s been more than a year since the last general price increase (filed in January 2015 based on the November 2014 CPI), the applicable formula yields a higher cap (0.713%). To this would be added any unused authority (0.308% for First-Class Mail, 0.403% for Standard Mail, and 1.430% for Special Services) to determine the limit on any rate increase at the class level.   OK NOW, In English, take the CPI plus unused CPI would come to around 1.5 to 2 percent as I noted last night. Two big issues that I can NOT get my hands around would be, Flats are not covering their cost and drop ship discounts are not covering the cost so I anticipate a slightly greater increase in flats and a decrease in the drop ship discount by .5 to 1 cent.  If I “mail geeked” you and want help translating just give me a buzz.  Below is the expected time frame and a list of structural changes that I am anticipating.

Time Frame expected to be used by USPS

August: share technical changes and draft postage statements (without pricing) with developers

August: share draft mailing standards

September/October: Final PRC Market Dominant

November: Competitive filings

November/December: Publish final prices, mailing standards

1/8/17: target implement pre-release

1/22/17: targeting price effective date

 

Structural changes under consideration are as follows:

 

First Class

o Combine AADC and 3D auto letters for First-Class Presort (currently the same price)

o 3rd Ounce free for First-Class commercial letters

o First-Class Mail Promotions

 

Standard Mail

o Combine AADC and 3D auto letters for Standard Mail presort

o Simply Standard Auto letters by eliminating the per-pound rate between 3.3 and 3.5 ounces. Letters would be the same price from 0 up to 3.5 ounces.

o Increase Standard Mail flats piece price weight break from 3.3 to 4.0 ounces

o Standard Mail promotions (sent you the proposed changes about two weeks ago)

o FSS Standard Mail revert to previous structure

 

Also noted at the MTAC meeting was the issue with DSCF letter Mail. There was a change in DSCF pass-through calculation from FY14 to FY15. DSCF letter pass-through went from 57.4% in the FY14 ACD to 225% in FY15 ADC. FY15 discount $.043. The FY15 Cost avoidance – $.02 per piece.  Meaning the USPS is giving us a 4.3 cent discount for drop ship where it should have been 2 cents

The plan instead is to have modest increases over a number of price changes.

PRC Approves Rate Hike effective Apr 26

April 26th Rate HikeThe Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) has issued orders approving some of the price changes proposed earlier by the Postal Service. After its review of the USPS filing, discussion of the input from commenters, and its own analysis, the PRC found that “the planned” prices for First-Class Mail do not violate the price cap.

The PRC has also approved the price increase for competitive products (proposed on January 26), except for some rates associated with products whose transfer from “market dominant” to “competitive” remain under review.

Rate increases will take effect on April 26, 2015. You can view the new rates by clicking below:

STANDARD NONPROFIT LETTERS AND FLATS

STANDARD LETTERS AND FLAT | FIRST CLASS LETTERS & POSTCARDS