Postal
2008 Postal Rate Increases
The United States Postal Service (USPS) implemented its 2008 postal rates — both domestic and international — on May 12, 2008.
Domestic Rates:
To access the USPS’s 2008 rates for mailing services — including First-Class Mail, Standard Mail, Periodicals, as well as Parcel and International rates for indivudals — click here.
To access the USPS’s 2008 rates for shipping services — including Express Mail and Priority Mail — click here.
To access a DMA chart that shows the percent change between the current (2007) rates and 2008 rates click here.
International Rates:
To access the USPS’s 2008 international rates for consumers, click here.
To access the USPS’s 2008 international rates for bulk business mail, click here.
To access the USPS’s Federal Register notice (February 20, 2008) on rates and mailing standards for First-Class International Mail services, click here.
DMA Submits Comments on PRC’s Ratesetting Reform Proposals
In response to proposed rules issued August 15, 2007, by the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) for a new system of postal ratesetting as authorized by the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (PAEA), DMA on September 24, 2007, submitted formal comments to the PRC that addressed a number of concerns about how direct mailers would be affected by the proposed policies.
DMA supports an overarching approach that provides the US Postal Service (USPS) with the flexibility it needs to stay competitive within the marketplace by providing it a less complicated mean of setting postal rates, while at the same time assures mailers the necessary rate stability and predictability from year to year through application of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) cap on rate adjustments at the class level.
DMA’s comments were a collaborative effort between DMA, its commercial and nonprofit members, and other mailing community groups. DMA’s comments incorporated much of the information that the Association gathered through several conference calls in August and September with members to discuss the PRC’s 15 proposals.
For more information:
Postal Rate Case
June 5, 2007
PRC Offers Temporary Rate Relief for Standard Flat Mail:
DMA Asks Governors to Extend Discount
Once again, we thank the many DMA members and others from the mailing community who have joined us over past several months. Your letters and faxes to the PRC, the Postal Governors and members of Congress have demonstrated the profound impact that the exorbitant and unexpected rate increases for flat-shaped mail will have on businesses and nonprofit organizations around the country.
On May 25, the Postal Regulatory Commission offered its Second Opinion and Recommended Decision on Reconsideration of increases for Standard Flat mail. The PRC has recommended a temporary rate reduction of $0.03 per piece for Standard Mail Regular flats and $0.02 for Standard Regular nonprofit flats. This temporary reduction will expire on or before September 29, 2007. This recommendation must be approved by the Postal Governors before it goes into effect.
DMA is disappointed that the PRC recommended only temporary rate relief, and has asked the Governors to leave the reductions in effect until the next postal rate change.
More information about the Postal Rate Case:
- DMA Press Release (June 5, 2007)
- DMA’s letter to Postal Governors (June 4, 2007)
- DMA press release on PRC reconsideration (May 25, 2007)
- PRC reconsideration text (May 25, 2007)
- DMA Press Release on Governors Decision (March 19, 2007)
- Rate case details from the USPS and updated rate charts.
- DMA's Letter to Postal Governors (March 8, 2007)
- PRC Announces Rate Case Recommendations (February 26, 2007)
- PRC's Press Book (February 26, 2007)
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PRC's Standard Mail Rate Recommendations (February 26, 2007)
- PRC's First-Class Rate Recommendations (February 26, 2007)
- Standard Mail Rates (Proposed May 3, 2006)
- Media Postal Rates (Proposed May 3, 2006)
- MarketSmith, Inc., a DMA member company, is offering a free online calculator to help you figure out how the new rate proposals would affect your mailings. The calculator is available here. This is provided for planning purposes only and mailers should separately verify postage calculations before submitting any mailing.
Postal Reform Becomes Law
In the final hours of the 109th Congress, the House passed the “Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act” (H.R. 6407) on December 8, 2006. The Senate passed the same bill the following morning. President Bush signed the bill into law on December 20.
Key Provisions. H.R. 6407 contains all of the elements DMA and other mailing stakeholders have sought over the past several years, including:
- A cap that will tie future postal rate increases to the rate of inflation;
- A tight exigency clause defining the conditions for emergency rate increases;
- The return of the military retirement cost burden (some $27 billion) to the US Treasury; and
- Language supporting the continuation of worksharing agreements.
- The Postal Rate Commission (PRC) now becomes the Postal Regulatory Commission.
DMA’s Members-Only ‘Overview.’ To explain how the new law will affect the US Postal Service and the mailing community, DMA has prepared a four-page “overview” document. To access the report, click here.
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