She asks for input in three separate areas:
- The Postal Service's effort to close stations and branch Post Offices;
- A new PRC study the Commission is initiating "on the present and future role of mail in American society and the societal impact of the existence of the postal system;" and
- The Postal Service's proposal to reduce the number of delivery days from 6 to 5.
The second item is new and is not in response to any action taken by the Postal Service nor is it a mandated study required by the PAEA. This should be a significant effort as if done right. It could provide a reasonable picture of the range of possible demands on the postal system, including both physical and digital delivery of documents as well as the delivery of parcels both five and ten years hence. That time frame is important given both the speed of legislation, organizational change, and regulatory change will likely result in a new business model and regulatory framework taking between five and ten years to implement.
Most likely, the PRC will use the information that the organizations contacted provide as the basis for its testimony before Congress on the PRC's view of what the Postal Service's future business model and regulatory framework should be. The organizations that the PRC contacted should look at this request as their first chance to frame the record that Congress will use to develop the new business model and regulatory framework for the Postal Service.
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TEXT OF THE CHAIRMAN’S INVITATION AND LIST OF INITIAL ORGANIZATIONS CONTACTED
In December 2006, the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act became law, changing the nature of government regulation over postal service in America. Under the Act, the U.S. Postal Service was given more flexibility in setting rates, entering into special postal service contracts, and offering new products. However, in exchange, the Service was also required to provide greater transparency for the public in areas such as financial reporting and service performance measurement. In addition, the renamed Postal Regulatory Commission was granted increased regulatory responsibility over the Postal Service.
Within our regulatory framework, I would like to encourage a national conversation on the future of mail and hardcopy communications in the United States and how changes currently underway may affect your members. (emphasis in original)
As you are probably aware, the Postal Service faces serious financial challenges. For some time, consumer shifts toward electronic communications and online bill payment have resulted in gradual declines in First Class mail volume. The current economic downturn has greatly exacerbated the problem, causing substantial, across-the-board mail volume declines.
The Postal Service has responded by downsizing their workforce and operations, reducing the number of facilities, eliminating a large fraction of mail collection boxes, altering delivery routes, and proposing further changes that could potentially have a significant impact on its customers and service nationwide. The Commission seeks your views on what these changes mean for you, your members and our nation.
Your input would be most helpful in the following three areas:
First, the Commission requests comments on a recent Postal Service proposal to consider whether the closing of station and branch post offices throughout the nation will result in a substantial nationwide change in postal service, and if so, whether that change would be in compliance with applicable laws. This includes a review of issues such as the public communication process and appeal rights for affected customers where a final determination has been made to close an office.
The Postal Service recently provided the Commission with an initial list of several hundred offices that it is reviewing for possible closure. These offices are located in metropolitan regions throughout the nation.
The Commission welcomes information on what effect such changes might have on your members and our nation’s mail service. The list of offices being reviewed and the public records on this proceeding can be found at our website (www.PRC.gov) under Docket N2009-1 – Station and Branch Optimization and Consolidation Initiative.
Second, we would welcome your thoughts on a study the Commission is initiating on the present and future role of mail in American society and the societal impact of the existence of the postal system. Your perspective and insights would be very much appreciated.
Finally, the Postal Service will likely seek an advisory opinion from the Commission on a proposal to decrease mail delivery service by one day a week, from the current six-day-a-week service to five-day delivery. If and when this occurs, we will solicit public comments and hope that you and your members will transmit your views on this proposal and its impact.
Please note that last year, at Congress’s request, the Commission completed a study of the Universal Service Obligation (USO), which assesses the level of postal services required to be provided in this country. The final report and the appendices are available on the left hand column on the home page of the Commission’s website http://www.PRC.gov.
Your unique perspective is valuable to the PRC in carrying out its responsibilities. We will provide you with whatever documents we have available and assist your staff in understanding the Commission review process. If you have any questions on the most appropriate way to participate in this dialogue and to submit comments in any of the Commission dockets, please contact the Commission’s Public Affairs and Government Relations office. Contact information is below.
Sincerely,
Ruth Y. Goldway
Chairman
Postal Regulatory Commission
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Postal Regulatory Commission
Public Affairs and Government Relations Office
Attn: Ann Fisher, Director
901 New York Avenue NW #200
Washington, DC 20268
Email PRC-PAGR@prc.gov
Phone: 202-789-6800
Fax: 202-789-6886
Initial Stakeholder Contact List
- Access Technology Association
- Aricultural Circulation Association
- Alliance of Independent Store Owners & Professionals
- Alliance of Nonprofit Mailers
- American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers
- American Association of Retired Persons
- American Association of Retirement Communities
- American Association of State Colleges and Universities
- American Association of University Administrators
- American Bankers Association
- American Booksellers Association
- American Business Media
- American Catalog Mailers Association
- American Chamber of Commerce
- American Council of the Blind
- American Council on Consumer Interests
- American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
- American Hospital Association
- American Institute of Philanthropy
- American Library Association
- American Medical Informatics Association
- American Public Health Association
- American Real Estate and Urban Economic Association
- American Seniors Housing Association
- American Association of Museums
- Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America
- APPA (The Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers)
- American Postal Workers Union
- Assisted Living Federation of America
- Associated Mail & Parcel Centers
- Association for Education & Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired
- Association for Mail Electronic Enhancement
- Association for Postal Commerce
- Association of American Colleges and Universities
- Association of American Publishers
- Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
- Association of Fundraising Professionals
- Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges
- Association of Public Television Stations
- Association of Small Foundations
- Authors and Publishers Association
- Blinded Veterans Association
- Braille Authority of North America
- Check Payment System Association
- Citizens Against Government Waste
- City & Regional Magazine Association
- Coalition of Religious Press Associations
- Consumer Federation of America
- Continuity Shippers Association
- Council of State Community Development Agencies
- Council for Affordable and Rural Housing
- Council of Literary Magazines and Presses
- Council of State Chambers of Commerce
- Council of State Governments
- County Executives of America
- Custom Publishing Council
- Direct Marketing Association
- DMA Nonprofit Federation
- Edison Electric Institute
- Electronic Funds Transfer Association
- Envelope Manufacturers Association
- Executives Council for Community and Economic Research
- Farmers Educational and Cooperative Union of America
- Financial Services Roundtable
- Florida Gift Fruit Shippers Association
- Fulfillment Management Association
- IDEAlliance
- Independent Charities of America
- International Association of Audio Information Services
- International Association of Clerks, Recorders, Election Officials and Treasurers
- International Downtown Association
- International Economic Development Coun.
- International Municipal Lawyers Association
- International Mailers' Advisory Group
- International Rural Sociology Association
- Lexington Institute
- Mailing & Fulfillment Service Association
- Magazine Publishers of America
- Mail Contractors Association
- Mail Order Association of America
- Mail Order Gardening Association
- Mail Systems Management Association
- Mailers Council
- Major Mailers Association
- National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges
- Nation Institute
- National Alliance of Postal and Federal Employees
- National Association of Consumer Advocates
- National Association for Printing Leadership
- National Association of Advertising Distributors
- National Association of College and University Mail Services
- National Association of Consumer Agency Administration
- National Association of Counties
- National Association of County and City Health Officials
- National Association of County Recorders Election Officials & Clerks
- National Association of Election Officials
- National Association of Independent College and Universities
- National Association of Letter Carriers
- National Association of Perishable Shippers
- National Association of Postal Supervisors
- National Association of Postmasters of the United States
- National Association of Presort Mailers
- National Association of Realtors
- National Association of State Administrators and Supervisors of Private Schools
- National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates
- National Association of Towns and Townships
- National Association of Working Women
- National Black Chamber of Commerce
- National Catholic Development Conference
- National Congress for Community Economic Development
- National Consumers League
- National Council of Local Human Service Administration
- National Council of State Agencies for the Blind
- National Council on the Aging
- National Family Business Council
- National Federation of Independent Business
- National Fraternal Congress of America
- National Governors Association
- National Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry
- National Industrial Transportation League
- National League of Postmasters of the United States
- National Newspaper Association
- National Postal Mail Handlers Union
- National Postal Policy Council
- National Retail Federation
- National Rural Letter Carriers' Association
- National Small Business Association
- National Small Business United
- National Star Route Mail Contractors Association
- Nationwide Alternate Delivery Alliance
- Netflix
- Newspaper Association of America
- 9to5, National Association of Working Women
- Offering Envelope Association
- Parcel Shippers Association
- Periodical Publications Association
- Pharmaceutical Care Management Association
- Printing Industries of America
- Public Broadcasting Management Association
- Public Citizen
- Public Library Association
- Recording Industry Association of America
- Red Tag News Publications Association
- Saturation Mailers Coalition
- Small Business Council of America
- Small Business Legislative Council
- Specialized Information Publishers Association
- Stamps.com
- The Association of Boarding Schools
- The Association of Educational Publishers
- The Media Institute
- United Amateur Press Association of America
- United Farm Workers of America
- United States Chamber of Commerce
- United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
- United States Junior Chamber (Jaycees)
- Urban Affairs Association
- Urban Financial Services Coalition
- Urban Land Institute
- Urban Libraries Council
- Writers Guild of America, East
- Yellow Pages Association
1 comment:
I would like to ask the PRC to visit my office slated for closing in South Camden New Jersey. I ask you to please meet the customers who pratically beg me to keep this office open. The bottom line is you will be hurting the city's people by asking them to use public transportation to pay their bills! The other alternative is drive and pay meters to park. Think about it PRC, this is nothing but a DIS-SERVICE to the public. Unfortunately this can be a high crime rate area. Is this fair to the elderly who don't have a computer and rely on us? Stop by before you decide!
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