RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
The United States Postal Service implemented a new rate structure Monday that includes a two-cent increase in the cost of mailing a letter and a "shape-based" pricing system.
Officials say the new shape-based pricing may mean a significant price increase for some packages, but consumers can better prepare for the changes by heeding a few helpful hints.
Mike Cantu, Universal City Post Office Randolph Branch mail manager, said the rate structure is the result of a strength-and-weakness analysis of all post offices. The postal service called it a complete operational business analysis.
"The analysis was especially important because the USPS processes 830 million pieces of mail a day, and 77 percent are not within the parameters USPS personnel would like," he said. "In other words, they're incorrectly formatted."
According to the new price structure, the cost of a first-class postage stamp has risen from 39 cents to 41 cents - the first such increase since the USPS upped the cost from 37 cents to 39 cents in 2002. A new feature is the "Forever Stamp" for one-ounce, first-class letters that is designed to trump future rate hikes. The postal service said the Forever Stamp's price of 41 cents is valid indefinitely - regardless of future increases.
According to Mr. Cantu, the most significant change in the new price structure is its shape-based feature, dependent on volume as well as weight and destination.
"They're redefining what was once a letter, what was once a flat and what was once a parcel," Mr. Cantu said.
He said letter-sized envelopes thicker than a quarter of an inch are now classified as flats, or large envelopes, rather than letters. The cost of mailing a two-ounce flat has risen from 63 cents to 97 cents. But the cost of sending a two-ounce letter has dropped from 63 cents to 58 cents.
Even more striking is the cost of mailing parcels - especially what Mr. Cantu called "odd-shaped" items such as umbrellas, golf clubs and tires.
"For those that are odd in shape, they're passing the cost on to the consumer," he said.
The postal service distinguishes between "machinable" items - pieces of mail that can be scanned through Optical Character Recognition processing equipment - and "nonmachinable" ones, which affect cost more because of the space they take up during transport.
Using an example, Mr. Cantu said it costs $3.42 to send a one-pound machinable package locally, but $11.65 to mail a one-pound nonmachinable parcel. To send the same nonmachinable package to a location such as Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio costs $17.89.
"The farther you get away ... the more it will cost," he said.
Examples of nonmachinable letters are ones that are rigid or contain such items as keys, coins and pens; that have clasps or other closure devices; and that are enclosed in plastic material. A nonmachinable letter weighing one ounce or less is assessed a 17-cent surcharge; if it weighs more than one ounce, it is charged 17 cents for each additional ounce.
Mr. Cantu said postal customers can reduce their mailing costs by using USPS packaging, particularly a "flat-rate box" for items weighing up to 70 pounds, which costs $9.15 to mail no matter where it goes.
Mr. Cantu also said customers can help themselves by following "address hygiene," which ensures their mail is processed quickly.
He said shipping labels should be typewritten in uppercase letters. The street address and suite number should be on the second line from the bottom and the city or installation name, state abbreviation and zip code should be on the bottom line. Nothing should be written below the bottom line.
"When it can't be read, it kicks to the manual process," Mr. Cantu said. "Whoever has the information filled out correctly moves to the front of the line."
The advantage, he said, is as much as a week in delivery time.
Mr. Cantu expects delays in the customer-service area as mail clerks implement changes and educate consumers.
"I believe this will be a learning process," Mr. Mata said. "The Randolph mailing community will be in for quite a shock. It would behoove them to use USPS packaging."
Mr. Cantu also said the new rate structure should benefit the USPS.
"They're realigning actual cost with actual service," he said. "They're poising themselves for the future."
For more information on the new pricing system, call the Randolph Post Office at 652-2606.