USPS Fact Sheet. Delivers 212 billion pieces of mai

1
New USPS Postage Rates

• effective May 15, 2007
• WSU Mailing Services Office of University
  Publishing

2
USPS Fact Sheet

• Delivers 212 billion pieces of mail annually to
  over 144 million homes
• Delivers almost half of the worlds volume of
  mail
• Since 1971 all financial support from sales of
  postage only
• 1971 postage stamp cost 8 cents
• Use of technology allowed USPS to keep postage
  increases below rate of inflation

3
Major Changes in Rate Structure

• Pricing based upon shape instead of weight
• Different shapes have different processing costs
  and are reflected in rates

4
Determining Mail Shape Categories

• The USPS assigns each mail piece to one of three
  shape categories based on its physical dimensions
  and characteristics, regardless of the placement
  or orientation of the delivery address on the
  piece. Shape categories for mail pieces are
  letters/cards, flats, or parcels.

5
Other Factors

• Additional automation compatible characteristics
  determine if piece is machinable
• Pieces meeting machinability standards are less
  costly to process and rates reflect this.

6
Machinability

• Machinable the capability of a mail piece to be
  sorted by mail processing equipment
• Non-machinable pieces may require additional
  postage due to shape and weight
• Non-machinable pieces take longer for
  processing/delivery by the USPS

7
Shape Categories

• Shape categories for rate determination and
  machinability characteristics only apply
  tofirst-class and presort standard mail rates.

8
Shape CategoryCard Size Mail

• Dimension Minimum Maximum
• Height 3 ½ inches 4 ¼ inches
• Length 5 inches 6 inches
• Thickness .007 inches .016 inches
• Must be rectangular
• Single piece of paper flat or doubled in
  heightwith ½ to be torn off and returned to
  sender

9
Shape CategoryLetter Size Mail

• Dimension Minimum Maximum
• Height 3 ½ inches 6 ? inches
• Length 5 inches 11 ½ inches
• Thickness .007 inches .25 inches
• Must be rectangular and have four square
  cornerswith parallel opposite sides
• If mail piece exceeds any of these maximums
  it may meet flats eligibility

10
Determining Length and Heightfor Letters and
Cards

• The location and orientation of the delivery
  address on a mail piece generally establish which
  dimensions of the piece are the length and the
  height.
• The length is the dimension parallel to the
  address as read the height is the dimension
  perpendicular to the length the top and bottom
  of the piece are the upper and lower edges,
  respectively, when the address is positioned for
  normal reading.

11
Letter ShapedMachinable Characteristics

• MACHINABLE LETTERS AND CARDS MUST
• Meet minimum and maximum size and thickness
  criteria
• Meet shape criteria - rectangular, with four
  square corners and parallel opposite sides
• Be free of all non-machinable characteristics

12
Letter Shaped Non-machinable Characteristics

• A letter-size piece is considered non-machinable
  if it has one or more of the following
  characteristics
• has an aspect ratio (length divided by height) of
  less than 1.3 or more than 2.5
• Is poly-bagged, poly-wrapped, or enclosed in any
  plastic material

13
Letter Shaped Non-machinable Characteristics
cont.

• Has clasps, strings, buttons, or similar closure
  devices
• Contains items such as pens, pencils, or loose
  keys or coins that cause the thickness of the
  mail piece to be uneven

14
Letter Shaped Non-machinable Characteristics
cont.

• Is too rigid (does not bend easily when subjected
  to a transport belt tension of 40 pounds around
  an 11-inch diameter turn)
• For pieces more than 4-1/4 inches high or
  6 inches long, the thickness is less than
  0.009 inch

15
Letter Shaped Non-machinable Characteristics
cont.

• Has a delivery address parallel to the shorter
  dimension of the mail piece
• Is a self-mailer with a folded edge parallel to
  the address if the piece is not folded and
  secured with one centered tab when the folded
  edge is at the bottom and secured with two tabs
  when folded edge is at the top

16
Letter Shaped Non-machinable Characteristics
cont.

• Contact Mailing Services at 335-2104 for specific
  requirements for booklet type mail pieces.

17
Shape CategoryFlat Size Mail

• Dimension Minimum Maximum
• Height 6 ? inches 12 inches
• Length 11 ½ inches 15 inches
• Thickness .25 inches .75 inches
• Must exceed at least one of these dimensions

18
Additional Flat Size Requirements

• All pieces must be
• Rectangular
• Uniformly thick
• Flexible
• Pieces not meeting these standards will be
  charged First-class Parcel rates or Presort
  Standard Non-Flat Machinable rates

19
Determining Length and Height for Flat Shaped
Mail Pieces

• Regardless of the location and orientation of the
  delivery address
• Length is the dimension parallel to the address
  as read
• Height is the dimension perpendicular to the
  length

20
Uniform Thickness

• Bumps, protrusions, or other irregularities
  maynot cause more than ¼ inch variance in
  thickness
• Outer 1 inch edge excluded when determining
  variance
• Nonpaper contents must be secured to
  preventshifting of more than 2 inches within
  mail piece

21
Flexibility Testing StandardsTest One

• Place the piece with the length parallel to the
  edge of a flat surface and extend the piece
  halfway off the surface.
• Press down on the piece at a point 1 inch from
  the outer edge, in the center of the pieces
  length, exerting steady pressure.

22
Flexibility Testing StandardsTest One cont.

• The piece is not flexible if it cannot bend at
  least 1 inch vertically without being damaged.
• The piece is flexible if it can bend at least 1
  inch vertically without being damaged and it does
  not contain a rigid insert.

23
Flexibility Testing Standardsfor pieces with
rigid insert

• For flats 10 inches or longer in length that
  passed Test One but contains rigid insert
• Place the piece with the length perpendicular to
  the edge of a flat surface and extend the piece 5
  inches off the surface.

24
Flexibility Testing Standardsfor pieces with
rigid insert cont.

• Press down on the piece at a point 1 inch from
  the outer edge, in the center of the pieces
  width, exerting steady pressure.
• Turn the piece around and repeat last two steps.
  The piece is flexible if both ends can bend at
  least 2 inches vertically without being damaged.

25
Flexibility Testing Standardsfor pieces with
rigid insert cont.

• For flats less than 10 inches in length that
  passed Test One but contains rigid insert
• Place the piece with the length perpendicular to
  the edge of a flat surface and extend the piece
  one-half of its length off the surface.

26
Flexibility Testing Standardsfor pieces with
rigid insert cont.

• Press down on the piece at a point 1 inch from
  the outer edge, in the center of the pieces
  width, exerting steady pressure.
• Turn the piece around and repeat last two steps.
  The piece is flexible if both ends can bend at
  least 1 inch vertically without being damaged.

27
Flat Shaped Non-machinable Characteristics

• Flats that weigh 1 ounce or less are subject to
  the non-machinable surcharge if any one of the
  following applies
• More than 6 ? inches tall or more than 11 ½
  inches long
• More than ¼ inch thick
• The aspect ratio (length divided by height) is
  less than 1.3 or more than 2.5

28
First Class Letter Postage Rates

• Not over
• 1 ounce .41 ( .39)
• 2 ounces .58 ( .63)
• 3 ounces .75 ( .87)
• 3.5 ounces .92 (1.11)
• over 3.5 ounces see rates for flats if
  applicable
• .17 surcharge applicable if one or more
  non-machinable criteria are met
• current rates in parentheses
• new lower rates in red text

29
Card Rate

• Cards .26 (.24)
• current rates in parentheses

30
First Class Flat Postage Rates

• Not over
• 1 ounce .80 ( .52)
• 2 ounces .97 ( .63)
• 3 ounces 1.14 ( .87)
• 4 ounces 1.31 (1.11)
• 5 ounces 1.48 (1.35)
• 6 ounces 1.65 (1.59)
• current rates in parentheses

31
First Class Flat Postage Ratescont.

• Not over
• 7 ounces 1.82 (1.83)
• 8 ounces 1.99 (2.07)
• 9 ounces 2.16 (2.31)
• 10 ounces 2.33 (2.55)
• 11 ounces 2.50 (2.79)
• 12 ounces 2.67 (3.03)
• Current rates in parentheses
• New lower rates in red text

32
First Class Flat Postage Ratescont.

• Not over 13 ounces 2.84 (3.27)
• First Class flats cannot exceed 13 ounces.
• First-class mail weighing more than 13 ounces is
  Priority Mail.
• Current rates in parentheses
• New lower rates in red text

33
First Class Parcel Rates

• Not Over
• 1 ounce 1.13 ( .52)
• 2 ounces 1.30 ( .63)
• 3 ounces 1.47 ( .87)
• 4 ounces 1.64 (1.11)
• 5 ounces 1.81 (1.35)
• 6 ounces 1.98 (1.59)
• Current rates in parentheses

34
First Class Parcel Rates

• Not Over
• 7 ounces 2.15 (1.83)
• 8 ounces 2.32 (2.07)
• 9 ounces 2.49 (2.31)
• 10 ounces 2.66 (2.55)
• 11 ounces 2.83 (2.79)
• 12 ounces 3.00 (3.03)
• Current rates in parentheses
• New lower rates in red text

35
First Class Parcel Ratescont.

• Not Over 13 ounces 3.17 (3.27)
• Current rates in parentheses
• New lower rates in red text

36
Express Mail Postage Rates

• Not over
• 1/2 pound 16.25 (14.40)
• 1 pound 19.50 (18.80)
• 2 pounds 21.40 (18.80)
• 3 pounds 24.50 (22.20)
• 4 pounds 27.60 (25.50)
• 5 pounds 30.70 (28.75)
• 6 pounds 33.80 (32.05) Current rates in
  parentheses

37
Priority Mail Postage Rates

• Not over 1 pound 4.60 (4.05)
• Priority postage for parcels more than 1 pound
  based on weight distance to destination
• Current rates in parentheses

38
Media Mail Rates

• Not over
• 1 pound 2.13 (1.59)
• 2 pounds 2.47 (2.07)
• 3 pounds 2.81 (2.55)
• 4 pounds 3.15 (3.03)
• 5 pounds 3.49 (3.51)
• 6 pounds 3.83 (3.99)
• Current rates in parentheses
• New lower rates in red text

39
Library Mail Rates

• Not over
• 1 pound 2.02 (1.51)
• 2 pounds 2.34 (1.97)
• 3 pounds 2.66 (2.43)
• 4 pounds 2.98 (2.89)
• 5 pounds 3.30 (3.35)
• 6 pounds 3.62 (3.81)
• Current rates in parentheses
• New lower rates in red text

40
Parcel Post Rates

• Parcel post rates based upon weight and distance
  to destination
• New rates range from 4.38 to 4.50 for 1 pound
  item
• Current rates range from 3.89 to 3.95 for same
  item

41
Presort Standard Non-profitRates - Letter Size

• Machinable Rates .164 (.170)
• Non-machinable Rates .429 (.191)
• Current rates in parentheses
• New lower rates in red text
• Rates valid for letters up to 3.3 ounces

42
Presort Standard Non-profitRates - Flat Size

• Machinable Rates .389 (.237)
• Pieces not meeting criteria for flats must use
  Not Flat Machinable
• or Irregular Rates
• Current rates in parentheses

43
Presort Standard Non-profit Postage RatesOther
Sized

• Not Flat Machinable Rates .952 (.237)
• Parcels 1.053 (.237)
• Current rates in parentheses

44
Special Services

• Certified Mail 2.65 (2.40)
• Registered Mail 9.50 (7.90)
• Return Receipt 2.15 (1.85)
• Delivery Confirm. .75 ( .60)
• Current rates in parentheses

45
Additional Assistance

• For answers to specific mailing questions or
  mail pieces unique to your department, please
  contact Becky or Joy in Mailing Services at
  335-2104.