Stakeholders Comment on Progress of Postal Service Task Force

Positive reports are coming from postal stakeholders who have met with the Task Force on the US Postal Service.  Participants are impressed with the Task Force member’s commitment to determining the cause of the US Postal Service’s financial difficulties.   Mike Plunkett, a former USPS Vice President for Pricing and Classification reported that the Task…

Michael Kubayanda Is The Newest PRC Commissioner

June 7, 2018 – Michael Kubayanda of Ohio has been appointment as a Commissioner of the Postal Regulatory Commission.  He will complete the remainder of a six-year term which will expire on November 22, 2020. Mr. Kubayanda’s previous experience with the postal service includes working with the USPS Office of the Inspector General as Director…

AUSPL Leadership Meets with the President’s Task Force on the U.S. Postal System

Members of the President’s Task Force on the United States Postal System met in May 2018 with AUSPL leadership at the U.S. Treasury Department.  They discussed the value of rural post offices.  AUSPL members advised the Task Force on ways these facilities benefit their communities, and additional means of increasing their value.  In addition the group discussed the…

Court Of Appeals Upholds USPS Pricing Methods

On May 22, 2018 the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia upheld the USPS methods for determining pricing of competitive products.   The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2007 requires that competitive products (such as packages) delivered by the USPS not be subsidized by the non-competitive products (such as first class…

Postal Banking Bill Goes To Congress

A Bill to provide basic banking services in every post office is being introduced by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York. The Huffington Post reports that the goal of the bill is to provide banking services for working-class and low-income individuals who cannot afford, or lack access to commercial banking.  Postal banks would provide low…

See Photos of Prototypes for the New Mail Delivery Trucks

Trucks.com, an online magazine has photos of five of the prototype vehicles the the USPS will be testing this year.   Trucks.com has interviewed mail carriers to determine what they want from the new vehicles.  Air-conditioning, improved visibility, a hybrid or electric powertrain option and built-in shelves to organize parcels are some of the top…

The Biggest Problem at the USPS Isn’t Amazon

It’s the lack of presidentially appointed members on the Board of Governors.  During the Obama administration, as terms of the Governors ended, new appointments were blocked.  The Last Governor, Mr. James Bilbray completed his term of office in December of 2016.  Since then no one can perform duties such as establish rates and classes for competitive…

Postal Reform Legislation Introduced in the Senate

March 22, 2018        A bi-partisan group of senators headed by Sen. Tom Carper of Delaware has introduced S.2629, The Postal Service Reform Act of 2018: Improving Postal Operations, Service, and Transparency.  Senators Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Claire McCaskill (D-MO),  and Jerry Moran (R-KS) have united to support the US Postal Service by providing…

Repurposing Urban Post Offices

The US Postal Service has sold nearly 225 of its large postal properties over the last seven years.  Many of these buildings are on prime real estate in major cities such as Chicago, New York, and Washington, D.C., and are attractive to developers.  Massive old post offices where mail processors and other postal employees once worked are being transformed…