July 28, 2006

USPS Delivery Standards, Reporting Need Improvement
While the U.S. Postal Service has delivery standards for its major types of mail, some have not been updated in a number of years to reflect changes in how mail is prepared and delivered. Delivery performance standards and results—which are central to the agency's mission of providing universal postal service—have been a long-standing concern for mailers and Congress. Standards are essential to set realistic expectations for delivery performance and organize activities accordingly. Timely and reliable reporting of results is also essential for management, over-sight, and accountability purposes. "Without sufficient transparency, it is difficult for USPS and its customers to identify and address delivery problems, and for Congress, the Postal Rate Commission, and others to hold management accountable for results and conduct independent oversight," the report said.

—DM News



Flood Waters Contribute to Damaged Mail
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — More than 30,000 pieces of mail sent from upstate New York to New England had to be destroyed after being damaged beyond recovery by the flood waters that swamped the Southern Tier last month. It was sent from people living in zip codes starting with 130 through 139, and came mostly from the Watertown, Syracuse and Binghamton areas. The letters were mailed on either June 27 or June 28 and were heading to Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and New Hampshire.

—Boston.com