Postal Governors ‘Protest’ Catalog Rates, But Set May 14 for Rate Hike

Although the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors today approved most of the rates recommended by the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) last month, they asked the Commission to re-think the whopping catalog rates the PRC stunned the industry with, accepting them “under protest.”

In making the announcement today in a teleconference, James Miller III, the chairman of the postal governors, said the Board asked that the Commission “reconsider certain issues” regarding Standard Mail flats as well as the First Class nonmachinable surcharge rate and the Priority Mail flat-rate box.

Miller tempered any possible enthusiasm of a modification of the catalog rates, warning that the Commission could just as easily pass on making any adjustments to its recommendations. He also announced that regardless of the outcome, the new rates will go into effect on May 14.

“As it reconsiders its recommendations,” said DMA senior vice president for government affairs Jerry Cerasale in a prepared statement, “we hope that the PRC will act quickly, listen to the voice of postal customers, and embrace the tenets of the postal reform legislation that will govern future rate increases.”