These changes were approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission on November 25, 2022, in Order No. 6341. — VSC

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
U.S. Postal Service Announces New Prices for 2023
Forever Stamp to Rise Three Cents

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, the United States Postal Service filed notice with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) of price changes to take effect Jan. 22, 2023. The new rates include a three-cent increase in the price of a First-Class Mail Forever stamp from 60 cents to 63 cents.

If favorably reviewed by the Commission, the proposed increases will raise First-Class Mail prices approximately 4.2 percent to offset the rise in inflation. The price changes have been approved by the Governors of the U.S. Postal Service.

The price for 1-ounce metered mail will increase to 60 cents, and the price to send a domestic postcard will increase to 48 cents. A 1-ounce letter mailed to another country would increase to $1.45. There will be no change to the single-piece letter and flat additional-ounce price, which remains at 24 cents. The Postal Service is also seeking price adjustments for Special Services products including Certified Mail, Post Office Box rental fees, money order fees and the cost to purchase insurance when mailing an item.

The proposed Mailing Services price changes include:

As operating expenses continue to rise, these price adjustments provide the Postal Service with much needed revenue to achieve the financial stability sought by its Delivering for America 10-year plan. The prices of the U.S. Postal Service remain among the most affordable in the world.

The PRC will review the changes before they are scheduled to take effect. The complete Postal Service price filing, with prices for all products, can be found on the PRC website under the Daily Listings section at prc.gov/dockets/daily. The Mailing Services filing is Docket No. R2023-1. The price tables are also available on the Postal Service’s Postal Explorer website at pe.usps.com/PriceChange/Index.

The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Join the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the 2022 Virtual Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s annual national wildlife art competition – the 2022 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest – will be broadcast live on September 23 and 24.

The media and public are invited to view the contest via live webcast as five judges review 187 contest entries [which you can see here] and select the winning artwork. Judging for the duck stamp begins at 10:00 a.m. EST, Friday and 10:00 a.m. EST, Saturday, with the final selection announced around noon. This event is not open to the public this year. Tune in for video cameos from Service Director, Martha Williams, artists and other members of the conservation community.

The winning art selected will appear on the 2023-2024 Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, or “Duck Stamp”. The Federal Duck Stamp plays a critically important role in wildlife conservation. Since 1934, sales from the iconic stamp have raised more than $1.1 billion to protect over 6 million acres of wetlands habitat.

More information is available at here.

What: Selection of the 2022 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest Winner

When: September 23 and 24, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. EST (judging begins at 10:00 a.m., daily; winning artwork expected to be announced on Saturday between 11:00 a.m. and noon)

Where: Virtual Webcast

Who: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. For more information, visit www.fws.gov, or connect with us through any of these social media channels: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr.

Blaming inflation, U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said another postal rate increase is likely in January.

“Inflation has hit the nation hard, and the Postal Service has not avoided its impact,” DeJoy told the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors, according to a transcript provided by the agency. “We expect inflation to exceed our expectations by well over a billion dollars against our planned 2022 budget.

“Because of this, my recommendation to the governors will be to remain on course to raise prices again in January.”

The PMG also said the USPS is ready for the November elections and transporting ballots.

“Americans should be confident that the United States Postal Service is well prepared and will provide extraordinary services in these coming November elections,” DeJoy said.

[edited press release: only retail price changes are included here]
U.S. Postal Service Announces Proposed Temporary Rate Adjustments for 2022 Peak Holiday Season

WASHINGTON — The United States Postal Service has filed notice with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) regarding a temporary price adjustment for key package products for the 2022 peak holiday season. This temporary rate adjustment is similar to ones in past years that help cover extra handling costs to ensure a successful peak season.

The planned peak-season pricing, which was approved by the Governors of the Postal Service on Aug. 9, would affect prices on the following commercial and retail domestic competitive parcels: Priority Mail Express (PME), Priority Mail (PM), First-Class Package Service (FCPS), Parcel Select and USPS Retail Ground. International products would be unaffected. Pending favorable review by the PRC, the temporary rates would go into effect at 12 a.m. Central on Oct. 2, and remain in place until 12 a.m. Central Jan. 22, 2023.

This seasonal adjustment will bring prices for the Postal Service’s commercial and retail customers in line with competitive practices. No structural changes are planned as part of this limited pricing initiative.

Delivering for America, the Postal Service’s 10-year plan for achieving financial sustainability and service excellence, calls for appropriate pricing initiatives. The Postal Service has some of the lowest postage rates in the industrialized world and continues to offer great values in shipping. These temporary rates will keep USPS competitive while providing the agency with the revenue to cover extra costs in anticipation of peak-season volume.

The planned [retail] price changes include:

Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express:

• $0.95 increase for PM and PME Flat Rate Boxes and Envelopes.
• $0.30 increase for Zones 1-4, 0-10 lbs.
• $1.00 increase for Zones 5-9, 0-10 lbs.
• $0.95 increase for Zones 1-4, 11-25 lbs.
• $3.20 increase for Zones 5-9, 11-25 lbs.
• $3.25 increase for Zones 1-4, 26-70 lbs.
• $6.45 increase for Zones 5-9, 26-70 lbs.

First-Class Package Service, Parcel Select Ground, and USPS Retail Ground:

• $0.30 increase for Zones 1-4, 0-10 lbs.
• $0.60 increase for Zones 5-9, 0-10 lbs.
• $0.95 increase for Zones 1-4, 11-25 lbs.
• $2.70 increase for Zones 5-9, 11-25 lbs.
• $3.25 increase for Zones 1-4, 26-70 lbs.
• $5.85 increase for Zones 5-9, 26-70 lbs.

A full list of commercial and retail pricing can be found on the Postal Service’s Postal Explorer website at https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/Notice123.htm

The PRC will review the proposed prices before they are scheduled to take effect Oct. 2. Complete USPS price filings, with prices for all products, can be found on the PRC website’s Daily Listings section at prc.gov/dockets/daily. Price change tables are also available on the Postal Service’s Postal Explorer website at pe.usps.com/PriceChange/Index.

The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

This is a follow-up to the VSC article with the press release from when the U.S. Postal Service filed for the increase in April 2022. The new rates went into effect on Sunday, July 10^th.

The Mailing Services price changes include:

There were also changes to the fees for Special Services products including Certified Mail, Post Office Box rental fees, Money Order fees and the cost to purchase insurance when mailing an item.

You can find a complete listing of all the current rates here in a .pdf on the USPS.com website. Also see “Basic Pricing for First-Class Mail® & First-Class® Package Service” about midway down on this page. It may be easier to read than this screen shot of that page (although if you click on this picture, you’ll see a larger version). According to the USPS, the changes “raised First-Class Mail prices approximately 6.5 percent which is lower than the Bureau of Labor Statistics annual inflation rate of 7.9 percent as of the end of February.”

“With the new prices, the Postal Service will continue to provide the lowest letter-mail postage rates in the industrialized world and offer a great value in shipping,” the USPS said in April.

As it does in many press releases, the USPS ended with “The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products, and services to fund its operations.” For many years, the agency did not include the word “generally.” However, it does receive tax dollars for the free-frank (no charge) mailing services it provides to Members of Congress and active-duty military.

The U.S. Postal Service’s plan to buy more delivery vehicles is running into roadblocks.

Thursday, three lawsuits were filed by a coalition of environmental organizations and the auto workers’ union, and states attorneys generals.

The AGs for 16 states and the District of Columbia claim the USPS violated the law when it ordered thousands of new mail trucks powered by gasoline instead of electricity. Another lawsuit filed in San Francisco was filed by Earthjustice, Center for Biological Diversity, CleanAirNow KC and Sierra Club, and a third was filed in New York by the Natural Resources Defense Council and United Auto Workers — strange bedfellows! The plaintiffs in those two cases are demanding a more thorough environmental review of the purchases. They contend that purchases of fossil fuel-powered delivery vehicles will cause environmental harm for decades to come.

“Louis DeJoy’s gas-guzzling fleet guarantees decades of pollution with every postcard and package,” said Scott Hochberg, an attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity, referring to the postmaster general.

Postal Service spokesperson Kim Frum defended the agency’s actions.

“The Postal Service conducted a robust and thorough review and fully complied with all of our obligations under (the National Environmental Policy Act),” spokesperson Kim Frum said Thursday in an email.

The USPS also says its purchase was governed both by its financial problems and by the need to replace its delivery trucks as soon as possible. The contract would be the Postal Service’s first large-scale vehicle purchase in three decades. Its delivery trucks went into service between 1987 and 1994.

The United Auto Workers union says President Biden had promised to advance environmental policies while increasing union jobs. The new trucks are expected to be built in nonunion factories.

The Postal Service is an independent agency that is not bound by the administration’s climate rules. It also owns more than 231,000 vehicles, one of the largest civilian fleets in the world.

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
U.S. Postal Service Announces New Prices for 2022
Two Cents Increase for Forever Stamp

WASHINGTON, DC — Today the United States Postal Service filed notice with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) of price changes to take effect July 10, 2022. The new prices, if favorably reviewed, include a two-cent increase in the price of a First-Class Mail Forever stamp from 58 cents to 60 cents.

The proposed prices, approved by the Governors of the U.S. Postal Service, would raise First-Class Mail prices approximately 6.5 percent which is lower than the Bureau of Labor Statistics annual inflation rate of 7.9 percent as of the end of February. The price changes reflect a judicious implementation of the Postal Service’s pricing authority provided by the Postal Regulatory Commission.

If favorably reviewed by the PRC, the single-piece letter additional ounce price would increase to 24 cents, the metered mail 1-ounce price would increase to 57 cents and the price of a postcard stamp would increase to 44 cents. A one-ounce letter mailed to other countries would increase to $1.40 cents. The Postal Service is also seeking price adjustments for Special Services products including Certified Mail, Post Office Box rental fees, Money Order fees and the cost to purchase insurance when mailing an item.

The proposed Mailing Services price changes include:

As inflation and increased operating expenses continue, these price adjustments will help with the implementation of the Delivering for America plan, including a $40 billion investment in core Postal Service infrastructure over the next ten years. With the new prices, the Postal Service will continue to provide the lowest letter-mail postage rates in the industrialized world and offer a great value in shipping.

The PRC will review the prices before they are scheduled to take effect. The complete Postal Service price filing with prices for all products can be found on the PRC site under the Daily Listings section at prc.gov/dockets/daily. The Mailing Services filing is Docket No. R2022-1. The price change tables are also available on the Postal Service’s Postal Explorer website at pe.usps.com/PriceChange/Index.

The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products, and services to fund its operations.

The U.S. House of Representatives has approved overwhelmingly a financial aid package for the U.S. Postal Service, worth about $50 billion. The measure passed 342 to 92. A similar bill in the Senate is expected to pass, too, with bipartisan support. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) hopes to have a vote by February 18th. [We will update this page when that occurs.]

The Senate version has 27 cosponsors, 14 of them Republicans.

One of the bills’ key provisions is to require future USPS retirees to enroll in a government health insurance plan (Medicare) and removes a mandate that the agency cover its future health care costs decades in advance, a requirement no business or other federal entity faces. The USPS has claimed that the tens of billions of dollars in these liabilities prevented it from modernizing and improving service.

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy [right]had made the legislation the centerpiece of his 10-year postal restructuring plan. The White House and postal unions supported the bill as did the Greeting Card Association, Hallmark and Amazon.com.

On the same day the legislation passed, the USPS reported an adjusted loss of approximately $1.3 billion for the quarter, compared to an adjusted loss of $288 million for the same quarter last year.

House Liberals had pushed for a broader bill that would have included protecting mail-in voting, funding for electric vehicles and restrictions on political activities by the Postmaster General and members of the Board of Governors. DeJoy has raised funds for former President Trump and oher Republicans. The Governors are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate.

Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), the bill’s sponsor and chair of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, told The Washington Post, said the more narrow bill was a compromise. “We could have passed a bill with just Democratic votes, but it would have been dead in the Senate.”

Republicans say DeJoy has a clear path to reforming postal operations.

“Congress just doesn’t want to put a Band-Aid on the post office,” Rep. James Comer (R-KY), the top Republican on the House Oversight Committee, told The Post. “We want to try to have a permanent solution to the post office, and that all predicates on having a reform plan.

This article was drawn from a number of sources, including The Washington Post, The New York Times, Reuters and the USPS.

The USPS is trying to work out the various disputes regarding its new local postal delivery trucks. Earlier this week, the Biden administration took steps to hold up an $11.3 billion dollar contract for new vehicles, saying too many of them would be gasoline-powered.

Lawsuits were filed earlier by some of the companies that did not win the contract to supply the new vehicles.

In a press release distributed Sunday morning, the U.S. postal agency said it is willing to cooperate with other government agencies. It also points out that the initial order includes 5,000 electric vehicles.

“Our commitment to an electric fleet remains ambitious given the pressing vehicle and safety needs of our aging fleet as well as our dire financial condition,” said Postmaster General Louis DeJoy [right] in the press release.

Two days later, at the USPS Board of Governors meeting, DeJoy added, “We have an urgent need to replace our 30-year-old delivery vehicles that are powered by inefficient gasoline engines and that lack modern day safety features.”

The USPS says even the new gasoline-powered vehicles are an environmental improvement: “The NGDV with an internal combustion engine would be a more fuel-efficient vehicle as compared to the current Long Life Vehicle (LLV), despite being larger.”

The entire press release is here.

Consumer Reports has compiled the dates for each company’s various services, and you can find them here. While the article does ask you to log in, you can read all of it for free.

One important point: See what your retailer says about its expected delivery windows. It won’t matter what the shipping company’s deadline is if the retailer doesn’t get the product out the door for two weeks!