USPS reminds postal employees not to cross out barcode as mail moves through the system
The Intelligent Mail® barcode contains important data that is used to provide mailers — including the Census Bureau — with information, such as when the mailing entered the mailstream and undeliverable or address correction information. But technology cannot reliably produce this information if it can’t read the barcode.
That’s why the Postal Service™ is telling employees to make sure they don’t obliterate the barcode as mail moves through the system. Specifically, employees should not mark through, obliterate, or affix any labels over the Intelligent Mail barcode.
Also, the Postal Service wants to make sure that when employees mark up First-Class Mail® items, they use only clear space on the front of the envelope, being careful not to mark over any address or barcode information.
source: Postal Bulletin
Mike – you’re doing exactly what should be done to stop loop mail. But expecting mismanagement to understand is an exercise in futility.
If it wasn’t for mismanagement there would be no management at all
If we don’t cover the barcodes, then this mail will keep showing up in the DPS for several days. Your automation is a joke. The only way to keep endorsed mail from coming back to the carrier the next day is to obliterate all barcodes on the mailpiece. Same goes for much of the mail sent to CFS. I for one will keep slashing through the addresses and using marker to cover the barcodes completely when I have to endorse/forward mail. I really don’t need to handle the same piece of undeliverable mail for several days straight or have my sub
(mis)deliver it on my off day after I’ve already handled it.