Washington, DC– The Postal Regulatory Commission today issued updated procedures for the review of Postal Service determinations to close or consolidate post offices (Docket RM2011-13).
The simplified rules will, among other things, ease requirements for persons who file appeals but do not or can not use the internet; allow interested persons to file comments without first formally intervening; and grant participants extra time to respond to Postal Service motions and briefs. The rules streamline the Commission’s review process as well.
Chairman Ruth Y. Goldway said, “It has been thirty-five years since the Commission first adopted post office closure appeal rules. As the Postal Service has moved forward to reduce its retail network, and the Commission has received an increasing number of appeals of post office closings, it is important to simplify the process and to make it easier for the public to participate in and to understand our decision-making process. The new rules will allow postal customers to submit their petitions and supporting documentation in plain language. In addition, these changes will save the Commission money.”
Last August, the Commission solicited public comments related to the proposed rules. The Commission adopts most of those proposed rules. A few proposals generated more controversy than agreement, and action on those will be deferred to a later date, following additional research and analysis.
The revised rules are available for review on the Commission’s website, www.prc.gov, and will take effect 30 days after being published in the Federal Register.
The Postal Service has implemented a moratorium until May 15 on the closure of post offices for which a decision to close had not been issued prior to December 12, 2011. Post offices with notices received on Dec. 11 or earlier that have been appealed to the Commission are under review. The Commission has reviewed or is reviewing approximately 125 closing appeals in fiscal year 2012, and completed more than 100 in fiscal year 2011. More appeals are expected after the lifting of the moratorium in May.
The Postal Regulatory Commission is an independent federal agency that provides regulatory oversight over the U.S. Postal Service to ensure the transparency and accountability of the Postal Service and foster a vital and efficient universal mail system. The Commission holds regular public monthly meetings and posts all of its activities on its website.
The Commission comprises five Presidentially-appointed and Senate-confirmed Commissioners, each serving terms of six years. The Chairman is designated by the President. In addition to Chairman Ruth Y. Goldway, the other Commissioners are Vice Chairman Nanci Langley, Mark Acton and Robert Taub. There is currently one vacancy. Follow the PRC on Twitter: @PostalRegulator.
Closing Post Offices is a joke. Small office with a PM and clerk with no delivery within 2 miles of large offices that provides rural delivery in the area around this office. 3 rural routes serve this community. The existence of this office is a joke and reveal that PRC and Congress have no idea of the real truth of the need for many small community post offices. This paticular office was 6 miles down the highway
from its present location in the community it was built for in World war 2. The office
even had a rural route 75 years ago. The existence of this office is a non needed wasted cost that could be eliminated as it serve no service purpose. County where this office is located has 5 small community offices in a 7-8 mile radius of the large level 22 office and finance station with 700+ boxes.. This is an example of the seriousness of politics in determining sound business practices in the 21st century. PRC and Congress should be required to take a remedial course in Economics to gain an understanding of supply and demand. The demand for postal services is declining yet the supply of services has not been curbed to meet demand resulting in operating at a continued loss. 6 day street delivery is a wasted cost as it is not needed as it was prior to electronic mail diversion.
6 day street delivery was a need in the 20th century; 6 day street delivery is a total non needed wasted service with fuel cost increasing . Money borrowed from china at 5% to pay for wasted postal cost. USPS started 2012 at 139 million loss. Polticans would not close a rat hole in a wall if it had name rat post office. GET REAL OR CONTINUE TO PLAY POST OFFICE.
Unhappy with APWU? Unhappy with the contract? Unhappy with the level of representation you’re getting? Unhappy with loss of 40 hour jobs?
OCCUPY APWU at the 2012 Convention in Los Angeles (August 20-24) at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel (404 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA)
OTHERWISE:
Shut up and keeping paying dem dues! And, by the way…stay in line all you lemmings!
INHOUSE POLITICS AND POLITICANS determine office closures or consolidation. Community post officies exist that have no justification to be open. Cost effective decisions are not made to eliminate these cost offices. Politics determines Postal needs for offices to be consolidated or closed. Small incorporated towns that have 1 post office should not be closed or consolidated.
Conservative politicans scream as to eliminating debt but the Postal Service is exempt as it continues to increase debt and no real steps to eliminate services that have decreased demand causing revenue decrease is not considered such as eliminating 6 day delivery.
Give more incentive plus services years, I will take the VER., as long as this Co. run by those vets, it is hopeless.