USPS Board of Governors approves Postal Regulatory Commission Decision

On May 2nd, The U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors (BOG) approved the decision of the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) to modify two of its earlier rate case recommendations: lowering the price of the Priority Mail Flat-Rate Box to $8.95 and announcing that the 17-cent First-Class Mail non-machinable surcharge now applies to all First-Class Mail non-machinable letters which extends the non-machinable surcharge (encouraging mailing efficiencies) to all single piece and presorted First-Class Mail letters, regardless of weight.

Still pending is the Governors' request that the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) reconsider its decision relating to Standard Mail flats. No date has been announced for that decision. All new rates are scheduled to go into effect May 14, except those for Periodicals (magazines and newspapers), which are scheduled to go into effect July 15.