Aug. 12, 2009

Preserving the business:
DPMG discusses five-day delivery studies

This week – in part two of his three-part series about the possible change from a six-day to five-day delivery environment – DPMG and COO Pat Donahoe offers a broad overview of the potential impacts on operations and what employees and customers might expect if the change occurs.

Developed by a cross-functional team from all areas of the Postal Service, the five-day delivery study shows USPS would maintain all of its existing service standards, according to Donahoe, but USPS would make adjustments where necessary in measurement and reporting.

While a five-day delivery scenario would mean no delivery or collections for city, rural and contract delivery services on Saturday, Remittance Mail would be available through PO Boxes and Caller Service, and Express Mail would continue to be delivered 365 days a year.

To implement any plan, however, USPS would need Congress to change language in its appropriations bill that mandates six-day delivery, and the Postal Regulatory Commission would need to issue an advisory opinion, according to Donahoe.

“Many of us, including myself, have spent our entire careers in a six-day delivery environment, so this would be very new,” says Donahoe. “But we must do this to preserve the business and keep the mail strong.”