The NRLCA and the USPS have been in discussions about appropriate credit during mail count for a Prepaid event and the pieces associated with that event, when accepting/collecting these items at a location other than the established delivery point.
The parties have reached a mutual understanding on this issue and a letter is expected to be signed Monday February 24, 2014 and this credit should be applied to the current mail count beginning February 22, 2014. The intent of the Letter of Mutual Understanding is as follows:
In those instances when management directs the rural carrier to accept/collect these items or the customer leaves a note in the mailbox requesting such service, this would also include where there is an understanding between management and the carrier that a specific customer has a standing order as they have items to be collected each day or on specific days: the route will be credited by applying the standard allowances associated with the Carrier Pickup program. Each event will be recorded in Column 21, Carrier Pickup Request and Prepaid Parcel Event. Additionally, credit for each mail piece that qualifies in accordance with Handbook PO-603, Section 535.12, will be recorded in Column 22, Carrier Pickup Items and Prepaid Parcels over 2 lbs. Other mail pieces accepted/collected at this time, such as obvious letter and flat-size mail, including small parcels, will be credited in Column 20, Letters and Flats Collected.
The following examples are intended to assist with the understanding:
Example 1: If management approaches the carrier in the morning and instructs the carrier that John Doe at 123 Main street who has a curbside box, has items that need to be picked up at the door, the route will be credited with an Event in Column 21, Carrier Pickup Request and Prepaid Parcel Event. The carrier gets to 123 Main street and collects 20 priority flats, 10 priority boxes, 7 first class small parcels that weigh 2 lbs or less and 2 parcels that weigh more than 2 lbs., the route would receive 32 pieces in Column 22, Carrier Pickup Items and Prepaid Parcels over 2 lbs., and 7 pieces in Column 20, Letters and Flats Collected. This example would also apply to a note left in the box from a customer and any standing orders that have been discussed between the carrier and the manager.
Example 2: If the carrier arrives at a box where no carrier pickup request was made and there is mail in the box to be collected and the following items are in the box: 6 priority flats, 4 small priority boxes less than 2 lbs., and 1 prepaid parcel that weighs more than 2 lbs., the route would receive 1Event in Column 21, Carrier Pickup Request and Prepaid Parcel Event, 1 piece in Column 22, Carrier Pickup Items and Prepaid Parcels over 2 lbs., and 10 pieces in Column 20, Letters and Flats Collected. This example would also apply to individual pieces collected at a business that the carrier is authorized an official dismount.
via News Info.