[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 90 (Tuesday, May 9, 2000)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 26792]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-11451]


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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 111


Loading Requirements for PVDS Mailings

AGENCY: Postal Service.

ACTION: Withdrawal of proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: On December 23, 1999, the Postal Service published a Proposed 
Rule (64 FR 72044) seeking comments on a proposed revision to the 
Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) to require that, if Periodicals mail is on 
the same vehicle as Standard Mail in a plant-verified drop shipment 
(PVDS), then the Periodicals mail must be loaded toward the tail end of 
the trailer so that Periodicals mail can be offloaded first for each 
destination entry. On February 11, 2000, the Postal Service published a 
notice that extended the comment period for this proposed rule until 
March 15, 2000 (65 FR 6950).
    Based on the comments received, the Postal Service is withdrawing 
the proposed rule. The loading requirement for Periodicals mail in a 
PVDS mailing will continue to be an optional--or preferred--method, but 
will not be required. Customers may access the current DMM requirements 
by going to the Postal Explorer Web site (http://pe.usps.gov). These 
specific mailing standards can be found in DMM E651.2.2, E652.4.2, 
P750.2.12, and P750.2.13.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Summary of Comments Received

    The Postal Service received a total of 16 comments in response to 
the Proposed Rule.
    Seven comments supported making the loading of Periodicals toward 
the tail end of the trailer a requirement. All of these comments came 
from Periodicals publishers. Their support for the Proposed Rule is 
based on the assumption that delivery service would improve if 
Periodicals mail could be identified, offloaded from vehicles, and 
processed as soon as possible. One commenter pointed out that this 
Proposed Rule is consistent with the Postal Service's commitment to the 
mailing industry to improve the delivery service of Periodicals mail. 
The same commenter raised questions about how this Proposed Rule might 
affect Periodicals costs.
    One commenter gave cautious support to the Proposed Rule for the 
reasons cited above.
    Eight comments opposed the Proposed Rule. Most of these commenters 
are in the printing and mail transportation industries. These comments 
focused on the cost and logistics implications of a requirement to load 
Periodicals mail toward the tail end of the trailer for each stop. Many 
commenters believed that having to ``stagger'' Periodicals and Standard 
Mail within a vehicle for each scheduled stop would increase their 
costs. There also were concerns about OSHA and Department of 
Transportation requirements for vehicle loading and unloading.
    All of the commenters who opposed the Proposed Rule mentioned that 
they support the current standards in the Domestic Mail Manual, which 
allows mailers the option of loading Periodicals mail toward the tail 
end of vehicles for each stop.
    Based on these reasons and after extensive discussions with 
customers and internal departments, the Postal Service has decided to 
withdraw the Proposed Rule. The Domestic Mail Manual will continue to 
contain the optional, or preferred, method of loading Periodicals mail 
toward the tail end of vehicles so that the Periodicals mail can be 
offloaded first at each stop.

Stanley F. Mires,
Chief Counsel, Legislative.
[FR Doc. 00-11451 Filed 5-8-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P