[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 8 (Monday, January 13, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 1674-1678]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-490]


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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 20


Interim Rule for Global Package Link (GPL) to Canada

AGENCY: Postal Service.

ACTION: Interim rule with request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Postal Service is amending the rule on Global Package Link 
to Canada. New pricing is being announced, effective January 13, 1997. 
The new pricing is a reduction in the rates previously established. The 
Postal Service is also announcing a new Ground Gateway Global Package 
Link service to Canada. In order to support this new GPL service, 
Buffalo has been added as a GPL processing center for ground service 
only. The Buffalo GPL center will open for service on January 21, 1997. 
The new ground service will be available to any customer within a 500 
mile radius of the two Ground Gateway centers, Seattle, Washington and 
Buffalo, New York and any other customer that can utilize a direct, 
existing Postal Service surface transportation to one of the two Ground 
Gateways. In addition, a merchandise return service is being announced, 
along with prices, for any customer utilizing the GPL to Canada 
service.

DATES: The interim regulations take effect as of 12:01 a.m. on January 
13, 1997, except for the new Ground Gateway service from Buffalo which 
will take effect at 12:01 a.m. on January 21, 1997. Comments must be 
received on or before February 12, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be mailed or delivered to 
International Business Unit, U.S. Postal Service, 475 L'Enfant Plaza 
SW, 370-IBU, Washington, DC 20260-6500. Copies of all written comments 
will be available for public inspection and photocopying between 9 a.m. 
and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Opiela, (202) 314-7134.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction

    Global Package Link is a service that assists mail order companies 
and other customers that send merchandise to Japan, Canada, and the 
U.K. Presently, the Postal Service has Global Package Link processing 
facilities in New York City, Dallas, Miami, Chicago, San Francisco, and 
Seattle.

II. GPL to Canada

Description

    GPL to Canada currently offers an Air Courier and a Ground Courier 
service. These services are offered through one of the six 
aforementioned processing facilities. In most cases these facilities 
airlift the GPL packages to Canada. A new Ground Gateway service will 
become effective immediately via Seattle and on January 21, 1997 via 
Buffalo. This service will provide surface transportation from the 
mailer's fulfillment center to one of the two Ground Gateways; Seattle 
or Buffalo. Those mailers within 500 miles of Buffalo will have their 
packages processed for ground entry into Canada via the Buffalo center, 
while those mailers within 500 miles of Seattle will have their 
packages processed for surface entry into Canada via Seattle, which is 
also an air exchange office for all other GPL destination countries. 
Buffalo will only be a GPL ground gateway.
    Packages will be transported from the Ground Gateways via Postal 
Service ground transportation to Toronto (from Buffalo) and to 
Vancouver (from Seattle). From this point the GPL delivery agent will 
provide expeditious courier handling to the destination address.
    The Ground Gateway Service to Canada will include all of the value-
added services currently available with the Ground Courier service, 
including the recently added $100 (Canadian) insurance indemnity per 
shipment (Air Courier continues to be covered by $500

[[Page 1675]]

EMS insurance). The service standard is anticipated to be three to 
eight business days after dispatch from a customer's plant, depending 
upon the location of final destination. (For addresses in the Maritimes 
and extreme northern territories where distance and poor roads affect 
transportation, delivery times could be as long as ten days.) Customers 
shipping from outside the 500 mile radius of a Ground Gateway may 
expect longer delivery times.

Package Specific Information

    Package specific information, package size and weight limits, and 
customs clearance for Ground Gateway service will be the same as for 
Air and Ground Courier service.

Preparation Requirements

    The preparation requirements for the Ground Gateway service are the 
same as for the Ground Courier service.

III. Rates

    Rates for Air Courier service and Ground Courier service are being 
reduced by between 8 and 10 percent. Volume discounts are being changed 
to a single 3 percent discount for packages in excess of 100,000 during 
a twelve month period. The Postal Service is also instituting a return 
service for packages sent to Canada via GPL.

Global Package Link

Canada

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Price per item (pounds)                   
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
                 Weight not over                                      Ground          Ground                    
                                                    Air courier       courier         gateway         Returns   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 1..............................................           $9.15           $7.75           $7.50           $6.49
 2..............................................           10.01            8.49            7.75            7.16
 3..............................................           11.53            9.89            8.00            7.82
 4..............................................           13.04           10.79            8.25            8.49
 5..............................................           14.56           11.72            8.50            9.16
 6..............................................           15.96           12.65            9.00            9.83
 7..............................................           17.46           13.49            9.50           10.49
 8..............................................           18.97           14.33           10.00           11.16
 9..............................................           20.47           15.18           10.50           11.83
10..............................................           21.98           16.01           11.00           12.50
11..............................................           23.32           16.75           11.50           13.16
12..............................................           24.81           17.60           12.00           13.83
13..............................................           26.32           18.47           12.50           14.50
14..............................................           27.81           19.32           13.00           15.17
15..............................................           29.31           20.19           13.50           15.83
16..............................................           30.80           21.53           14.00           16.50
17..............................................           32.31           22.41           14.50           17.17
18..............................................           33.80           23.29           15.00           17.84
19..............................................           35.29           24.35           15.50           18.50
20..............................................           36.79           25.23           16.00           19.17
21..............................................           38.02           25.93           16.50           19.84
22..............................................           39.50           26.80           17.00           20.50
23..............................................           40.99           27.68           17.50           21.17
24..............................................           42.47           28.56           18.00           21.84
25..............................................           43.97           29.44           18.50           22.51
26..............................................           45.45           30.31           19.00           23.17
27..............................................           46.59           31.20           19.50           23.84
28..............................................           48.42           32.07           20.00           24.51
29..............................................           49.91           32.95           20.50           25.18
30..............................................           51.40           33.83           21.00           25.84
31..............................................           52.50           34.45           21.50           26.51
32..............................................           53.97           35.31           22.00           27.18
33..............................................           55.46           36.19           22.50           27.85
34..............................................           56.93           37.06           23.00           28.51
35..............................................           58.40           37.93           23.50           29.18
36..............................................           59.87           38.80           24.00           29.85
37..............................................           61.36           39.68           24.50           30.52
38..............................................           62.83           40.85           25.00           31.18
39..............................................           64.31           41.90           25.50           31.85
40..............................................           65.78           42.93           26.00           32.52
41..............................................           66.78           43.49           26.50           33.19
42..............................................           68.24           44.37           27.00           33.85
43..............................................           69.70           45.25           27.50           34.52
44..............................................           71.16           46.48           28.00           35.19
45..............................................           72.64           47.37           28.50           35.86
46..............................................           73.56           47.88           29.00           36.52
47..............................................           75.01           49.51           29.50           37.19
48..............................................           76.46           51.15           30.00           37.86
49..............................................           77.81           52.83           30.50           38.52
50..............................................           79.37           54.92           31.00           39.19
51..............................................           80.83           56.26           31.50           39.86
52..............................................           82.29           57.63           32.00           40.53
53..............................................           83.74           59.03           32.50           41.19
54..............................................           85.20           60.43           33.00           41.86
55..............................................           86.66           61.84           33.50           42.53
56..............................................           87.47           62.41           34.00           43.20

[[Page 1676]]

                                                                                                                
57..............................................           88.91           63.40           34.50           43.86
58..............................................           90.36           64.39           35.00           44.53
59..............................................           91.80           65.38           35.50           45.20
60..............................................           93.26           66.82           36.00           45.87
61..............................................           94.70           67.83           36.50           46.53
62..............................................           96.15           68.82           37.00           47.20
63..............................................           96.88           69.79           37.50           47.87
64..............................................           98.31           70.76           38.00           48.54
65..............................................           99.75           71.79           38.50           49.20
66..............................................          101.18           72.83           39.00           49.87
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Discounts

    Postage is reduced by the following discount once the applicable 
volume thresholds are reached during a 12 month period:

100,000 or less...............................................base rate
over 100,000 annually...............................3 per cent discount

    No discounts are available for returns.
    The above prices are effective January 13, 1997 for the Air Courier 
and Ground Courier service. Prices for the new Ground Gateway Service 
become effective immediately for those eligible to use the Seattle 
center and on January 21, 1997, for those eligible to use the Buffalo 
center.

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 20

    Foreign relations, International postal service.
    The Postal Service adopts the following interim amendments to the 
International Mail Manual, which is incorporated by reference in the 
Code of Federal Regulations. See 39 CFR 20.1.

PART 20--[AMENDED]

    1. The authority citation for 39 CFR part 20 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552(a); 39 U.S.C. 401, 404, 407, 408.

    2. The Individual Country Listing for Canada in the International 
Mail Manual is amended by adding the interim regulations concerning 
Global Package Link processing facilities, rate chart for GPL- Canada 
and new Ground Gateway centers.

Global Package Link (620)

Delivery Options

    [Note: Add the following information as the third delivery 
option:]
Ground Gateway Service
    Ground Gateway Service will offer ground service to Canada from the 
designated Ground Gateway facilities and ground transportation to final 
destination in Canada. It will receive the same expeditious customs 
clearance as the Ground Courier Service and normal delivery times for 
95 percent of all Canadian addresses will be three to eight days after 
dispatch from the customer's plant, depending on the location of the 
final destination. (For addresses in the Maritimes and extreme northern 
territories where distance and poor roads affect transportation, 
delivery times could be as long as ten days.)

Processing Facilities

    [Note: Add the information below about Ground Gateway Centers:]

Ground Gateway Centers

    Ground Gateway Service will be processed at one of two designated 
Ground Gateway centers; Seattle and Buffalo.

Processing and Acceptance

    [Note: Add acceptance procedures for Ground Gateway service:]

Within 500 Miles of a Global Package Link Ground Gateway Facility

    If the plant at which the customer's Global Package Link packages 
originate is located within 500 miles of a Global Package Link Ground 
Gateway, the Postal Service will verify and accept the packages at the 
customer's plant and transport them to the Global Package Link Ground 
Gateway according to a schedule agreed upon by the Postal Service and 
the customer.

More Than 500 Miles From a Global Package Link Ground Gateway Facility

    Customers located outside of a 500 mile radius of these two Ground 
Gateway centers for Ground Gateway GPL service to Canada may still use 
the service provided they are located in a city having direct, existing 
Postal Service surface transpiration to one of the two Ground Gateway 
centers. If no such existing surface transportation exists in their 
origin city, the mailer may drop ship, at their own expense, packages 
to one of the Ground Gateway centers.

Insurance and Indemnity

    [Add the information below on Ground Gateway insurance:]

Ground Gateway Service

    Packages sent through Ground Gateway Service include up to $100 
(Canadian) insurance at no additional cost.
Base Rates
    [Note: Replace the current discount table with the one below:]

------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Number of packages                    Percent discount      
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Up to 100,000.............................  Base Rate.                  
100,001 and over..........................  3% off base rates.          
No discount for parcel returns............                              
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Preparation Requirements

    [Note: Add the information below about preparation requirements 
for third service:]

Ground Gateway Service

    There are no Canada-specific preparation requirements for packages 
sent through Ground Gateway Service. Packages weighing 1 pound or less 
must bear the ``SMALL PACKET'' marking (see 264.21).

Return Service

    A return merchandise service will be available to GPL--Canada 
customers. The mailer/or the Canadian recipient, will be responsible 
for payment of shipment costs back to the designated Canadian return 
center. The return center will open and inspect the contents of each 
box and process for return back to the U.S., including applying for a 
refund of duties and taxes to Revenue Canada. Upon arrival in the U.S., 
the parcels will be sent back to the mailer via the domestic parcel 
network. The return prices, per parcel, are detailed in the rate chart.

[[Page 1677]]

    [Replacing current rate table with the one below]

Global Package Link

Canada

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                  Price per item                                
                                                 ------------------------------------------------               
            Weight not over (pounds)                                  Ground          Ground          Returns   
                                                    Air courier       courier         gateway                   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1...............................................           $9.15           $7.75           $7.50           $6.49
2...............................................           10.01            8.49            7.75            7.16
3...............................................           11.53            9.89            8.00            7.82
4...............................................           13.04           10.79            8.25            8.49
5...............................................           14.56           11.72            8.50            9.16
6...............................................           15.96           12.65            9.00            9.83
7...............................................           17.46           13.49            9.50           10.49
8...............................................           18.97           14.33           10.00           11.16
9...............................................           20.47           15.18           10.50           11.83
10..............................................           21.98           16.01           11.00           12.50
11..............................................           23.32           16.75           11.50           13.16
12..............................................           24.81           17.60           12.00           13.83
13..............................................           26.32           18.47           12.50           14.50
14..............................................           27.81           19.32           13.00           15.17
15..............................................           29.31           20.19           13.50           15.83
16..............................................           30.80           21.53           14.00           16.50
17..............................................           32.31           22.41           14.50           17.17
18..............................................           33.80           23.29           15.00           17.84
19..............................................           35.29           24.35           15.50           18.50
20..............................................           36.79           25.23           16.00           19.17
21..............................................           38.02           25.93           16.50           19.84
22..............................................           39.50           26.80           17.00           20.50
23..............................................           40.99           27.68           17.50           21.17
24..............................................           42.47           28.56           18.00           21.84
25..............................................           43.97           29.44           18.50           22.51
26..............................................           45.45           30.31           19.00           23.17
27..............................................           46.59           31.20           19.50           23.84
28..............................................           48.42           32.07           20.00           24.51
29..............................................           49.91           32.95           20.50           25.18
30..............................................           51.40           33.83           21.00           25.84
31..............................................           52.50           34.45           21.50           26.51
32..............................................           53.97           35.31           22.00           27.18
33..............................................           55.46           36.19           22.50           27.85
34..............................................           56.93           37.06           23.00           28.51
35..............................................           58.40           37.93           23.50           29.18
36..............................................           59.87           38.80           24.00           29.85
37..............................................           61.36           39.68           24.50           30.52
38..............................................           62.83           40.85           25.00           31.18
39..............................................           64.31           41.90           25.50           31.85
40..............................................           65.78           42.93           26.00           32.52
41..............................................           66.78           43.49           26.50           33.19
42..............................................           68.24           44.37           27.00           33.85
43..............................................           69.70           45.25           27.50           34.52
44..............................................           71.16           46.48           28.00           35.19
45..............................................           72.64           47.37           28.50           35.86
46..............................................           73.56           47.88           29.00           36.52
47..............................................           75.01           49.51           29.50           37.19
48..............................................           76.46           51.15           30.00           37.86
49..............................................           77.81           52.83           30.50           38.52
50..............................................           79.37           54.92           31.00           39.19
51..............................................           80.83           56.26           31.50           39.86
52..............................................           82.29           57.63           32.00           40.53
53..............................................           83.74           59.03           32.50           41.19
54..............................................           85.20           60.43           33.00           41.86
55..............................................           86.66           61.84           33.50           42.53
56..............................................           87.47           62.41           34.00           43.20
57..............................................           88.91           63.40           34.50           43.86
58..............................................           90.36           64.39           35.00           44.53
59..............................................           91.80           65.38           35.50           45.20
60..............................................           93.26           66.82           36.00           45.87
61..............................................           94.70           67.83           36.50           46.53
62..............................................           96.15           68.82           37.00           47.20
63..............................................           96.88           69.79           37.50           47.87
64..............................................           98.31           70.76           38.00           48.54
65..............................................           99.75           71.79           38.50           49.20
66..............................................          101.18           72.83           39.00           49.87
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 1678]]

Stanley F. Mires,
Chief Counsel, Legislative.
[FR Doc. 97-490 Filed 1-10-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P