[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 46 (Friday, March 8, 2002)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 10619-10620]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-5657]


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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 111


Domestic Mail Manual Changes for Bedloaded Bundles of Periodicals

AGENCY: Postal Service.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Postal Service is eliminating the option in the Domestic 
Mail Manual that allows mailers to bedload bundles (more than one 
package strapped together) of Periodicals flat-size mail.

EFFECTIVE DATE: March 31, 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anne Emmerth at (703) 292-3641.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 20, 2001, the Postal Service 
published a proposed rule in the Federal Register (66 FR 65668) 
soliciting comments on a proposal to delete the standards in the 
Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) that allow bundles (more than one package 
strapped together) of Periodicals flat-size mail to be bedloaded 
instead of placed in sacks or on pallets.
    Current DMM M210.5.0 and M220.5.0 allow authorized mailers to place 
packages of Presorted rate and carrier route rate Periodicals flats 
directly into a truck or trailer if the packages are secured together 
into bundles containing a minimum of 20 pounds of mail (instead of 
sacking or palletizing those packages). Such preparation is optional 
and requires Postal Service authorization from Business Mailer Support 
at Headquarters.
    Postal Service records indicate that there are no mailers who are 
preparing mail in this manner.
    We received no comments opposing the proposal and one comment in 
support of eliminating this mail preparation option. The commenter, a 
large commercial printer, supports the Postal Service's efforts to 
streamline

[[Page 10620]]

mail processing operations and reduce overall costs.
    Because of the response received, and because bedloaded bundles are 
generally not cost-efficient for the Postal Service to handle and 
process, the Postal Service is removing the option to prepare 
Periodicals flats as bedloaded bundles. Effective March 31, 2002, all 
Periodicals flats must be prepared in sacks or on pallets.
    This change does not apply to mailers who transport packages of 
Periodicals to destination delivery units under exceptional dispatch.
    For the reasons discussed above, the Postal Service hereby adopts 
the following amendments to the Domestic Mail Manual, which is 
incorporated by reference in the Code of Federal Regulations (see 39 
CFR part 111).

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 111

    Postal Service.

PART 111--[AMENDED]

    1. The authority citation for 39 CFR part 111 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552(a); 39 U.S.C. 101, 401, 403, 404, 414, 
3001-3011, 3201-3219, 3403-3406, 3621, 3626, 5001.


    2. Amend the following sections of the Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) 
as set forth below:

M  Mail Preparation and Sortation

M000  General Preparation Standards

M010  Mailpieces

M011  Basic Standards

1.0  Terms and Conditions

* * * * *

1.3  Preparation Instructions

[Delete item z, which defines a ``bundle.'' Renumber items aa through 
ac as items z through ab, respectively.]
* * * * *

M013  Optional Endorsement Lines

1.0  Use

1.1  Basic Standards

[Revise 1.1 by deleting the entry for SCF.]
* * * * *

M200  Periodicals (Nonautomation)

M210  Presorted Rates

* * * * *
[Delete section 5.0, Bedloaded Bundles (Flat-Size Pieces). Renumber 
section 6.0 as 5.0.]
* * * * *

M220  Carrier Route Rates

* * * * *
[Delete section 5.0, Bedloaded Bundles (Flat-Size Pieces). Renumber 
section 6.0 as 5.0.]
* * * * *
    This change will be published in a future issue of the Domestic 
Mail Manual. An appropriate amendment to 39 CFR 111 to reflect these 
changes will be published.

Stanley F. Mires,
Chief Counsel, Legislative.
[FR Doc. 02-5657 Filed 3-7-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-U