[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 43 (Tuesday, March 4, 2008)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 11564]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-4078]


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 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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  Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 43 / Tuesday, March 4, 2008 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 11564]]



POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 111


Address Facing Standards for Presort Bundles on Pallets

AGENCY: Postal Service.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: Effective September 14, 2008, the Postal Service is proposing 
to require mailers to place presort bundles on pallets with the 
addresses facing up.

DATES: We must receive your comments on or before April 3, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Mail or deliver written comments to the Manager, Mailing 
Standards, U.S. Postal Service, 475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW., Room 3436, 
Washington, DC 20260-3436. You may inspect and photocopy all written 
comments at USPS Headquarters Library, 475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW., 11th 
Floor N, Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through 
Friday. Do not submit comments via fax or e-mail.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kevin Gunther at 202-268-7208.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Postal Service is in the process of 
implementing technological changes through the deployment of the Flats 
Sequencing System (FSS) to automate delivery sequencing for flat-size 
mail. FSS can sort flat-size mailpieces into delivery sequence, 
increasing the efficiency of letter carriers by reducing time in 
sorting mail, and allowing delivery to begin earlier in the day. As we 
approach deployment of FSS, we are closely examining other technologies 
that will enhance our efforts to make the most of this investment and 
achieve the lowest combined costs for handling flat-size mail.
    Placement of presort bundles on pallets with the address side up is 
needed for efficient processing in today's processing environment and, 
eventually, for the automated preparation and induction for FSS in the 
future.
    USPS[supreg] standards in Mailing Standards of the United States 
Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) 705.8.5.7 and 
705.8.5.9 require mailers preparing presort bundles to ensure that the 
delivery address information on the top mailpiece in each bundle is 
visible and readable by the naked eye. Standards in 705.8.5.8 require 
that bundles counter-stacked on pallets must have all addresses facing 
up. Logically, these standards should include the requirement for all 
presort bundles placed on pallets to be arranged with the addresses 
facing up. Placing bundles on pallets with the addresses facing up aids 
in validation of the contents and greatly enhances manual distribution 
of the bundles.
    Although exempt from the notice and comment requirements of the 
Administrative Procedure Act [5 U.S.C. of 553(b), (c)] regarding 
proposed rulemaking by 39 U.S.C. 410(a), we invite public comment on 
the following proposed revisions to the DMM, incorporated by reference 
in the Code of Federal Regulations. See 39 CFR 111.1.

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 111

    Administrative practice and procedure, Postal Service.

    Accordingly, 39 CFR part 111 is proposed to be amended as follows:

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, 
416, 3001-3011, 3201-3219, 3403-3406, 3621, 3622, 3626, 3632, 3633 
and 5001.

    2. Revise the following sections of Mailing Standards of the United 
States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) as follows:
* * * * *

700 Special Standards

* * * * *

705 Advanced Preparation and Special Postage Payment Systems

* * * * *

8.0 Preparing Pallets

* * * * *

8.5 General Preparation

* * * * *

8.5.6 Mail on Pallets

[Revise 8.5.6 to clarify that presort bundles on pallets must be face 
up by adding new item i as follows:]
* * * * *
    i. All presort bundles on pallets must be placed with the addresses 
facing up.
* * * * *
    We will publish an appropriate amendment to 39 CFR part 111 to 
reflect these changes if the proposal is adopted.

Neva R. Watson,
Attorney, Legislative.
[FR Doc. E8-4078 Filed 3-3-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P