[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 110 (Friday, June 6, 2008)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 32238]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-12148]


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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 111


Address Facing Standards for Presort Bundles on Pallets

AGENCY: Postal Service.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Postal Service is revising the mailing standards requiring 
mailers to place presort bundles on pallets with the addresses facing 
up.

DATES: Effective Date: September 11, 2008.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Postal Service is in the process of 
implementing technological changes to automate delivery sequencing for 
flat-size mail, through the deployment of the Flats Sequencing System 
(FSS). FSS will 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.
    Placement of presort bundles on pallets with the address side up is 
needed to improve efficiencies in today's processing environment and 
for automated preparation and induction for FSS in the future.
    In today's processing applications, this new standard will aid in 
validating that bundles are placed on the correct pallet, improving the 
manual distribution of these bundles.
    Comments Received: We received one comment on the proposal, from a 
commercial printer. The commenter recommended we revise the proposal to 
allow one or two columns of bundles to be placed on their edge to 
maximize the ``footprint'' of mail that can be placed on a pallet.
    Pallets containing bundles placed on their edge will not maintain 
their integrity as well as pallets containing bundles that all lie 
flat. Allowing bundles on their edge would also lessen our ability to 
read the address side of a bundle, which is one objective of this 
standard change. In addition, we plan to use automated preparation 
stations to support FSS, which require bundles to lie flat on pallets. 
Therefore, we have decided not to adopt the recommendation.
    Implementation: Effective September 11, 2008, mailers must prepare 
pallets, containing presort bundles with all addresses facing up, under 
revised DMM 705.8.5.6. We encourage mailers to make these changes as 
soon as possible, but no later than September 11, 2008.

 List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 111

    Administrative practice and procedure, Postal Service.

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Accordingly, 39 CFR part 111 is amended as follows:

PART 111--[AMENDED]

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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, 3633, and 
5001.


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

Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail 
Manual (DMM)

* * * * *

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

* * * * *
[Add new item i to clarify that presort bundles on pallets must be 
placed face up as follows:]
    i. All presort bundles on pallets must be placed with the addresses 
facing up.
* * * * *

Neva R. Watson,
Attorney, Legislative.
[FR Doc. E8-12148 Filed 6-5-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P