Asking For Important Data

Congress and the Postal Regulatory Commission are attempting to make important decisions on the future of the U.S. Postal Service, its mailing industry partners, and its customers. Representing an important segment of customers who rely on the mail for their funding, the Alliance continues to make the case that better data is needed to make the best possible decisions.

On February 6, we and MPA—The Association of Magazine Media (with support from Postcom—The Association for Postal Commerce) filed a motion asking the Postal Regulatory Commission to reconsider its order denying our previous requests for more complete disclosure by USPS. Again, the USPS filed its opposition to disclosing this important data that neither customers nor the PRC has access to.

The information we’re asking for has to do with the valuation of the largest USPS assets that make up its balance sheet—property, pensions, and retiree health benefits. We also asked for more data on two of the largest cost drivers in the USPS—employee compensation and capital investments in the Flats Sequencing System. We believe this data is relevant to many of the nine objectives the ten-year rate review is considering. Everyone will be able to make better comments and decisions with a more complete picture.