Handbook PO-603 Revision: Delivery Point Sequencing Letter Mail Formal Review

Effective January 22, 2010, Handbook PO-603, Rural Carrier Duties and Responsibilities, 541.42 was revised, reinstating the language as originally written in 1994 con­cerning delivery point sequencing (DPS) letter mail pro­cessing on rural routes.

Handbook PO-603, Rural Carrier Duties and Responsibilities

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5 Inspection, Count, and Adjustment of Rural Routes

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54 Compensation Adjustments

541 Requirements

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541.4 Automation Processed Mail

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541.42 Formal Review of DPS Letter Mail Processing

[Revise 541.42 to read as follows:]

If a route receiving DPS mail frequently experiences signif­icant decreases in the quality of the DPS mail or there is a disproportionate reduction in DPS volume in relationship to the total letter volume of the route, the carrier may make a written request asking for a formal review of the DPS pro­cessing for the route. If the formal review indicates a zone or route is no longer being properly processed on auto­mated equipment, quality has deteriorated significantly, or a pattern of random automated processing is revealed, management will take corrective action to ensure that the processing is returned to levels equivalent to those experi­enced during the previous mail count period.

However, if corrective action has not resolved the problem within 30 calendar days of the carrier’s written request, management will prepare a PS Form 4003, Official Rural Route Description, discontinuing the application of DPS standards. The DPS volume will be reclassified as sector/segment mail (if processing standards are achievable) or raw mail, as appropriate, and a base hour change made to adjust the route evaluation. The Form 4003 will be pro­cessed with an effective date beginning with the first day of the pay period in which the carrier provided written notifi­cation requesting a review of DPS processing.

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We will incorporate this revision into the next printed ver­sion of Handbook PO-603 and into the next online update, available on the Postal Service™ PolicyNet website:

n Go to http://blue.usps.gov.

n Under “Essential Links” in the left-hand column, click PolicyNet.

n On the PolicyNet page, click HBKs.

(The direct URL for the Postal Service PolicyNet website is http://blue.usps.gov/cpim.)