Source: U.S. Postal Service External Measurement System (EXFC). EXFC is a statistically reliable system conducted by a firm under contract with the Postal Service, and is designed to cover the ZIP Codes that generate and receive the most mail. It is validated by comparative analysis with the Postal Service’s internal Origin-Destination Information System. EXFC performance results also generally correspond to results from the separate externally conducted Customer Satisfaction Measurement (CSM) survey. More detail is provided in chapter 2, section B.

Notes: Service performance scores are rounded for the full year, which is consistent with current Postal Service reporting conventions. Some previous reports did not round data. More detailed data, subject to seasonal exclusionary periods to reflect expected weather conditions and reduced airlift capacity (generally from late November to early February), are used internally. The table above corrects previous reports which mistakenly reported internal data for some previous years.

Before 2003, First-Class Mail 2-day and 3-day performance scores were combined and reported as a single score. Since 2003 the Postal Service has maintained separate 2-day and 3-day scores to better identify and address specific service issues. For consistency, the 2001 and 2002 results have been retroactively adjusted to show to separate 2-day and 3-day scores.

This report also adjusts previous scores that were based on the use of preliminary or unadjusted data due to the publication timing requirements of some previous reports. This integrated Comprehensive Statement/Performance Report eliminates such differences between documents.

Although performance results for Express Mail and Priority Mail have not been reported publicly, both have performance measurement systems and internal performance improvement targets. Express Mail is measured by the Product Tracking System (PTS), an internal measure of performance from acceptance at retail to delivery to a mailbox. All Express Mail is scanned at acceptance and delivery and all domestic ZIP Codes are included. The system is validated by the Express Mail Validation System, an external system that provides side-by-side comparisons of test piece results with PTS results.

Through 2005, Priority Mail has been measured by the Priority-End-to-End (PETE) system. However, in 2006 Priority Mail measurement will transition from PETE to the Delivery Confirmation Priority Mail–Retail (DCPM-R), a scanning system similar to that described above for Express Mail. PETE will be modified and used as an external validation system, similar to the system used for Express Mail. The changes will reduce costs, improve operational consistency, and increase sample size. PETE reported results primarily for flat-shaped Priority Mail. DCPM-R will expand coverage to other Priority Mail shapes.

As Postal Service delivery performance levels stabilize at historically high levels, the objective will be to maintain that level of service nationwide and to improve performance incrementally, where possible, at the local level. The Postal Service continues to investigate cost-effective performance measurement systems for other mail categories using existing barcode technology to enable passive scanning for all mail shapes.