[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 116 (Friday, June 14, 2024)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 50542-50543]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-13152]
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POSTAL SERVICE
39 CFR Part 111
Securing Bundles of Flats
AGENCY: Postal Service\TM\.
ACTION: Proposed rule.
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SUMMARY: The Postal Service is proposing to amend Mailing Standards of
the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) to
modify the requirements for securing bundles of flats.
DATES: Submit comments on or before July 15, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Mail or deliver written comments to the Director, Product
Classification, U.S. Postal Service, 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Room 4446,
Washington, DC 20260-5015. If sending comments by email, include the
name and address of the commenter and send to
[email protected], with a subject line of ``Securing Bundles
of Flats.'' Faxed comments are not accepted.
You may inspect and photocopy all written comments, by appointment
only, at USPS[supreg] Headquarters Library, 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, 11th
Floor North, Washington, DC 20260. These records are available for
review on Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., by calling 202-268-
2906.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dale Kennedy at (202) 268-6592 or
Doriane Harley at (202) 268-2537.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: All submitted comments and attachments are
part of the public record and subject to disclosure. Do not enclose any
material in your comments that you consider to be confidential or
inappropriate for public disclosure.
Currently, the standards in DMM section 203.4.5 require bundles of
flats to be secured with banding, shrinkwrap, or shrinkwrap plus one or
more bands. Additionally, it allows the use of rubber bands and twine/
string as banding materials on bundles of flats.
The Postal Service is proposing to amend the standards in DMM
section DMM 203.4.4 to include an exemption for mailings of 500 flat-
sized pieces or fewer entered at the BMEU from bundle preparation.
Applicable mailings may be prepared loose in flat trays instead of in
bundles. The Postal Service is also proposing to amend the standards in
sections 203.4.5, 203.4.8, and 203.4.9 to require all bundles of flats
to have two or more cross-strapped bands or be shrink-wrapped with two
or more cross-strapped bands and to eliminate the use of rubber bands
and twine/string for securing bundles of flats. Additionally, section
245.9.5(d) would be amended to reflect that shrink-wrapped multi
carrier route bundles require two or more cross-strapped bands.
The Postal Service is proposing to implement this change effective
August 18, 2024.
We believe that the proposed revisions will enable the Postal
Service to process bundled flats in a more efficient manner.
Although exempt from the notice and comment requirements of the
Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553(b), (c)) regarding proposed
rulemaking by 39 U.S.C. 410(a), the Postal Service invites public
comment on the proposed revisions to Mailing Standards of the United
States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM), incorporated by
reference in the Code of Federal Regulations.
We will publish an appropriate amendment to 39 CFR part 111 to
reflect these changes if our proposal is adopted.
List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 111
Administrative practice and procedure, Postal Service.
Accordingly, the Postal Service proposes the following changes to
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail
Manual (DMM), incorporated by reference in the
[[Page 50543]]
Code of Federal Regulations (see 39 CFR 111.1):
PART 111--[AMENDED]
0
1. The authority citation for 39 CFR part 111 continues to read as
follows:
Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552(a); 13 U.S.C. 301-307; 18 U.S.C. 1692-
1737; 39 U.S.C. 101, 401-404, 414, 416, 3001-3018, 3201-3220, 3401-
3406, 3621, 3622, 3626, 3629, 3631-3633, 3641, 3681-3685, and 5001.
0
2. Revise the 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)
* * * * *
200 Commercial Letters, Cards, Flats, and Parcels
* * * * *
203 Basic Postage Statement, Documentation, and Preparation Standards
* * * * *
4.0 Bundles
* * * * *
[Revise the title of 202.4.4 to read as follows:]
4.4 Exception to Bundle Preparation--Full Letter and Flat Trays and
Small Flat Mailings
[Add a sentence at the end of 4.4 to read as follows:]
* * * In mailings of 500 or fewer flat-sized pieces, mailers are
not required to prepare bundles and may place said pieces loose in flat
trays.
4.5 Securing Bundles of Flats
Bundles must be able to withstand normal transit and handling
without breakage or injury to USPS employees, and are subject to the
following requirements:
[Revise the text of item (a) to read as follows:]
a. Bundles must be secured with two or more cross-strapped bands or
shrink-wrapped with two or more cross-strapped bands. Banding includes
plastic bands, and similar material. Use of wire or metal banding is
not permitted.
[Delete current item (b) in its' entirety]
[Renumber item (c) as item (b); then revise the text to read as
follows:]
b. Bundles must be cross-strapped (encircle the length and girth of
the bundle at least once). Additional bands may be used if none lies
within 1 inch of any bundle edge.
[Add a new item (c) to read as follows:]
c. Rubber bands and twine/string are not permitted to use as
banding to secure bundles.
* * * * *
4.8 Preparing Bundles in Sacks and Flat Trays
In addition to following the standards in 4.5 through 4.7, mailers
must prepare bundles placed in flat trays and sacks as follows: * * *
[Revise item (d) to read as follows:]
d. Bundles of pieces with covers of ``coated stock'' (glossy
covers) that are not individually enclosed in an envelope or mailing
wrapper must be secured with at least two plastic straps or with
shrinkwrap plus two plastic straps and must not exceed 6 inches in
height.
* * * * *
4.9 Preparing Bundles on Pallets
In addition to general bundling standards in 4.1, bundles on
pallets must meet the following standards:
[Revise item 4.9(a) to read as follows:]
a. Bundles must be secured with appropriate banding or shrinkwrap
supplemented by two or more bands. Banding includes plastic bands
(recommended) or similar material.
* * * * *
245 Mail Preparation
* * * * *
9.0 Preparing Enhanced Carrier Route Flats
* * * * *
9.5 Multi Carrier Routes Bundle
A mailer may combine individual eligible bundles of USPS Marketing
Mail Enhanced Carrier Route basic price mail into a multi carrier
routes bundle of the same 5-digit ZIP Code under these conditions: * *
*
[Revise the text of item 9.5(d) to read as follows:]
d. The multi carrier routes bundle must be secured with at least
two cross-strapped bands, one around the length and one around the
girth, or shrink-wrapped with two or more cross-strapped bands.
* * * * *
Christopher Doyle,
Attorney, Ethics and Legal Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2024-13152 Filed 6-13-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P