-
RECElVEb
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Before The
OCT I ll42RM’01
POSTAL RATE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON,
D,C,
Postal Rate and Fee Changes, 2001
20268-000~X,TAL
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Docket No. R2001-1
)
OFFICE OF THE CONSUMER ADVOCATE
INTERROGATORIES
TO SUSAN W. MAYO (OCA/USPS-T35-1-7)
October 1.2001
Pursuant
Commission,
requests
to Rules 25 through
28 of the Rules of Practice
the Offtce of the Consumer
for production
OCAAJSPS-1-21
of documents.
dated September
Advocate
Instructions
hereby submits
submitted,
SHELLEY S. DREIFUSS
Acting Director
Office of the Consumer Advocate
KENNETH
Attorney
1333 H Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20268-0001
(202) 789-6830; Fax (202) 789-6819
interrogatories
and
included with OCA interrogatories
28, 2001, are hereby incorporated
Respectfully
of the Postal Rate
E. RICHARDSON
by reference.
:
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-2-
Docket No. R2001-1
OCA/USPS-T3B1.
In its Opinion
Postal Service is not properly
Mail delivery
overall
network
advertising
potential
informing
(Opinion
consumers
information
of the service;
delivery standards
No. R2000-1,
the Commission
about the limitations
at 221) and suggested
and consumer
limitations
in Docket
in its Express
the Postal Service
so that customers
said the
review its
are made aware of
that is, so that they are notified
cannot be met or revise the delivery standards
that either the
so that they are more
realistic.
(4
Please explain the steps taken by the Postal Service since the Commission’s
Opinion
to review
information
the
Postal
Service’s
overall
for Express Mail to make consumers
advertising
and
consumer
aware of the potential limitations
in the service’s ability to meet the delivery standards for Express Mail.
W
Please
indicate
consumers
what
specific
steps
aware of the potential
the Postal Service
has taken
limitations of the service’s
to make
ability to meet the
delivery standards for Express Mail.
w
Are there ZIP Code pair delivery standards
which Express Mail is delivered?
the consumer
standards
(4
for Express Mail for each ZIP Code to
If so, is each of those standards
for each ZIP Code pair and how does the consumer
available to
access those
for any particular ZIP Code pair?
Since the Commission’s
Opinion in Docket No. R2000-1,
adjusted
downward
any ZIP Code
because
the prior service standard
listing of those pairs for Express
pair delivery
has the Postal Service
standards
could not be met?
for Express
Mail
If so, please provide a
Mail which were changed
and the proportion
that the changed pairs are to the total number of all Express Mail ZIP Code pairs.
:
.’
Docket No. R2001-1
-3.
OCAAJSPS-T35-2.
The Commission
about the high on-time
inconsistent
“premium”
with
the
systemwide
(4
failure rate of 8.8 percent
guaranteed
intrinsic
Opinion in Docket No. R2000-1 noted its concern
service
value
and that
of service
because
justifies
only
Mail which,
the service
a markup
it said, is
is not really
index
near
the
average (Opinion at 221)
Please provide the on-time failure rate for Express Mail for each period since the
8.8 percent period cited by the Commission
(b)
for Express
in the Opinion.
Please indicate what steps the Postal Service
is taking to improve the on-time
failure rate for Express Mail during the period that the rates proposed
in this case
will be in effect.
OCALJSPST353.
The following questions
in the service guarantee
(4
refer to the proposed
classification
for Express Mail postage refunds.
For each year, FY 2000 and FY 2001, please provide by Express
increment
refund
and service type, the number
requested,
purchased;
change
please
provide:
of refunds
requested.
(1) the amount
(2) the amount of the refund requested;
Mail weight
Also, for each
of additional
insurance
(3) indicate whether
or not
the claim has been paid; (4) if the claim was denied, please provide the reason
that the claim was denied; (5) if the claim was paid, indicate the amount paid; (6)
provide
the time elapsed
from the claim’s filing date to the claim’s settlement
date; and (7) the mail piece’s destination
source documents
source
documents
used in preparing
ZIP Code.
Provide specific cites to all
your response
and include a copy of the
if one has not been
previously
filed in this docket.
In
-4-
Docket No. R2001-1
preparing your response,
please provide the information
in a file format that may
be imported into an EXCEL spreadsheet.
W
For each year, FY 2000 and FY 2001, please provide by Express Mail weight
increment, the total dollar value, the total number of claims filed, and the value of
any subsequent
reasons:
stoppage;
refunds
paid for service delays
(1) detention
for law enforcement
(3) late deposit of shipment,
God. Provide
(6) a breakdown
specific
and include
previously
filed in this docket.
information
OCNUSPS-T35-4.
or work
or
of flights; (5) war, insurrection,
or
documents
a copy of the source
In preparing
(2) strike
return, incorrect address,
in the transportation
cites to all source
response
purposes;
forwarding,
incorrect ZIP Code; (4) delay or cancellation
civil disturbance;
due to each of the following
network;
and (7) acts of
used in preparing
documents
your
if one has not been
your response,
please provide the
in a file format that may be imported into an EXCEL spreadsheet.
In September
2001, the Postal Service’s
2161) Customer
Service Representative
that the Postal
Service
employee
indicated
responsible
Answer
in response
for determining
Unit (800-725-
to a telephone
whether
inquiry
to pay an
Express Mail postage refund claim is the local window clerk.
(4
For any given Express Mail postage refund claim, is the USPS local window clerk
responsible
for determining
whether
an Express
Mail postage
refund claim
should be paid?
(b)
If your response
to part (a) of this interrogatory
copies of all training
materials
and information
is affirmative,
available
please provide
and used by window
:
:
-5-
Docket No. R2001-1
clerks in determining
the conditions
under which the USPS will honor an Express
Mail postage refund claim.
(4
If your response
to part (a) of this interrogatory
indicate who is responsible
for determining
is other than affirmative,
please
when to pay an Express Mail postage
refund claim and provide copies of all training materials and information
the individual
when determining
the conditions
used by
under which the USPS will honor
an Express Mail postage refund.
(4
What current means are available
to postal patrons who wish to appeal a local
clerk’s decision
refund payment for an overdue
item?
Please provide specific cites to all source documents
your response
previously
(e)
to deny a postage
and include a copy of the source documents
Express
used in preparing
if one has not been
filed in this docket.
For each year, FY 2000 and FY 2001, how many Express Mail postage
claims were denied and what was the total dollar value of those claims?
2001, please provide the most current data available.)
all source documents
source documents
(9
Mail
used in preparing
refund
(For FY
Provide specific cites to
your response and include a copy of the
if one has not been previously filed in this docket.
For each year, FY 2000 and FY 2001, how many Express Mail postage
claims that were initially denied
by window
clerks were subsequently
refund
paid and
what is the total dollar value of those claims?
Provide specific cites to all source
documents
used in preparing
and include a copy of the source
documents
if one has not been previously filed in this docket.
your response
Docket No. R2001-1
(9)
-6-
Does the Postal
postage
refund
consistent
available
Service
claims
nationwide
evaluate
or otherwise
are processed
basis?
and paid by the window
Express
Mail
clerks
on a
If so, please provide copies of all documentation
as to how the consistency
include a summary
track whether
is evaluated.
of the Express Mail postage
In your response,
refund evaluations
please
by postal
region for FY 2000 and FY 2001.
(h)
If your response
explain
why
to part (g) of this interrogatory
evaluations
is other than affirmative,
on the consistency
of treatment
please
for Express
Mail
postage refund claims are not performed.
(0
For each year, FY 2000 and FY 2001, please provide the total budgeted amount
as well as the actual payments
from the failure
made for Express Mail postage refunds resulting
of the Postal Service
to meet its stated standards.
provide specific cites to all source documents
referenced
each reference used if one has not been previously
For FY 2000 and FY 2001, please provide
offering and by postal designated
source documents
OCAAJSPS-T35-5.
used in preparing
filed in this docket.
a copy, by Express
Mail service
achieved.
Provide specific cites to all
your response
and include a copy of the
if one has not been previously
The USPS proposed
and include a copy of
region, the (1) the USPS service standards,
paired with (2) the actual service standards
source documents
Please
DMCS
filed in this docket.
language
provides
for discretionary
authority to deny refunds when an Express Mail delay is caused by: (a) detention for law
enforcement
forwarding,
purposes;
(b) strike
return, incorrect address,
or work stoppage;
(c) late deposit
of shipment,
or incorrect ZIP Code; (d) delay or cancellation
of
-?-
Docket No. R2001-1
flights; (e) governmental
(9 war,
insurrection,
(h) acts of God.
action beyond the control of the Postal Service or air carriers;
or civil disturbance;
See USPS-T-35
(g) breakdown
at 26.
in the transportation
Given the proposed
network; or
discretionary
authority,
what prevents the Postal Service from denying all Express Mail postage refund claims?
OCAAJSPS-T35-6.
refunds,
Given the proposed
under what condition or conditions
DMCS
language
will an Express Mail customer
obtain a postage refund when the service commitment
OCAAJSPS-T35-7.
is adopted,
changes?
If the proposed
for Express
Mail postage
be likely to
has not been achieved?
DMCS language, for Express Mail postage refunds,
how and when will the Postal Service educate postal patrons about the new
i
:
CERTIFICATE
I hereby
participants
OF SERVICE
certify that I have this date served
of record
in this proceeding
practice.
Washington, D.C. 20268-0001
October I, 2001
the foregoing
in accordance
document
upon all
with Rule 12 of the rules of