ASSOCIATION
OF PRIORITY MAIL USERS
Past Accomplishments
and Plans for 2000
Since late 1993,
APMU has worked diligently to protect, advance, and communicate
the interests and concerns of Priority Mail users, and to promote
improvements in the performance and value of Priority Mail.
APMU actively facilitates efforts of the United States Postal
Service and Postal Rate Commission to improve Priority Mail,
and is now recognized as the only consolidated voice of Priority
Mail users in the mailing community.
MTAC Participation
APMU is a member
of the Mailers Technical Advisory Committee (MTAC), which promotes
the exchange of information and ideas between the Postal Service
and representative mailer groups. MTAC has led to significant
improvements in other classes of mail. Membership is permitted
only for associations. Through APMU's regular participation,
MTAC now gives greater attention to the interests of Priority
Mail users.
Serving
as Postal Service Advisory Body
APMU
Providing
Input for Postal Reclassification
APMU members participated
on the Postal Service's Ad Hoc Reclassification Committee and
successor groups to represent the interests of Priority Mail
users. APMU members work to ensure that future Postal Service
reclassification proposals will be welcomed by Priority Mail
users.
Conducting
Meetings
APMU will hold
regular quarterly meetings during 2000, as it has done since
its inception.
Facilitating
Information Exchange Among Members
APMU provides
a forum for mailers to share ideas and experiences about Priority
Mail with other mailers, as well as with the Postal Service,
both at meetings and informally.
Disseminating
News on New Postal Developments
APMU provides
its members with an unparalleled source of information on developments
affecting Priority Mail, especially through its bi-monthly Newsletter,
APMU News. This newsletter
is also sent to hundreds of Postal Service personnel to increase
their focus on Priority Mail. Members also receive regular mailings
on important postal developments, not limited to Priority Mail.
Intervention
in Postal Rate Commission Rate and Classification Cases
APMU intervened
as an active participant in the last omnibus rate case before
the Postal Rate Commission (Docket No. R97-1), where it filed
discovery designed to demonstrate to the Commission that the
coverage factor (markup) for Priority Mail proposed by the Postal
Service was too high. The Commission reduced the proposed coverage
factor by 50 percent. APMU then intervened and filed a brief
in the case before the U.S. Court of Appeals, where UPS unsuccessfully
attacked reasonable Priority Mail rates.
In addition, APMU
intervened in several mail classification cases, including Docket
Nos. MC96-1, and MC97-2. In Docket No. MC96-1, a new experimental
Priority Mail service was established. In
Assisting
the Postal Service in the Promotion of Priority Mail
APMU will continue
to provide speakers and other support to promote Priority Mail
at the National Postal Forum, MAILCOM, and other events.
Industry
Spokesperson to the Media
APMU serves as
spokesperson for Priority Mail users with the postal trade press
and other media and government agencies such as GAO.
Facilitation
of Experimental Postal Service Initiatives
APMU and its members
continue to be available to the Postal Service to participate
in the testing of new services and other proposals.
Access
to Legal and Economic Information About Priority Mail
APMU will continue
to provide the services of its legal and economic counsel as
a resource for its members on issues concerning Priority Mail.
Supporting
Improved Service
APMU has provided
input to the Postal Service Priority Mail Re-design staff in
an effort to improve service for Priority Mail. Priority Mail
Re-design is now being implemented on a phased basis. Postal
Service representatives appear at APMU's meetings and report
on the project's progress, which is of vital importance to Priority
Mail users.