2002 Mail Count guide
a. Column A-Letter Sized Mail
See Step 4 H1R-4B-C 11305 Linden, MI
According to the file, distributors in this local office normally discarded
non-preferential mail of no obvious value when it was recognized us being undeliverable
rather than distribute it to the rural carriers. The parties at Step 4 agreed
that the discarding of mail in this manner is inconsistent with postal procedure
and should be discontinued. If discontinuance of this activity resulted in an
increased workload for the carriers, the carriers were entitled to a recount,
if they desired.
b. Column B-Sector/Segment Letters
Enter in this column all mail up to 6 l/8 inches in width that is processed on automated equipment in sector/segment order.
Where Sector/Segment is introduced, the final scheme must be jointly verified and mail processed using this scheme no later than 30 days prior to a scheduled mail count.
c. Column C-Papers, Magazines, Catalogs, Flats Other Non-Letter-Size Mail
Enter in this column newspapers, flats, magazines, catalogs, rolls and other non-letter size mail that can be cased for delivery using carrier casing equipment. This includes catalogs cased with other mail or cased separately. This does not include those items specifically referenced in column D-Parcels.
Exceptions: Count simplified address articles, including mail with detached labels, as boxholder mail and enter in column E. Count each direct or segmented bundle distributed and tied out at mail distribution cases (see 225.4) as one parcel, and enter in column D. Do not count direct or segmented bundles tied out at the carrier case (see 225.5) as a parcel. Do not count registered, certified, COD, numbered insured mail, Express Mail, and other accountable mail in this column.
Catalogs are counted as flats if they will fit into the empty separation to which they are addressed. When flat separations are used, catalogs that will fit into the empty flat separations are credited as flats. Therefore, a catalog may be a flat or parcel depending on the size of the catalog and the size of the separation to which it is addressed.
Boxes of checks are counted as flats provided the box does not exceed any one of the folIowing dimensions: 5 inches in height, 18 inches in length, or 1 9/16 inches in width.
d. Column D-Parcels
e. Column E-Boxholders
Enter the daily number of boxholders (families, boxes, or deliveries, as appropriate) taken out for delivery on the route. This includes all simplified address mail, including samples with simplified address (see DMM AO40). When samples are received with detached address labels (specifically addressed), enter the total number of samples. (See part 535.12.a, column A, for recording the label count,) Include simplified address, detached labels (no specific name or address) in this column. The number of pieces of boxholder mail must not exceed the number of families or boxes (as appropriate) on the route for each mailing. Include in this column all boxholders, whether cased or not.
Boxholders are counted only when they are delivered.
Example: A two week mail count begins February 28 and ends March 13. A boxholder is received in the office on February 27 with a requested delivery date of February 28. This boxholder would be delivered on February 28 and would be included in the count.
Conversely, a boxholder received in the office on March 13, but not delivered until March 14, would not be counted.
f. Column F-Registered Mail, Certified Mail, Numbered Insured Articles, Express
Mail, and Other Accountable Mail.
Include in column F:
* Accountable articles found in DPS mail will also be included in column F.
* Management shall not alter a route's mail count by withholding Express Mail
from the route during the mail count.
In accordance with the PO-603 a rural carrier "must deliver Express Mail
to a customer whose residence or place of business is on the carrier's line
of travel. Management, however shall not circumvent paying the additional compensation
by not allowing the carrier to deliver Express Mail during the mail count period,
if, during the rest of the year, the carrier has been delivering Express Mail
to the customer." This decision and procedure would also be true for all
accountable mail for customers who reside on the carrier's line of travel.
See Step 4 HIR-5D-C 24517 Moses Lake, WA
g. Column G-CODS and Customs Due Received for Delivery.
Enter daily the number of articles received for delivery.
h. Column H-Postage Due
Enter the number of postage due articles taken out for delivery. Do not include postage due items in columns A, B, C, or L.
Note: A carrier can receive a double credit for a postage due parcel.
Example: An ordinary parcel with postage due would be credited as a parcel in column D, Parcels, and in column H, Postage-Due.
Include in column H:
* Number of bundles of postage due (with a single due amount).
* If postage due mail was not bundled prior to the mail count and a change in the procedure to bundle postage dues for the same delivery address was not discussed during the pre-count conference, postage due items bundled during the count will be counted as individual postage dues.
See Step 4 H7R-2.J-C 389 Bowling Green, KY
"Review of this case revealed before the count, the postage due mail was
not being bundled and this procedure was not discussed during the pre-count
conference. It was not until September 10, 1987 that the procedure was changed,
Therefore, the carrier shall be credited with 58 pieces of postage due mail
on his evaluation and shall receive compensation if it is warranted. "
Note: Other than for ordinary parcels that do not fit in mail receptacles, carriers
are NOT required to take postage due mail to the door.
See: Step 4 H8R-2 WC 11821, Hilton, NY
i. Column I-Change of Address (COA)
Enter in this column the number of change of address orders (PS Form 3575, Change of Address Order, or PS Form 3546, Forwarding Order Change Notice) received and entered during the count period. PS Form 3546, initiated by the carrier, is creditable as a forwarding order, provided that it is not a duplication of a previous action. There must be no accumulation of change of address orders at the start of the count period,
Note: Do not record the entry of a new or additional customer's name on PS Form 1564, Address Change Sheet, or PS Form 4232, Rural Delivery Customer Instructions, as a change of address order.
Include in this column:
* Credit is received in column I for PS Form 8076, Authorization to Hold Mail, that is received from the patron (substitute forms may also be included). In order to receive credit for special orders and hold orders, the carrier must transfer the information to PS Form 1564-E, Form 3932 or any other type form used for this purpose.
Do record PS Form 3575-Z, Employee Generated Change of Address, in this column.
j. Column J-Marked Up Mailpieces
(a) Mail sorted to the Undeliverable-as-Addressed Separations or Designated
Location at the Carrier Case.
(i) A-Z separations/machineable or non-machineable.
(ii) Insufficient address.
(iii) Undeliverable-as-addressed, unable to forward.
(iv) Undeliverable bulk business mail.
(v) Other undeliverable bulk business mail,
(b) Excess Boxholders. Carriers will do all of the following.
(i) Bundle separately each set of excess boxholder mail. (A sack, hamper, tray, etc., may be used for this purpose.)
(ii) Endorse a facing slip In Excess of Requirements, initial, and attach to each bundle, and
(iii) Receive one markup credit for each set.
(c) Mail Individually Endorsed by the Carrier. Credit a markup for each
piece of mail in the following categories.
(i) Attempted-Not Known.
(ii) No Such Number,
(iii) Deceased.
(iv) No Mail Receptacle.
(v) Refused.
(vi) Vacant. Only First-Class Mail, Periodicals, endorsed Standard Mail (A) or Standard Mail (B) addressed to Occupant. Do not endorse undeliverable bulk business mail.
(vii) Undeliverable-as-Addressed (Parcels). Do not credit as a markup parcel post endorsed only to indicate that an attempted delivery notice was left.
(viii) No Record Mail. Credit as a markup each piece of mail given to the carrier under the provisions of 242.4, whether or not the piece is marked up by the carrier.
(ix) Other required individual carrier endorsements in DMM FO10.4.2, as appropriate, and undeliverable mail the postmaster or supervisor requires the carrier to individually endorse,
* Credit a markup for any mail piece where the name or address is required to be corrected (spelling, numbers) prior to its being sent to CMU/CFS or returned from CMU/CFS.
* Credit a markup for each piece of mail when management requires barcodes to be blotted or marked out.
* Credit one markup for all additional bundles or mailpieces that management requires the carrier to endorse.
k. Column K-PS Form 3821 Completed
Enter only the number of completed PS Forms 3821, Clearance Receipt.
Section 431.4 of the PO-603 states, "Complete Form 3821, Clearance Receipt, showing the number of receipts and undeliverable articles returned for clearance." Please note that Section 431.4 states the carrier is to complete Form 3821," it does not say "the carrier may complete Form 3821."
Complete a separate Form 3821 for each COD article delivered. (PO-603, Section 432.4)
Complete one Form 3821 for all CODS not delivered. (PO-603, Section 432.4) Form 3821, Clearance Receipt, is to be completed by the carrier all year long, not just during mail count.
If a route serves one or more intermediate offices, it is possible to receive credit for PS Forms 3821 at each intermediate office in a single day.
1. Column L-Delivery Point Sequence (DPS) Letters
Enter in this column all mail up to 6 l/8 inches in width that is processed on automated equipment as Delivery Point Sequence mail.
Exception: If fewer than 2,400 pieces of DPS mail are averaged per week during the entire mail count period and/or the route was not validated before the count as meeting the 98 percent quality threshold, mail processed as DPS will be cased and recorded as sector/segment in column B on PS Form 4241, Rural Delivery Statistics Report, or, if it does not qualify as sector/segment mail, recorded in column, A, Letter Size if 6 1/8 inches and under, or column C, Newspapers, Magazines, Flats Catalogs, and Rolls, if over 6 I/8 inches.
Note: Casing of DPS mail will not change mail count procedures or time standards applied to DPS or other mail.
Questions on Delivery Point Sequence (DPS) Procedures for Rural Routes, appears in the July 15,1997 issue of "The National Rural Letter Carrier."
If multiple runs are received, only one run may be counted as DPS. Management will determine which run is DPS, Other runs may be counted as sector/segment if they qualify.
All mail the carrier received as DPS mail is recorded under column L, Delivery Point Sequence Letters. Normally, if the carrier takes the DPS mail directly to the street, all the DPS mail they bring back, because it is out of sequence or otherwise not deliverable, is recorded in column A, Letter Size if 6 l/8 inches and under, or column C, Newspapers, Magazines, Flats, Catalogs and Rolls, if over 6 l/8 inches.
The fact that the carrier may elect to case that mail during the mail count does not change the recording procedure. DPS mail which would have been brought back by the carrier is recorded in column A if 6 l/8 inches and under or C if over 6 l/8 inches.
A rigid article received in DPS will be counted and recorded under Column D. as a parcel if the rigid article exceeds any one of the dimensions in Part 535.12.d.(1) of the PO-603.
See Step 4 F91R-4F-C 96020182 Sun City, CA
Whether you case the DPS mail or take it directly to the street, any mail which
cannot be delivered (hold mail, forwardable mail, missorted mail, etc.) or is
out of sequence will be credited as raw mail and recorded in column A if 6 l/8
inches and under or C if over 6 l/8 inches.
m. Column M-Money Order Applications
Record in this column the number of money order applications received on the route. If rural carriers reside on the route they serve and regularly purchase money orders throughout the year, they will receive credit. Postmasters or supervisors review each money order application daily.
n. Column N-Letters and Flats Collected
Enter in this column the number of letters and flats collected on the route. If mail is received in bundles, count each bundle as one piece. Do not count each piece in the bundle, Do not include mail picked up from a collection box or cluster box unit (CBU) collection compartment. Centralized delivery collection compartments receive a standard allowance.
Enter in column R the actual time required to open the collection boxes, remove the mail, and close the boxes,
Carriers may be required to face and deposit mail in a designated location upon returning to the office. Management shall not require rural carriers to deposit mail into more than two designated locations. If more than two locations are required, additional column R time is appropriate.
See Step 4 H7R-4B-C 29248 Rochester, MI
Part 421.2 of the Rural Carrier Duties and Responsibilities, Handbook PO-603
requires that rural carriers are to face and deposit mail in the location designated
by your postmaster or supervisor. Compensation is provided for facing and depositing
mail. Management shall not require rural carriers to deposit mail into more
than two designated locations*
o. Column O-Ordinary and Insured Parcels Accepted
p. Column P-Registered and Certified Accepted
Record in this column the number of registered and certified articles accepted on the route, Do not include in the count those articles returned when PS Form 3849 has been left for the customer. Time credit for No Response-Left Notice items is included in the time factor for delivery.
Credit is to be given for certified letters that are received from rural mail boxes and business customers, including those that are prepaid and where customers have properly completed all forms.
See Step 4 H4R-2F-C 1582 Greensburg, PA
"The grievant will receive retroactive credit for 109 certified mail pieces
under Column P of Form 4241."
q. Column Q-Loading Vehicle
Enter the time spent transferring mail from the carrier's work area to the vehicle. This time should include taking mail from the work area to the vehicle, placing mail in the vehicle and returning the equipment to a designated location. Postmasters or supervisors must observe the loading operation daily to ensure that carriers operate efficiently. Include only the time required to place mail in gurneys or hampers in loading time if mail cannot be placed in the conveyance during strap out, In offices where the carrier does not normally withdraw all mail for the route, the required final withdrawal from the designated distribution case, or other equipment, will be accomplished in conjunction with the loading operation, and the actual time required included in the loading allowance. Do not include the time used for this function if the carrier receives the withdrawal allowance. Loading time in excess of 15 minutes must be fully explained in the Comments section of PS Form 4239. However, do not interpret the loading allowance to be a minimum 15 minutes daily The actual time shown for loading the vehicle must not include time for arranging parcels in delivery sequence, this is included in the time allowance for those items in column D.
Mail, pulled down and strapped or trayed, should be placed directly into equipment used to take mail to the vehicle. In this case, loading time begins when the carrier begins to move the mail to the vehicle. If mail is not placed directly into equipment used to take mail to the vehicle, loading time begins when the carrier begins to load the mail into the transport equipment.
The time required to place the mail in gurneys or hampers will be included in loading time only when the mail cannot be placed in the conveyance in delivery order, during strapping out or traying. It would also be applicable if, because of space restrictions, the carrier is required to strap-out mail, place it on the floor or case ledge, and then transport it to a gurney or hamper at the end of the carrier- case aisle. This was not intended to be applied to situations where the carrier straps out mail and places it directly into a gurney or hamper in lieu of placing it on the floor.
Obtaining the parcel hamper is not considered part of the withdrawal of mail. M-38 Section 344.23 states that gurneys and hampers shall be located convenient to the carriers. By conveniently located, it is meant for the hamper or gurney to be in close proximity to the carrier's case. If the hamper/gurney is so located, and all other mail is prepared as required in Section 212.2 of the PO-603, then the fact that the carrier must walk a few steps to obtain the parcel hamper/gurney would not justify allowing withdrawal time. If the parcel container is not located according to Section 244.23 of the M-38, action should be taken to do so. Finally, if the physical lay-out of the office or space constraints make it impossible to comply with the provisions of the M-38, and it is not possible to have the hampers/gurneys transported to the carrier area by a clerk or mailhandler, then consideration should be given to changing the procedures at the office to allow for carrier withdrawal of all mail.
r. Column R-Other Suitable Allowance
Some typical Column "R" Entries are the following:
s. Column S-Purchasing Stamp Stock
All rural routes will be automatically credited with 20 minutes per week for purchasing and checking stamp stock.
Note: The Minneapolis ISC will credit the 20 minutes per week and record the proper allowance on PS Form 4241-A, Rural Route Evaluation.
t. Column T-Return Receipts
On high-density (L) routes, an additional credit is received only for those return receipts for accountable items handled via PS Form 3883 (see column F). Enter in this column the number of return receipts attached to those accountable items entered on PS Form 3883. Do not credit return receipts on accountable items other than those listed on PS Form 3883.
Example: If a route received 10 accountable items and each had a return receipt attached, but only four of the items were listed in a firm delivery book, the route receives credit for four return receipts in column T.
u. Column U-Authorized Dismounts
The number of authorized dismounts is shown daily, (See part 313 for those instances where dismount deliveries may be authorized.)
Example: A carrier is authorized to dismount at a school. The school office is closed on Saturdays. The route would be credited with a dismount Monday through Friday, but would not receive dismount credit on Saturday. Authorized dismounts must be explained in the Comments section. When a carrier dismounts primarily to provide other services, such as delivery or pickup of accountable mail, COD, Express Mail, etc.: do not authorize dismount credit, existing time allowances include time for dismounting.
See: Step 4 H1R-4J-C 443 Madison, WI
See: Step 4 H1R-4T-C 7060 Lexington, KY
v. Column V-Authorized Dismount Distance (In feet)
w. Column W-Counting Time
Enter the number of minutes actually used to count the mail. Only the carrier's time is recorded and not the postmaster's or supervisor's counting time.
x. Column X-Waiting Time
Enter the number of minutes the carrier spent waiting for mail after the official starting time.
y. Column Y-Intermediate Offices Serviced Daily, Services Performed
at Intermediate Offices
z. Column Z-Weight of Locked Pouches Carried Daily
Enter the weight carried in pounds (rounded to the nearest whole pound) of all mail, including outside pieces, to or from designated offices. Carriers serving nonpersonnel rural units do not receive credit for a locked pouch.
Note: To determine the daily weight, total the pouch weight of all days and divide by 12. Then divide the daily weight by the number of locked pouch stops from line C, Additional Information, to determine the average daily weight. Enter this number in column Z on PS Form 4241.3027