No Shock With USPS Rate Increases

WASHINGTON, DC—The latest U.S. Postal Service (USPS) rate increase is confronting mailers, and this time there are no unpleasant surprises. For the post office, however, the news was not so comforting.

As promised by the postal reform legislation passed in late 2006, the first increase under the new rules did not exceed the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rate of inflation. The increases fall in the 2.9 percent range and will take effect May 12.