Can Postal Reform Help Keep the Mail Trucks
Full
Independent Review Suggests that “Last
Mile” Postal Reform Concept is Worthy of Consideration as Part of Comprehensive
Postal Reform
STAMFORD,
Conn., Thursday, March 14, 2013 -- In a report released today, the National
Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) reviewed the potential for a “Hybrid
Public-Private Postal Service” that was outlined in a concept paper earlier
this year by a coalition of four long time postal policy leaders. The
Academy report on the paper by John Nolan, George Gould, Ed Gleiman and Ed
Hudgins provides a helpful analysis of one very promising long term option to
secure affordable and universal postal delivery service in the U.S. The
panel indicated that several reforms to the Postal Service are needed, but that
this concept is worthy of consideration as a part of a comprehensive reform
package.
We
agree with the NAPA panel that the public wants--and our economy desperately
needs--a healthy, universal, affordable and reliable postal system.
Hundreds of thousands of jobs and almost a trillion dollars in commerce depend
on it.
Like
the panel, Pitney Bowes believes that the financial relief and operational
flexibility requested by the US Postal Service are critical to its short term
stability. We also believe that significant structural reform such as the
“final mile” delivery model proposed by the authors of the concept paper should
be considered as part of any postal reform package by Congress, and provides a
promising way to help ensure the long term future of affordable universal mail
delivery service in the U.S.
The
“final mile delivery” model proposed in the white paper has the potential not
only to protect, but also to strengthen, the nation’s only universal
door-to-door delivery service by unleashing the creative energy of American
business to find significant opportunities to increase mail volume, control
costs and enhance services for rural, suburban and urban areas.
By
concentrating on its strength in delivery, and charging only for that service,
the Postal Service will encourage increased use of commercial providers to
collect, transport and sort the mail, create a private sector market for mail
use, and encourage development of new products and services that can help
sustain universal delivery service well into the future.
We
are confident that, when coupled with the reforms requested by the Postal
Service, the long term structural changes outlined in the hybrid public-private
postal system concept paper reviewed by the National Academy of Public Administration
would go a long way toward ensuring a healthy future for the Postal Service and
the mailing industry it supports.
Pitney
Bowes is a strong proponent of policy research to help protect and improve our
nation’s postal system. The policy review by the National Academy of
Public Administration was made possible, in part, by a contribution from Pitney
Bowes.
About
Pitney Bowes
Pitney
Bowes provides technology solutions for small, mid-size and
large firms that help them connect with customers to build loyalty and grow
revenue. The company’s solutions for financial services, insurance, healthcare, telecommunications,
legal,
public
sector and retail
organizations are delivered on open platforms to best organize, analyze and
apply both public and proprietary data to two-way customer
communications. Pitney Bowes is the only firm that includes direct mail,
transactional mail, call centers and in-store technologies in its solution mix
along with digital channels such as the Web, email, live chat and mobile
applications. Pitney Bowes has approximately USD$5 billion in annual
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is a new opportunity™. www.pb.com