www.nrlca.org NRLCA MAIL COUNT GUIDE REVISED JANUARY 2018 Table of Contents National Mail Count 2018 ................................................................................................................................... 1 SECTION I - HOT TOPICS ................................................................................................................................. 1 SPM (Service Performance Measurement) Scans ......................................................................................... 1 DPS Flats Issues for Mail Count ..................................................................................................................... 1 Prepaid Parcel/Carrier Pickup ......................................................................................................................... 2 Village Post Offices (VPO)-Mail Count Procedures ........................................................................................ 3 SECTION II - MAIL COUNT OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................... 3 Types of Mail Counts ...................................................................................................................................... 3 National Mail Counts ................................................................................................................................... 3 Special Mail Counts ..................................................................................................................................... 4 DPS Flats Special Mail Counts ................................................................................................................... 4 What Routes Will Be Counted Beginning February 24, 2018? ....................................................................... 4 Rural Route Inspection .................................................................................................................................... 4 Inspecting Rural Routes .............................................................................................................................. 4 Carrier Responsibilities during Route Inspections ...................................................................................... 5 Box Count .................................................................................................................................................... 5 Stop Count ................................................................................................................................................... 5 Family Count ............................................................................................................................................... 6 Authorized Dismounts ................................................................................................................................. 6 Preparing to Ride the Route ........................................................................................................................ 6 Request to Repair Roads ............................................................................................................................ 7 Mailbox Needs Attention.............................................................................................................................. 7 Counting Your Own Mail ................................................................................................................................. 7 Pre-sort Mail .................................................................................................................................................... 7 Even Flow of Mail ............................................................................................................................................ 7 Withdrawal of Mail ........................................................................................................................................... 8 Number of Withdrawals ............................................................................................................................... 8 Required Duties of Carriers Who Do Not Receive the Withdrawal Credit .................................................. 8 Withdrawal – All or Nothing ......................................................................................................................... 8 Not Part of Withdrawal................................................................................................................................. 9 Pre-Count Conference .................................................................................................................................... 9 Pre-Count Conference Items for Discussion ............................................................................................. 10 Pre-Count Conference Checklist ............................................................................................................... 12 Summary of Mail Count Principles .................................................................................................................. 13 PS Form 4239 ................................................................................................................................................... 13 Should Disagreements Occur ........................................................................................................................... 14 SECTION III RURAL ROUTE COUNT OF MAIL PS FORM 4239 .................................................................. 15 Column 1 - Letter-Size Mail........................................................................................................................... 15 Column 2 - Sector/Segment Letters ............................................................................................................. 15 Column 3 - Delivery Point Sequence (DPS) Letters .................................................................................... 16 Column 4 - Papers, Magazines, Catalogs, Flats, Other Size Mail ................................................................ 17 Column 5 – DPS Flats ................................................................................................................................... 18 Column 6 - Parcels ........................................................................................................................................ 19 Column 7 - Boxholders .................................................................................................................................. 20 Column 8 - Registered Mail, Certified Mail, Numbered Insured Articles, Express Mail, and Other Accountable Mail, (Adult Signature) .............................................................................................................. 21 Column 9 - CODs and Customs Due Received for Delivery ........................................................................ 22 Column 10 - Postage Due ............................................................................................................................. 22 Column 11 - Change of Address ................................................................................................................... 22 Column 12 - PS Form 3982 PARS Label ...................................................................................................... 23 Column 13 - Marked Up Mail Pieces .......................................................................................................... 23 Column 14 - PS Form 3821 Completed ....................................................................................................... 25 Column 15 – Non Signature “Scan” Items .................................................................................................... 25 Column 16 - Loading Time ............................................................................................................................ 25 NRLCA MAIL COUNT GUIDE 2 JANUARY 2018 Column 17 - Other Suitable Allowance ........................................................................................................ 26 Examples from PO-603 ............................................................................................................................. 26 Other Typical Examples ............................................................................................................................ 27 Step 4 Settlements that would include unusual conditions for Column 17 credit: .................................... 28 Column 18 - Authorized Dismounts ............................................................................................................. 29 Column 19 - Authorized Dismount Distance ................................................................................................. 29 Column 20 - Letters and Flats Collected ...................................................................................................... 30 Column 21 – Carrier Pickup “Requests” & Prepaid Parcel Event ................................................................. 30 Column 22 – Carrier Pickup “Items” & Prepaid Parcels ................................................................................ 32 Column 23 - Ordinary and Insured Parcels Accepted .................................................................................. 32 Column 24 - Registered and Certified Accepted ........................................................................................