QSG 340c Commercial Flats Standard Mail Carrier Route Flats

ARCHIVED QSG - APR 17, 2011

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Quick Service Guide 340c

Commercial Flats

Standard Mail Carrier Route Flats
April 17, 2011
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Content (343.2.0)

Flats containing mailable items not required to be sent using First-Class Mail can be sent using Standard Mail. Standard Mail is typically used for advertisements, flyers, and catalogs. Additional content restrictions must be met for authorized nonprofit mailers (703.1.0).

Eligibility Standards (343.6.0)

Mailings of 200 or more addressed pieces (or 50 pounds of addressed pieces), sorted and marked as described below. Pieces must be part of a group of 10 or more to one carrier route, prepared in line-of-travel or walk-sequence order, as required. All pieces must meet the physical standards for enhanced carrier route flats in 301. Pieces are eligible if not required to be mailed at First-Class Mail prices or not eligible for Periodicals prices. Nonprofit prices require specific authorization (703.1.0).

Each piece must include a complete delivery address with correct ZIP Code or ZIP+4 code, as appropriate.

Carrier route information must be updated using CASS-certified process within 90 days before mailing date.

Detached address label may be used with merchandise samples or saturation pieces, for an additional charge.

Mailers can apply Repositionable Notes for an additional charge. See 705.22.0.

Addresses on all pieces must be updated within 95 days before mailing through a USPS-approved address update method. For an overview of the Move Update standards, see Quick Service Guide 230a.

Postage Payment and Documentation (344)

Precanceled stamp (604.3.0), meter (604.4.0), or permit imprint (604.5.0).

Additional standards apply to mailings of nonidentical-weight pieces.

Documentation:

Postage statement:

Regular: PS Form 3602-R or approved facsimile.

Nonprofit: PS Form 3602-N or approved facsimile.

Supporting documentation: required unless correct price is affixed to each piece or unless each piece is of identical weight and separated by price when presented for acceptance; documentation generated by PAVE-certified software (or printed in standardized format).
Additional documentation to support density standards (345.6.0).

Mail Preparation (345)

Marking on each piece in the postage area (302.3.0):

Regular: “Presorted Standard” or “PRSRT STD,” “Standard” or “STD.”
Nonprofit: “Nonprofit Organization” or “NONPROFIT ORG.” or “NONPROFIT.”
Basic, high-density, and saturation price pieces must also be marked “ECRLOT,” “ECRWSH,” or “ECRWSS,” respectively, in the correct optional endorsement line under 708.7.0 or in correct carrier route information line under 708.8.0 or in the postage area. Pieces in a mailing consisting of bundles claimed at more than one Enhanced Carrier Route price must bear appropriate marking for price claimed. Pieces not claimed at corresponding price must not be included in the mailing and must not bear the “ECRLOT,” “ECRWSH,” or “ECRWSS” marking. For additional marking standards for carrier route pieces, see 708.8.0.

Basic mail must be in line-of-travel (LOT) or in walk sequence (345.6.0).

High-density (WSH) and saturation (WSS) mail must be in walk sequence (345.6.0).

Palletization is preferred (see Quick Service Guide 705d).

Use standard sack label (345.4.0).

Enter and Deposit (346)

Mailing entered at an acceptance point designated by USPS.

Preparation


Bundling and Sacking Sequence (345.6.0)
Bundle Preparation
Saturation 1 Bundles: 10 or more addressed pieces to same carrier route (city route, rural route, highway contract route, Post Office box section, or general delivery unit) must be prepared in bundles; fewer than 10 pieces allowed only if route has fewer than 10 delivery stops. Mail must be presented in walk-sequence (343.6.5) and meet density standards. Labels: Use optional endorsement line (OEL) with carrier route description prefix and route number (708.7.0).³ Price: Saturation	High Density 2 Bundles: 10 or more addressed pieces to same carrier route (city route, rural route, highway contract route, Post Office box section, or general delivery unit) must be prepared in bundles. Mail must be presented in walk-sequence (343.6.4) and meet density standards. Labels: Use OEL with carrier route description prefix and route number (708.7.0).³ Price: High Density	Basic Bundles: 10 or more addressed pieces to same carrier route (city route, rural route, highway contract route, Post Office box section, or general delivery unit) must be prepared in bundles. Mail must be presented in line-of-travel or walk-sequence (343.6.3). Labels: Use OEL with carrier route description prefix and route number (708.7.0).³ Price: Basic

Sack Preparation
Carrier Route Sacks: Required 125 pieces or 15 pounds. Labels: For Line 1, use city, state and 5-digit ZIP Code of destination. For Line 2, use “STD FLTS”, and “ECRWSS,” “ECRWSH,” or “ECRLOT,” as applicable, followed by route type and number.⁴	5-Digit Scheme Carrier Routes Sacks: Required, no minimum. Labels: For Line 1, use L001, Column B. For Line 2, use “STD FLTS CR-RTS SCH.”	5-Digit Carrier Routes Sacks: Required, no minimum. Labels: For Line 1, use city, state, and 5-digit ZIP Code of destination. For Line 2, use “STD FLTS CR-RTS.”

¹	Minimum 90% total active residential or 75% total active deliveries per route (100% if simplified address (343.6.5)).

²	Minimum 125 pieces per route unless route has fewer than 125 deliveries.

³	No facing slip or OEL required if the bundle is placed in a carrier route sack. Bundles in 5-digit/scheme carrier routes sacks must have a facing slip unless the pieces in the bundle show a carrier route information line or an OEL (345.6.4).

⁴	Use “ECRWSS” for saturation, “ECRWSH” for high density, and “ECRLOT” for basic.