Q: Have a post office that is refusing to deliver newspapers without the tags on the tubs that are delivered at the DDU drops for same day delivery. Where can I find the ruling that says they have to deliver these local newspapers without the tags? 
A: Send the Domestic Mail Manual citation to quit using tubs. Tub use for bundles at DDU drops is a waste of time and energy and is not a good use of “mail transport equipment,” which should be reserved for mail going through the postal distribution network from post office to plant and beyond. See below. 

The Task Force on the United States Postal System has issued its recommendations for reforming the nation’s mail service.
The task force, established in 2018, was charged with recommending administrative and legislative reforms to create a sustainable business model to continue to provide mail services for all Americans. The resulting 74-page report concluded the USPS has an outdated business model and is on an unsustainable financial path. Additional findings include:

A U.S. Postal Service rate case was filed Oct. 10 for changes effective Jan. 27, 2019.
The inflationary cap allowed USPS was about 2.5 percent. Here are details, with charts of prices and percentage increases available online at http://www.texaspress.com/marketing-mail-saturation-shoppers-get-higher….

A U.S. Postal Service rate case was filed Oct. 10 for changes effective Jan. 27, 2019.
The inflationary cap allowed USPS was about 2.5 percent. Here are details of the proposal. See the charts referenced here.
IN-COUNTY MAIL

Here are more questions and answers from inquiries to the National Newspaper Association Postal Hotline in recent weeks.

Q: How does the Post Office look at obits on a Postal Report from our papers? We have both paid obits and basic death notices with only a surcharge, so how does the post office know the difference as they audit?

The U.S. Postal Service is ending curbside delivery for new home construction in favor of cluster boxes, which would require residents to go to a central location in the neighborhood, much like what is done at apartment complexes.
The change was announced in an April 26, 2018, revision to Part 631 of the Postal Operations Manual, an internal document for postmasters and employees to follow. As the Postal Service continues to lose money, it is looking for opportunities, and this has been discussed over the years. 

By MAX HEATH, NNA Postal Consultant

I am sharing relevant content from a recent seminar I attended at the Kentuckiana District Postal Customer Council in Louisville by mailing specialist Ron Burch. I have found him to be a smart guy with in-depth knowledge of the rules in my dealing with that district office. He presented the rules on flat mail design elements, etc.
Although National Newspaper Association members increasingly publish bound magazines as well as newspapers, I thought this review might be helpful to clip and save.

The U.S. Postal Service has been unveiling for some months now the transition to a new, more secure business mail account payment system to migrate current users of the Centralized Account Processing System. It would also consolidate many different payment locations to run through one central account, now called Enterprise Payment System. It is not mandatory. 

Every now and then, I like to share with all National Newspaper Association members some of the calls and emails we get from members where we have helped them in their businesses. Here’s a sample of recent, and hopefully relevant, questions with answers.

The U.S. Postal Service has granted Periodical newspapers the option of preparing flats trays (white tubs) without lids and strapping, as required since 2006.
Customer Support Ruling PS-347 has been issued by Lizbeth Dobbins, manager of product classification at USPS headquarters.
 It limits preparation without lids to pieces “that will be worked or processed at the entry facility or associated Sectional Center Facility.” That would include all the 3-digit ZIP codes covered by the SCF distribution territory, starting with the first three digits of your own ZIP code.