MailPro
News for Mailing Professionals

You can find an article on delivery address placement and formatting for FSS processing in the May/June 2008 MailPro. Go to usps.com/ mailpro.

Flats Sequencing System Moves Forward

Members of IDEAlliance, an organization that develops best practices in publishing and information technology, get a closeup look at the FSS. Taking part in a tour at the Dulles P&DC were (from left) Jim Wiseman, Transcontinental, Hugh Tolson, United Litho, Tom Ramsey, RR Donnelly, Patrick Douglas-Meis, Quebecor, Leanne Herman, Times Printing Co. and Brent Raney of USPS Engineering.

In order to understand the Postal Service’s Flats Sequencing System (FSS) processing strategy, it’s important to understand the volume of flat-size mail and which processing categories are dominant.

Flat mail volume exceeded 52 billion pieces in fiscal year 2007. Standard Mail accounts for 75 percent, Periodicals are 17 percent and First-Class Mail accounts for only 8 percent.

Of our 52 billion flats a year, 20 percent are saturation mail while the other 80 percent require manual sequencing by a letter carrier. This 80 percent that’s manually sequenced is the target volume for the FSS.

FSS operations will begin early in the operating day — each FSS machine will sequence mail for approximately 17 hours on an average day. This translates to about 280,500 sequenced flats per day, per machine.

The FSS two-pass process is different from the Delivery Barcode Sorter two-pass process for letters. With FSS, the first and second passes are run consecutively and each zone (5-digit ZIP Code) will only be run once per day. The expectation is that there will only be one dispatch per zone per day, other than First-Class Mail.

FSS is principally targeting Standard Mail and Periodicals. However, depending on the operating window and mail availability, First-Class Mail may also be included.

A pre-production FSS was installed at the Dulles, VA, Processing and Distribution Center in Northern Virginia in September 2007. This pre-production operation sequences flats for nine delivery units. Working with this machine has allowed the Postal Service to test the equipment, further develop processes and methods, and gain valuable operating experience.

USPS recently installed the first production machine in the Dulles facility and is in the process of testing and integration. The full production phase consisting of 100 FSS machines is scheduled to begin October 2008, and it will take about two years to deploy.

The deployment schedule for the first 100 machines is at ribbs.usps.gov/mtac.html. Click Flats Sequencing System (FSS) – Phase I Deployment Schedule. To see the zones (5-digit ZIP Codes) associated with the facility locations, click Flats Sequencing System (FSS) – Phase I Zones.

DELIVERING RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMANCE

National on-time performance scores for the delivery of First-Class Mail set another new record for highest level of service during the third quarter of fiscal year 2008.

National overnight delivery service climbed a full percentage point from the previous fiscal quarter, reaching an average of 97 percent on-time delivery, the highest score ever achieved by Postal Service employees.

In fact, delivery service performance reached record highs for all three categories of mail the Postal Service tracks.

• Overnight service was 97 percent on-time, up from 96 percent the same period last year.

• Two-day service was 95 percent on-time, up from 93 percent the same period last year.

• Three-day service was 94 percent on-time, up from 91 percent the same period last year.

The third quarter covers April, May and June 2008.

First-Class Mail performance is measured by IBM Global Business Services. The review measures First-Class Mail from the time it is deposited into a collection box or lobby mail chute until it is delivered to a home or business.