Critical Entry Times

Every postal plant has an operating plan designed for mail processing operations to meet published service standards. Operating plans are combinations of processes and organizing principles that reflect the operational structure, strategy, processing goals and customer commitments of a postal facility. The facility uses its operating plan to process mail efficiently and move volumes from one operation to the next to meet its service standards.

While an operating plan includes several items, the critical entry time (CET) is particularly significant. CET is the latest time that a minimal amount of mail can be tendered to designated induction points in the postal network in order for it to be processed and dispatched to meet service standards.

Generally, the local plant determines CETs and defines specific times for each mail class in its operating plan. On July 1, a national postal policy established the CET for destination entry Standard Mail as 4 p.m. for drop shipments prepared on pallets or in other appropriate containers and 12 noon for bed-loaded trailers.

These national CETs were designed to support achievement of the service standards for Standard Mail drop-shipped by mailers to specific locations. All postal operating plans have been updated to reflect the national times for destination entry Standard Mail. There is no national CET for origin-entered Standard Mail.

While it does not affect the length of the service standard for Standard Mail, the national CET affects the start time for service performance. If the Postal Service receives a drop shipment before the national CET, the day of receipt is designated as the “arrival date.” If the mailing is accepted after the CET, the mailing will have an arrival date of the following applicable processing day.

As long as the mailer arrives before the national CET and meets other elements required for mail acceptance and service measurement, service performance will start on the same day of the scheduled drop shipment appointment.

Carrier Pickup Now Includes Returns

The Carrier Pickup program has been expanded and now includes Merchandise Return Service (MRS) and Parcel Return Service (PRS) packages. This expansion meets the need of merchants and shippers, as well as consumers, who value the convenience of using the Postal Service.

Customers now can use usps.com/pickup to schedule a pickup for MRS and PRS packages, as well as expedited — Express Mail and Priority Mail — and international packages. Customers can have any or all of the above picked up under the enhanced Carrier Pickup program.

Expanding Carrier Pickup provides convenience for merchants and consumers in various ways.

• Returns. As Internet shopping continues to grow, especially around the busy holiday season, consumers can request Carrier Pickup of items when merchants provide them with labels for MRS and PRS. Many more merchants provide downloadable return labels through their Internet sites.
• Recycles. People concerned about the environment will find it more convenient to recycle old cell phones, MP-3 players, ink-jet cartridges and other small electronic devices using these services.
• Recalls. Consumers can use Carrier Pickup in the event of a recall of products that meet the size and weight criteria for mailing when manufacturers provide MRS and PRS labels.
• Repairs. Consumers may have items that need to be sent to a facility for repair using MRS or PRS.

The Postal Service is the only delivery service that visits America's 146 million home and business addresses every day. Nobody in the industry can take a package out of the household as efficiently and effectively as we can. Our letter carriers leave their station with a full truck and they want to come back to their station with a full truck.

For additional information and to schedule a pickup, go to usps.com/pickup.

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