AFFORDABLE FLATS. While the Postal Service has dramatically improved efficiencies to sort letter mail, the key to mirroring this success for magazines, catalogs and other flat mail is linked to customer involvement. The mailing community needs to prepare flats for automated processing as they have letters.

"To meet the pledge of keeping mail service affordable for flats, we are committed to replicating the breakthrough productivities we achieved with letter mail," explained Senior VP John Rapp, Operations. "Productivity in our letter operations increased 83% from 1993 to 2001. We expect similar results as we implement our Corporate Flat Plan."

The Flat Plan is an efficiency-based strategy of the USPS Transformation Plan, the short-term and long-term blueprint for the future. It will enable the Postal Service to continue to provide affordable service to every American. Flat mail, which includes periodicals and Standard Mail, is a valuable source of postal revenue. It represents 25% of the mail and generates $16.1 billion annually.

USPS EXCELS IN TEST. News 8, WGAL-TV in Lancaster, PA, conducted a shipping test of service with USPS, United Parcel Service and FedEx. It sent packages to and from its station and sister stations in Salinas, CA, Palm Beach, FL, and Des Moines, IA. The first package to arrive came from USPS, which also was rated fastest and least expensive overall. USPS had five first-place deliveries, while UPS had one and FedEx had none.

SIX DISTRICTS WIN CAMMIES. Six USPS districts won awards for significant contributions to customer service in Quarter IV, Fiscal Year 2002, in the Consumer Affairs Managers recognition program. The Arizona and Colorado/Wyoming districts won gold awards, while Northern Illinois won both a silver and a bronze award. Other silver awards went to the Suncoast, Cincinnati and Central Plains districts.

LETTERS TO SANTA. Dear Santa is an ABC Television Network special scheduled to air Thursday, Dec. 5, with an assist from USPS. The Postal Service helped supply the letters to Santa Claus on which the show is based. In the special, the wishes of six children across the country are fulfilled. The show is hosted by Jim Belushi. If the show is well received, another special may be produced next year.