NOTE: COMMENTS REGARDING ANY FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE MUST BE SENT TO THE ADDRESS INDICATED IN THE DOCUMENT. ANY COMMENTS ON THE RAPID INFORMATION BULLETIN BOARD SYSTEM (RIBBS) ABOUT ANY FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES WILL NOT BE USED OR CONSIDERED IN THE COURSE OF ANY RULE MAKING. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- =============================================================================== [Federal Register: January 13, 1997 (Volume 62, Number 8)] [Rules and Regulations] [Page 1674-1678] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- POSTAL SERVICE 39 CFR Part 20 Interim Rule for Global Package Link (GPL) to Canada AGENCY: Postal Service. ACTION: Interim rule with request for comments. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Postal Service is amending the rule on Global Package Link to Canada. New pricing is being announced, effective January 13, 1997. The new pricing is a reduction in the rates previously established. The Postal Service is also announcing a new Ground Gateway Global Package Link service to Canada. In order to support this new GPL service, Buffalo has been added as a GPL processing center for ground service only. The Buffalo GPL center will open for service on January 21, 1997. The new ground service will be available to any customer within a 500 mile radius of the two Ground Gateway centers, Seattle, Washington and Buffalo, New York and any other customer that can utilize a direct, existing Postal Service surface transportation to one of the two Ground Gateways. In addition, a merchandise return service is being announced, along with prices, for any customer utilizing the GPL to Canada service. DATES: The interim regulations take effect as of 12:01 a.m. on January 13, 1997, except for the new Ground Gateway service from Buffalo which will take effect at 12:01 a.m. on January 21, 1997. Comments must be received on or before February 12, 1997. ADDRESSES: Written comments should be mailed or delivered to International Business Unit, U.S. Postal Service, 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, 370-IBU, Washington, DC 20260-6500. Copies of all written comments will be available for public inspection and photocopying between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, at the above address. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Opiela, (202) 314-7134. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Introduction Global Package Link is a service that assists mail order companies and other customers that send merchandise to Japan, Canada, and the U.K. Presently, the Postal Service has Global Package Link processing facilities in New York City, Dallas, Miami, Chicago, San Francisco, and Seattle. II. GPL to Canada Description GPL to Canada currently offers an Air Courier and a Ground Courier service. These services are offered through one of the six aforementioned processing facilities. In most cases these facilities airlift the GPL packages to Canada. A new Ground Gateway service will become effective immediately via Seattle and on January 21, 1997 via Buffalo. This service will provide surface transportation from the mailer's fulfillment center to one of the two Ground Gateways; Seattle or Buffalo. Those mailers within 500 miles of Buffalo will have their packages processed for ground entry into Canada via the Buffalo center, while those mailers within 500 miles of Seattle will have their packages processed for surface entry into Canada via Seattle, which is also an air exchange office for all other GPL destination countries. Buffalo will only be a GPL ground gateway. Packages will be transported from the Ground Gateways via Postal Service ground transportation to Toronto (from Buffalo) and to Vancouver (from Seattle). From this point the GPL delivery agent will provide expeditious courier handling to the destination address. The Ground Gateway Service to Canada will include all of the value- added services currently available with the Ground Courier service, including the recently added $100 (Canadian) insurance indemnity per shipment (Air Courier continues to be covered by $500 [[Page 1675]] EMS insurance). The service standard is anticipated to be three to eight business days after dispatch from a customer's plant, depending upon the location of final destination. (For addresses in the Maritimes and extreme northern territories where distance and poor roads affect transportation, delivery times could be as long as ten days.) Customers shipping from outside the 500 mile radius of a Ground Gateway may expect longer delivery times. Package Specific Information Package specific information, package size and weight limits, and customs clearance for Ground Gateway service will be the same as for Air and Ground Courier service. Preparation Requirements The preparation requirements for the Ground Gateway service are the same as for the Ground Courier service. III. Rates Rates for Air Courier service and Ground Courier service are being reduced by between 8 and 10 percent. Volume discounts are being changed to a single 3 percent discount for packages in excess of 100,000 during a twelve month period. The Postal Service is also instituting a return service for packages sent to Canada via GPL. Global Package Link Canada ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Price per item (pounds) --------------------------------------------------------------- Weight not over Ground Ground Air courier courier gateway Returns ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1.............................................. $9.15 $7.75 $7.50 $6.49 2.............................................. 10.01 8.49 7.75 7.16 3.............................................. 11.53 9.89 8.00 7.82 4.............................................. 13.04 10.79 8.25 8.49 5.............................................. 14.56 11.72 8.50 9.16 6.............................................. 15.96 12.65 9.00 9.83 7.............................................. 17.46 13.49 9.50 10.49 8.............................................. 18.97 14.33 10.00 11.16 9.............................................. 20.47 15.18 10.50 11.83 10.............................................. 21.98 16.01 11.00 12.50 11.............................................. 23.32 16.75 11.50 13.16 12.............................................. 24.81 17.60 12.00 13.83 13.............................................. 26.32 18.47 12.50 14.50 14.............................................. 27.81 19.32 13.00 15.17 15.............................................. 29.31 20.19 13.50 15.83 16.............................................. 30.80 21.53 14.00 16.50 17.............................................. 32.31 22.41 14.50 17.17 18.............................................. 33.80 23.29 15.00 17.84 19.............................................. 35.29 24.35 15.50 18.50 20.............................................. 36.79 25.23 16.00 19.17 21.............................................. 38.02 25.93 16.50 19.84 22.............................................. 39.50 26.80 17.00 20.50 23.............................................. 40.99 27.68 17.50 21.17 24.............................................. 42.47 28.56 18.00 21.84 25.............................................. 43.97 29.44 18.50 22.51 26.............................................. 45.45 30.31 19.00 23.17 27.............................................. 46.59 31.20 19.50 23.84 28.............................................. 48.42 32.07 20.00 24.51 29.............................................. 49.91 32.95 20.50 25.18 30.............................................. 51.40 33.83 21.00 25.84 31.............................................. 52.50 34.45 21.50 26.51 32.............................................. 53.97 35.31 22.00 27.18 33.............................................. 55.46 36.19 22.50 27.85 34.............................................. 56.93 37.06 23.00 28.51 35.............................................. 58.40 37.93 23.50 29.18 36.............................................. 59.87 38.80 24.00 29.85 37.............................................. 61.36 39.68 24.50 30.52 38.............................................. 62.83 40.85 25.00 31.18 39.............................................. 64.31 41.90 25.50 31.85 40.............................................. 65.78 42.93 26.00 32.52 41.............................................. 66.78 43.49 26.50 33.19 42.............................................. 68.24 44.37 27.00 33.85 43.............................................. 69.70 45.25 27.50 34.52 44.............................................. 71.16 46.48 28.00 35.19 45.............................................. 72.64 47.37 28.50 35.86 46.............................................. 73.56 47.88 29.00 36.52 47.............................................. 75.01 49.51 29.50 37.19 48.............................................. 76.46 51.15 30.00 37.86 49.............................................. 77.81 52.83 30.50 38.52 50.............................................. 79.37 54.92 31.00 39.19 51.............................................. 80.83 56.26 31.50 39.86 52.............................................. 82.29 57.63 32.00 40.53 53.............................................. 83.74 59.03 32.50 41.19 54.............................................. 85.20 60.43 33.00 41.86 55.............................................. 86.66 61.84 33.50 42.53 56.............................................. 87.47 62.41 34.00 43.20 [[Page 1676]] 57.............................................. 88.91 63.40 34.50 43.86 58.............................................. 90.36 64.39 35.00 44.53 59.............................................. 91.80 65.38 35.50 45.20 60.............................................. 93.26 66.82 36.00 45.87 61.............................................. 94.70 67.83 36.50 46.53 62.............................................. 96.15 68.82 37.00 47.20 63.............................................. 96.88 69.79 37.50 47.87 64.............................................. 98.31 70.76 38.00 48.54 65.............................................. 99.75 71.79 38.50 49.20 66.............................................. 101.18 72.83 39.00 49.87 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Discounts Postage is reduced by the following discount once the applicable volume thresholds are reached during a 12 month period: 100,000 or less...............................................base rate over 100,000 annually...............................3 per cent discount No discounts are available for returns. The above prices are effective January 13, 1997 for the Air Courier and Ground Courier service. Prices for the new Ground Gateway Service become effective immediately for those eligible to use the Seattle center and on January 21, 1997, for those eligible to use the Buffalo center. List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 20 Foreign relations, International postal service. The Postal Service adopts the following interim amendments to the International Mail Manual, which is incorporated by reference in the Code of Federal Regulations. See 39 CFR 20.1. PART 20--[AMENDED] 1. The authority citation for 39 CFR part 20 continues to read as follows: Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552(a); 39 U.S.C. 401, 404, 407, 408. 2. The Individual Country Listing for Canada in the International Mail Manual is amended by adding the interim regulations concerning Global Package Link processing facilities, rate chart for GPL- Canada and new Ground Gateway centers. Global Package Link (620) Delivery Options [Note: Add the following information as the third delivery option:] Ground Gateway Service Ground Gateway Service will offer ground service to Canada from the designated Ground Gateway facilities and ground transportation to final destination in Canada. It will receive the same expeditious customs clearance as the Ground Courier Service and normal delivery times for 95 percent of all Canadian addresses will be three to eight days after dispatch from the customer's plant, depending on the location of the final destination. (For addresses in the Maritimes and extreme northern territories where distance and poor roads affect transportation, delivery times could be as long as ten days.) Processing Facilities [Note: Add the information below about Ground Gateway Centers:] Ground Gateway Centers Ground Gateway Service will be processed at one of two designated Ground Gateway centers; Seattle and Buffalo. Processing and Acceptance [Note: Add acceptance procedures for Ground Gateway service:] Within 500 Miles of a Global Package Link Ground Gateway Facility If the plant at which the customer's Global Package Link packages originate is located within 500 miles of a Global Package Link Ground Gateway, the Postal Service will verify and accept the packages at the customer's plant and transport them to the Global Package Link Ground Gateway according to a schedule agreed upon by the Postal Service and the customer. More Than 500 Miles From a Global Package Link Ground Gateway Facility Customers located outside of a 500 mile radius of these two Ground Gateway centers for Ground Gateway GPL service to Canada may still use the service provided they are located in a city having direct, existing Postal Service surface transpiration to one of the two Ground Gateway centers. If no such existing surface transportation exists in their origin city, the mailer may drop ship, at their own expense, packages to one of the Ground Gateway centers. Insurance and Indemnity [Add the information below on Ground Gateway insurance:] Ground Gateway Service Packages sent through Ground Gateway Service include up to $100 (Canadian) insurance at no additional cost. Base Rates [Note: Replace the current discount table with the one below:] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Number of packages Percent discount ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Up to 100,000............................. Base Rate. 100,001 and over.......................... 3% off base rates. No discount for parcel returns............ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Preparation Requirements [Note: Add the information below about preparation requirements for third service:] Ground Gateway Service There are no Canada-specific preparation requirements for packages sent through Ground Gateway Service. Packages weighing 1 pound or less must bear the ``SMALL PACKET'' marking (see 264.21). Return Service A return merchandise service will be available to GPL--Canada customers. The mailer/or the Canadian recipient, will be responsible for payment of shipment costs back to the designated Canadian return center. The return center will open and inspect the contents of each box and process for return back to the U.S., including applying for a refund of duties and taxes to Revenue Canada. Upon arrival in the U.S., the parcels will be sent back to the mailer via the domestic parcel network. The return prices, per parcel, are detailed in the rate chart. [[Page 1677]] [Replacing current rate table with the one below] Global Package Link Canada ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Price per item ------------------------------------------------ Weight not over (pounds) Ground Ground Returns Air courier courier gateway ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1............................................... $9.15 $7.75 $7.50 $6.49 2............................................... 10.01 8.49 7.75 7.16 3............................................... 11.53 9.89 8.00 7.82 4............................................... 13.04 10.79 8.25 8.49 5............................................... 14.56 11.72 8.50 9.16 6............................................... 15.96 12.65 9.00 9.83 7............................................... 17.46 13.49 9.50 10.49 8............................................... 18.97 14.33 10.00 11.16 9............................................... 20.47 15.18 10.50 11.83 10.............................................. 21.98 16.01 11.00 12.50 11.............................................. 23.32 16.75 11.50 13.16 12.............................................. 24.81 17.60 12.00 13.83 13.............................................. 26.32 18.47 12.50 14.50 14.............................................. 27.81 19.32 13.00 15.17 15.............................................. 29.31 20.19 13.50 15.83 16.............................................. 30.80 21.53 14.00 16.50 17.............................................. 32.31 22.41 14.50 17.17 18.............................................. 33.80 23.29 15.00 17.84 19.............................................. 35.29 24.35 15.50 18.50 20.............................................. 36.79 25.23 16.00 19.17 21.............................................. 38.02 25.93 16.50 19.84 22.............................................. 39.50 26.80 17.00 20.50 23.............................................. 40.99 27.68 17.50 21.17 24.............................................. 42.47 28.56 18.00 21.84 25.............................................. 43.97 29.44 18.50 22.51 26.............................................. 45.45 30.31 19.00 23.17 27.............................................. 46.59 31.20 19.50 23.84 28.............................................. 48.42 32.07 20.00 24.51 29.............................................. 49.91 32.95 20.50 25.18 30.............................................. 51.40 33.83 21.00 25.84 31.............................................. 52.50 34.45 21.50 26.51 32.............................................. 53.97 35.31 22.00 27.18 33.............................................. 55.46 36.19 22.50 27.85 34.............................................. 56.93 37.06 23.00 28.51 35.............................................. 58.40 37.93 23.50 29.18 36.............................................. 59.87 38.80 24.00 29.85 37.............................................. 61.36 39.68 24.50 30.52 38.............................................. 62.83 40.85 25.00 31.18 39.............................................. 64.31 41.90 25.50 31.85 40.............................................. 65.78 42.93 26.00 32.52 41.............................................. 66.78 43.49 26.50 33.19 42.............................................. 68.24 44.37 27.00 33.85 43.............................................. 69.70 45.25 27.50 34.52 44.............................................. 71.16 46.48 28.00 35.19 45.............................................. 72.64 47.37 28.50 35.86 46.............................................. 73.56 47.88 29.00 36.52 47.............................................. 75.01 49.51 29.50 37.19 48.............................................. 76.46 51.15 30.00 37.86 49.............................................. 77.81 52.83 30.50 38.52 50.............................................. 79.37 54.92 31.00 39.19 51.............................................. 80.83 56.26 31.50 39.86 52.............................................. 82.29 57.63 32.00 40.53 53.............................................. 83.74 59.03 32.50 41.19 54.............................................. 85.20 60.43 33.00 41.86 55.............................................. 86.66 61.84 33.50 42.53 56.............................................. 87.47 62.41 34.00 43.20 57.............................................. 88.91 63.40 34.50 43.86 58.............................................. 90.36 64.39 35.00 44.53 59.............................................. 91.80 65.38 35.50 45.20 60.............................................. 93.26 66.82 36.00 45.87 61.............................................. 94.70 67.83 36.50 46.53 62.............................................. 96.15 68.82 37.00 47.20 63.............................................. 96.88 69.79 37.50 47.87 64.............................................. 98.31 70.76 38.00 48.54 65.............................................. 99.75 71.79 38.50 49.20 66.............................................. 101.18 72.83 39.00 49.87 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [[Page 1678]] Stanley F. Mires, Chief Counsel, Legislative. [FR Doc. 97-490 Filed 1-10-97; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7710-12-P