Keep Mail Monopoly, Universal Service: PRC Report
As expected, the Postal Regulatory Commission recommended keeping the U.S. Postal Service’s postal monopoly and universal service, in its report to Congress and President Bush on Friday.
The report estimated the annual cost of the universal service runs about $4.4 billion. The estimated value of the combined letter mail and mailbox monopolies ranges from $200 million to $7.1 billion, with $3.48 billion as the most plausible estimate, the Commission noted.
The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006 directed the Commission to produce this report.
The report found that the public is generally satisfied with the current level of universal service provided by the USPS.
The Commission also determined current law requires that it applies to both competitive and market dominant postal products.
The Commission also set up Docket No. PI2009-1, to accept comments on this report.
The PRC said it would evaluate all comments received, and may issue supplemental analyses based on them.
