QUESTIONS ON DELIVERY POINT SEQUENCING (DPS) PROCEDURES FOR RURAL ROUTES
Questions and Answers generated by the National Joint Steering Committee (NJSC), March 8 & 9, 1995.
WHAT IS A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN THE QUALITY OF DPS MAIL?
The implementation guidelines for DPS mail instruct carriers on routes that frequently experience significant decreases in quality of the DPS mail to make a written request asking for a formal review of the DPS processing for their route. If the formal review indicates quality has deteriorated significantly or a pattern of random automated processing is revealed, management must take corrective action to ensure that the processing quality is returned to acceptable levels within 30 days.
Initially, no number or percent was set for what would be considered a frequent, significant quality decrease. It was anticipated that the local DJSCs would examine the capabilities of their local mail processing operations, and other related conditions, and determine what was a frequent, significant variance based on their knowledge of local conditions.
The chart below gives an example of what might be DPS mail quality for a typical 24 day period for any office. While the majority of days are at or above the 98 percent quality threshold required to qualify the route for DPS, the threshold is not achieved every day. Temporary machine problems or bad mailings can have an impact on quality on any given day. We realize however that this is normal and is not considered frequent or significant.
However, continually running below 98 percent can have a significant impact on the number of pieces of mail the carrier brings back to the office which are not being properly handled. The chart below shows the DPS mail quality for a 24 day period in an office which is having frequent, significant problems processing the mail. In situations like these, we expect that management should be looking at the mail to determine what the problems are and making an effort to fix them. If no action is taken or the problem is not identified and corrected, carriers at this unit would most likely make a written request for review.
If corrective action has not resolved the problem within 30 calendar days of the carrier's written request, management will prepare a Form 4003, Official Rural Route Description, discontinuing the application of DPS standards. The DPS volume will be reclassified as sector/segment mail (if processing standards are achievable) or raw mail, as appropriate, and a base hour change made to adjust the route evaluation. The Form 4003 will be processed with an effective date beginning with the first day of the pay period in which the carrier provided written notification requesting a review of DPS processing.
This same process is applicable where there is a disproportionate reduction in DPS volume in relationship to the total letter volume for the route. In these cases, the formal review would try to determine if a zone or route is no longer being properly processed on automated equipment or a pattern of random automated processing is revealed. Management must take corrective action to ensure that the processing is returned to levels equivalent to those experienced during the previous mail count period within 30 days.
HOW DO YOU DETERMINE IF DPS VOLUME HAS DECREASED SINCE THE MAIL COUNT?
During the mail count, a physical piece count of the DPS volume is conducted. Additionally, all offices are supposed to make a linear measurement of all letter and flat mail delivered at the same time. This linear measurement, which is called the Daily Unit Volume Recording or DUVRS, is a method of estimating workload. It is anticipated that these volumes will have similar ebbs and swells and there would be a correlation between the volumes. That is, if a route receives 10 linear feet of letters and flats and 500 pieces of DPS mail, then when the volume increases to 20 linear feet, it is expected that the route would receive approximately 1,000 pieces of DPS mail. If volume dropped to 5 feet, then only about 250 pieces of DPS mail would be expected. The key is to determine the linear average and daily volume average during the mail count.
It should also be noted that this volume information should be gathered for 2 to 4 weeks before you can definitively state that volume is not at the level experienced during the count. This is not a picture that can be taken in one day or one week. Also, there will also be periods where volume may increase but DPS will not. This will most likely be caused by the type of mail generating the increase (non-machineable or flat mail) which cannot be put in delivery sequence order. The same thing could happen in reverse where DPS volume increases but overall volume does not (more machineable mail).
A second less frequent situation can occur in offices with a dedicated amount of machine time regardless of the volume available. In some areas, an office has a set amount of machine time and the carriers would normally receive the same volume daily whether the overall volume is up or down. Mail which cannot be processed as DPS due to lack of machine time is run on other operations and provided to the carrier for casing. This is acceptable as long as the office continues to achieve the anticipated DPS volume on a weekly basis. If machine run time is reduced, this office would be a candidate for review of DPS volume. Again, only local officials can make a determination as to whether volume commitments are being met based on a number of factors such as available mail, machine time, and proper processing. This is why the DJSC's were entrusted to monitor DPS processing and take appropriate action when necessary to ensure DPS problems are corrected.
DO SEPARATOR CARDS HAVE TO BE USED IN DPS MAIL?
No. In the initial DPS implementation instructions, it was suggested that separator or marker cards should be used in the DPS tray at reasonable intervals established by the carrier and approved by local management. The use of the cards would give the carrier visual assurance that the DPS mail is in delivery order and that there are no obvious sweeping errors. Fingering or riffling trayed letters to ensure accurate DPS sortation would not be required where separator cards are used in proper sequence.
Several offices have declined to use separator cards for a number of legitimate reasons. If these cards are not used, we must ensure that carriers are receiving the appropriate fingering or riffling time required to be reasonably assured that the DPS mail is accurately sorted.
HOW IS A HAND-FULL OF MAIL HANDLED IF IT IS OUT OF ORDER DURING A MAIL COUNT?
If during the process of riffling or fingering their DPS mail, a carrier notices that a hand-full of good DPS mail is out of sequence in their tray (most likely a sweeping error), the carrier extracts the hand-full and places it in the appropriate location. Time to make these types of minor corrections would be included in the rifling and fingering time recorded in Column R, Other Suitable Allowance, during the mail count. A similar method can be used to make minor corrections to the mail where separator cards are used.
IF THE CARRIER CHOOSES TO CASE THEIR DPS MAIL DURING A MAIL COUNT, HOW IS THE MAIL THE CARRIER WOULD HAVE BROUGHT BACK (IF THEY DIDN'T CASE IT) COUNTED?
All mail the carrier receives as DPS mail is recorded under Column L, Delivery Point Sequence Letters. Normally, if the carrier takes the DPS mail directly to the street, all the DPS mail they bring back, because it is out of sequence or otherwise not deliverable, is recorded in Column A, Letter Size, or Column C, Newspapers, Magazines, Flats, Catalogs and Rolls, as appropriate. The fact that the carrier may elect to case that mail during the mail count does not change the recording procedure. DPS mail which would have been brought back by the carrier is recorded in column A or C as appropriate.
WHEN CONDUCTING A MAIL COUNT UNDER ARTICLE 9.2.C.11.a.3., WHEN DOES THE 90-DAY QUALIFYING PERIOD BEGIN?
The 90-day period for the route qualifying under the negation criteria doesn't begin until management notifies the local union officials that they are ready to implement the DPS handling procedures in an office. The introduction of DPS processing does not, in itself, constitute the beginning of the 90-day period. Initially DPS must be given to the carrier for at least 30 days prior to conducting any mail count. This time period is set aside to ensure that the mail is being properly processed. Additionally, each route receiving DPS mail must qualify under the 98 percent quality threshold cri9teria before it is counted. This is a long process and management may be attempting to qualify a number of routes in an office at the same time before calling for a count. Finally, each route must be receiving a sufficient volume to ensure a 120 minute change of the DPS count will not take effect. All of these criteria are weighed by local management before calling for a mail count under the negation criteria found in the contract. Most managers attempt to qualify as many routes in an office as possible before conducting a count to ensure that the routes have a similar count period and to minimize grievances or arguments over whether a count period was representative as required under Article 9.2.C.11.b.(2). Additionally, while route are being qualified in an office, steps must be taken to ensure that the quality and quantity levels are maintained on the first route's qualifying while awaiting qualification of other routes in the office.
IF A DPS NEGATION COUNT DOES NOT CHANGE BY 120 MINUTES, IS THE MAIL RECORDED AS SECTOR/SEGMENT AND THE COUNT PROCESSED?
No. A DPS count called under the negation criteria must change the route evaluation which exists prior to the count by 120 minutes, plus or minus, in order to be processed. Any special count called under the negation criteria will not be processed if the evaluation does not change by 120 minute or the DPS volume does not average 2,400 DPS pieces per week. A DPS count will be processed if the change is not 120 minutes, plus or minus, if the count is for a reason other than the negation criteria, and as long as the DPS volume equals 2,400 pieces per week. If a route receives less than 2,400 pieces per week in this scenario, the volume will be recorded as sector/segment, if it qualifies as this type of mail, or random volume, as appropriate.
HOW DO I DETERMINE THE IMPACT OF DPS IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE REBUILD ADJUSTMENT?
We have simplified the formula used to calculate the impact the introduction of DPS has on the evaluation of a rural route. If you have a route which has not been counted as receiving sector/segment mail, and the route is now being counted and evaluated under the DPS standard, multiply the weekly average DPS pieces recorded in column L by 0.0365 minutes. This will give you the minutes per week that the route is impacted due to the introduction of DPS mail.
If you have a route which has been counted as receiving sector/segment mail, and the route is now being counted and evaluated under DPS standards, multiply the weekly average DPS pieces recorded in Column L by 0.0277 minutes. This will give you the minutes per week that the route is impacted due to the introduction of DPS mail.
ONCE AN OFFICE/ROUTE RECEIVES 60 PERCENT OF THEIR LETTER MAIL AS DPS, HOW DO WE HANDLE POTENTIAL BUFFER NEEDS IF WE EXPECT THE DPS PERCENTAGE TO INCREASE TO 70 OR 75 PERCENT IN A RELATIVELY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME?
The guidelines allow for keeping some buffer after the 60 percent target is reached. After a route is counted under DPS standards (or determined not to be eligible for DPS), vacant route are generally posted and filled after the rebuild process is completed. Also, auxiliary routes are counted and posted and filled if eligible, after the rebuild process is completed. However, in both instructions, the designated manager and state steward are asked to make a final review of the office to determine whether additional buffer will be needed due to possible increases in the percentage of DPS mail. The parties must consider potential changes from rural box numbers to street name and house number addresses, growth in the area, and or any other elements which would impact route evaluations which could increase DPS volume. It is expected that most additional buffer, if needed, would be kept on an auxiliary route or on the route(s) we expect the additional impact.
CAN A ROUTE STAY IN AN OVERBURDENED STATUS AFTER BEING COUNTED AS RECEIVING 60 PERCENT OF ITS LETTER MAIL AS DPS?
Generally, it is expected that, after the routes in an office have been counted and rebuilt due to the impact of DPS, no route would be higher in evaluation than 46K. However, it is possible that a route might be left in a higher classification if warranted. A route expecting a dramatic increase in DPS volume above the 60 percent level may want to leave an additional hour or two buffer on a route to compensate for the expected DPS volume. Also, it may not be feasible to adjust some hours away from the route due to other operational considerations in an office. Finally, while it is possible that routes can be left above 46K after reaching the 60 percent DPS target, it is not encouraged as other ways of maintaining additional buffer are available (see previous question).
CAN AN OFFICE BE FINISHED WITH DPS EVEN IF ALL THE ROUTES IN THE OFFICE HAVE NOT REACHED THE 60 PERCENT TARGET?
Yes. There are circumstances where a route might never reach the 60 percent target for DPS volume. Routes with a high number of incompatible address formats may not reach the 60 percent criteria. Mail that cannot be placed in delivery point sequence is current machinery will impact the overall percentage of DPS mail a route can receive. This mail may be counted as sector/segment on routes which receive a sufficient volume in this manner. Also, route with traditional rural route and box number addresses cannot currently be processed on existing machinery and may not achieve the 60 percent criteria. Until changes are made to processing equipment to allow these addresses to be processed in sequence, or a county street name and house numbering system is scheduled for imminent implementation, these types of routes/offices may never achieve the 60 percent DPS target and should be closed out when local management and the rural union representative determine that additional increases in DPS volume for that office are not anticipated.
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DELIVERY POINT SEQUENCE AND SECTOR/SEGMENT MAIL
Updated Questions and Answers -- February 8, 1997
1. WHO CONDUCTS THE 98% QUALITY THRESHOLD CHECK?
Quality threshold checks are normally performed by quality specialists who are trained in the procedure. However, District Joint Steering Committee members (or designees), or other individuals who have been appropriately trained in the quality check process, can conduct the review.
2. WHAT KINDS OF ERRORS COUNT AGAINST THE 98 % QUALITY THRESHOLD?
Only missequenced mail and missorted mail count against the 98% quality threshold which must be achieved before a route qualifies for DPS. Missent mail is not considered an error toward the 98% quality threshold.
3. WHAT IS A MISSENT PIECE?
Missent is mail for the wrong delivery unit zone and as such is not an error that occurs directly as a result of the delivery point sequencing process. A missent error occurred before we began DPS processing and can also occur with DPS processing. Missent mail is generally not deliverable on the day it arrives in the wrong zone and because of that a missent error, is not part of the calculation for the 98% quality threshold.
4. WHAT IS A MISSORT PIECE?
Missort is an individual mail piece found in the DPS mail that is for the correct delivery zone but distributed to the wrong route in that zone. A missort error represents a service failure re4sulting from DPS processing. A missort error is part of the calculation for the 98% quality threshold.
5. WHAT IS A MISSEQUENCED PIECE?
Missequenced is an individual mail piece belonging to the route but sorted to the wrong address on the route. A missequence error represents a service failure resulting from DPS processing. A missequence error is part of the calculation for the 98 percent quality threshold.
6. WHAT IS NOT A DPS ERROR?
The following mail pieces are not considered errors when found in DPS mail:
Mail pieces that we attempt to deliver but the addressee is unknown to the customer, mail that is forwardable for a customer who has moved, and unforwardable mail such as forwarding order expired, deceased, temporary hold orders, and no obvious value.
Mail for a post office box customer that contains the street address on the line just above the city, state/Zip code.
Accountable pieces that are processed in delivery point sequence and not checked out to the carrier as part of a normal accountable process.
Many of these pieces can be eliminated from the DPS mail to be delivered if a station input is used to withhold current mark-ups and post office box customers.
7. WHAT IS A SWEEPING ERROR?
Generally, a sweeping error is the result of an individual responsible for taking the mail off the processing equipment pulling a bin(s) out of order causing the mail not to be in delivery sequence when it reaches the carrier. If a sweeping error can be corrected without requiring casing of the DPS mail, actual time for correcting the sweeping error would be recorded under column R, Other Suitable Allowance. This may involve moving a handful(s) of mail in a tray or trays as necessary. NOTE: the 125 piece rule would apply only if casing is required and the carrier is already being compensated under DPS standards.
8. TO HELP DETECT SWEEPING ERRORS, WHAT PROCEDURES CAN BE USED TO ENSURE THAT DPS MAIL IS IN SEQUENCE?
Separator cards are used to provide the carrier reasonable assurance that the DPS mail is in delivery order. Use of numbered or color coded cards eliminates the need for the carrier to riffle mail. If cards are not used, carriers must receive actual time for riffling DPS mail to assure them that it is in delivery sequence. Time for riffling is recorded under column R, Other Suitable Allowance, during a mail count.
9. CAN A ROUTE RECEIVE DELIVERY POINT SEQUENCE (DPS) MAIL AND SECTOR/SEGMENT MAIL?
Yes. It is possible for a route to have both types of automated mail. As an example, a route could be half-residential and half-apartment buildings. The residential mail can be sequenced but the apartment mail can only be bulked to the arrow lock (Unless high-rise sortation has been implemented). This mail will be run using the DPS scheme. The residential mail is handled as DPS mail and the apartment mail is normally considered as sector/segment mail. The residential deliveries would still have to meet the 98% quality threshold and minimum weekly volumes to be considered DPS mail. Also, the apartment mail should be reviewed by the DJSC or its representatives to ensure compliance with sector/segment standards and sufficient volumes to allow fro reasonable handling. Insufficient mail volume deemed as not qualifying fro sector/segment would be counted as regular letters or flats as appropriate and provided with other random mail.
10. IF A CARRIER RECEIVES BOTH, DO THEY HAVE TO CASE THE SECTOR/SEGMENT MAIL IF THEY CARRY THE DPS DIRECTLY TO THE STREET?
Normally, sector/segment mail is cased in the office and strapped out with other random mail. However, a carrier may opt to take this mail directly to the street without casing for centralized deliveries such as apartments or cluster box units (CBUs). Handling sector/segment mail on the street does not change the way it is counted or categorized during a mail count. Also, unlike DPS, errors and undeliverable mail brought back by the carrier from the sector/segment mail portion of the route must not be recounted or added to random mail volume.
11. WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A RURAL CARRIER UTILIZING CLASS LABELS OR PARTICIPATING IN THE CLASS DATA GATHERING PROCESS?
Routes in the CLASS data process must utilize the Edit Book process for providing route delivery information to their local Address Management office. Carriers record delivery additions/deletions directly on the edit sheets provided in the edit book and make historical and other data sheet entries as required. An average weekly time required to complete the edit sheets and required worksheets should be built into the evaluation of the route. During subsequent mail counts, time required to work with the Edit Book should be recorded under Column R, Other Suitable Allowance, and transferred to the appropriate count forms.
12. WHAT IS THE ORDER OF CONSIDERATION TO BUILD AN AUTOMATION BUFFER?
The 1990 memorandum of understanding waiving the contractual requirements associated with adjusting overburdened routes, counting and converting auxiliary routes to regular status, and posting vacant regular routes, remains in effect. Because automation was delayed, routes grew beyond expectations as normal adjustment policies had been waived. Therefore, in July 1995, the order of consideration was changed. Now auxiliary routes are to be used as the primary means of holding buffer hours. If that isn't sufficient, posting of vacant regular routes can be deferred. In some situations it is appropriate to allow routes to grow into or remain in an overburdened status.
13. IF A SPECIAL COUNT IS CALLED UNDER ARTICLE 9.2.C.11.a.(3), FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF DPS, WHEN DOES THE 90 DAYS START? WHAT IS A REPRESENTATIVE PERIOD?
Determination of the starting point for the 90 day clock for a special count under this provision of the contract is at management's discretion. Carriers must be notified when the 90 day clock is beginning. Normally, management would call for a mail count in an office when all routes have achieved the 98% quality threshold and it feels that the volume projections for the count period will achieve the minimum requirements. The count period selected remains subject to discussion as per the provisions of Article 9.2.C.11.b.(2). Special counts are not conducted in July, August or December and these months are not part of the 90 day period. No change is made to the route evaluation if a special count conducted under the negation criteria does not change the route evaluation by at least 120 minutes.
14. WHAT MAKES UP THE 125 PIECES A CARRIER BRINGS BACK FROM THE ROUTE WHICH REQUIRE CASING?
The 125 piece rule only applies to mail the carrier finds in the DPS tray which is deliverable on the route but must be cased first because it is not in delivery sequence. An example would be if someone sweeping the mail accidentally drops a portion of it and it falls out of sequence. If the carrier is unable to identify this problem by looking at the separator cards or riffling the mail in the office, he/she will find it while out on the route and, in al likelihood, be forced to bring the mail back for casing. Markups, hold orders, and missent mail are not considered in the 125 piece rule because the carrier is compensated through the route evaluation fro DPS going to the street and then credited as letters or flats as these pieces are returned to the office.
15. WHAT HAPPENS TO A VACANT REGULAR ROUTE THAT DROPS BELOW 39 HOURS? IS IT CONVERTED TO AUXILIARY STATUS?
No. Once a rural route is converted to regular status it cannot be reverted to auxiliary status. Available alternatives are to rebuild the route using buffer hours in the office or to consolidate the route with other regular or auxiliary routes.
16. HOW DO YOU DO THE "SECOND" OR "THIRD" REBUILD ON A ROUTE?
Each rebuild normally reflects the difference generated by the impact of automated mail between the prior evaluation and the evaluation resulting from the mail count. As an example, a route is evaluated at 55 hours. The total DPS volume after the count indicates a 4 hour impact due to DPS implementation and the route evaluation is 50 hours. We could bring the route back to 54 hours rebuilding the equivalent of the automation impact. If the second year volume indicates DPS has a 6 hour impact, and the evaluation has declined to 51 hours, we would only have to target the rebuild to 53 hours because that is the additional difference between the first year's impact and this year's. This process follows through with all counts until the office or route is declared to be full-up for automation. Based on individual route circumstances, it may be best to rebuild some route evaluations higher than required to avoid the need for future adjustments.
The process, as explained above, looks like this:
FIRST YEAR DPS COUNT
SECOND YEAR DPS COUNT
Pre-DPS Count Evaluation 55 Hours Pre-Second DPS Count Evaluation 54 Hours
First DPS Count Evaluation 50 Hours Second DPS Count Evaluation 51 Hours
Impact of DPS Evaluation 4 Hours Impact of DPS on Route Evaluation 6 Hours (Note: This includes the prior year impact)
Route Rebuild Target 54 Hours Route Rebuild Target 53 Hours
(One hour was lost due to volume fluctuation or other reasons) (Again, the rebuild is for the additional 2 hours of automation impact, not for the general count impact. For the second year this route lost one hour due to volume fluctuation or other reasons.)
Route rebuilds may include impact from lost volume or other reasons if sufficient buffer is available in the office. However, buffer hours should not be used to equalize routes.
17. CAN A ROUTE STILL STAY A 47 OR 48K AFTER DPS IS FULLY COMPLETED?
It is possible that a route might stay in the 47 or 48K classification after DPS. Generally, no routes will be in 47 or 48K evaluation unless there are operational or other needs that warrant consideration.
18. HOW DO I CALCULATE THE DPS PERCENT?
Divide the total volume from Column L. (Delivery Point Sequence Letters), by the sum of Column A. (Letter Size), Column B. (Sector/Segment) and Column L. (Delivery Point Sequence Letters).
19. WHEN COMPARING DPS PIECE COUNT TO DUVRS, DO I USE TOTAL LINEAR FEET OR JUST THE LETTER MAIL LINEAR MEAREMSUENT?
When comparing volume fluctuations for purposes of determining if DPS quantity is being maintained, comparison should be made between the DPS piece count and the linear measurement of all other cased Letter mail (mail which would be recorded in either column A or B in a mail count). The linear measurement of flat mail should not be included in the comparison.
20. ARE THE 11 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS DISCUSSED AT THE MARCH 1995 CO-CHAIRS (NJSC) MEETING AND ISSUED IN APRIL 1995 STILL GOOD?
Yes. Although some things have changed slightly, the overall position taken in that paper is the same position we take today relative to processing, distribution and delivery of DPS mail.