Beachboy
Irritated Indy Voter
The "Managed Service Point" sticker showed up on my mail box yesterday without any explanation. It says MSP, has my zip code, and zip plus that is not my address. I found the following on the internet from the Postal Carriers Handbook.
SERVICE TALK: MANAGED SERVICE POINT (MSP)
The purpose of MSP is to provide our customers with a consistent and timely delivery of mail. One of the major complaints of our customers is that they are not getting their mail at the same time every day. This is not an unreasonable expectation. By implementing MSP, we are better able to analyze and document our delivery performance and address those areas that need improvement.
As a carrier, your efforts are instrumental in the effective usage of this program. Several key elements need your attention such as:
Carriers are required to scan all barcodes on your route and any portion of another route(Pivoting) that you may be assigned.
Carriers are prohibited from manually keying in the barcode number.
Carriers are required to scan all barcodes at the address where it was placed, whether you have mail for that address or not. This scan must be made at the actual time of delivery.
If you are missing a barcode label at a designated service point, it is important that you inform your supervisor upon return to the office.
Missed scans diminish the effectiveness of MSP. All carriers must know the
locations of barcode labels on a route. If you are new to the route, ask your supervisor for the list.
It is important to remember that when you do a pivot on another route, you are required to scan the barcode on that route. Ask you supervisor for the barcode location list prior to departing for the route.
FAX:
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These scans and the information they provide, are official records of the United States Postal Service. It is a serious violation to falsify any of these scans and alter any of these records. It is also a serious violation to have any copies or duplicates of your MSP barcodes and to scan them in order tocircumvent the program. MSP is being monitored extensively. Any indications of duplicate or copied barcodes and manually keying in of barcode numbers will be investigated and the appropriate corrective action will be taken if there is proof of these violations. In some offices, termination actions have been taken against employees committing these violations.
The following excerpts from the ELM and M‐41 pertain to your role in
ensuring that the labels are scanned correctly and that duplicate or copied
labels are not scanned and the barcode numbers are not manually keyed
in.
ELM 661.3c: Employees must avoid, whether or not specifically prohibited
by the Code, which might result in or create the appearance of impeding
Postal Service efficiency and economy.
ELM 61.1: Employyes are expected to discharge their assigned duties
conscientiously and effectively.
ELM 661.51: Employees must obey the instructions of their supervisors.
Please ensure that you understand the importance of correctly scanning
your labels and the seriousness of scanning any duplicate or copied labels.
If you have any questions about MSP or proper set up of scanners and
actual scanning, please contact your supervisor.
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Your cooperation in making MSP an effective program to ensure consistent delivery to our customers is appreciated.
I asked my postman about it, and he was not too happy about it. He said this is a program the USPS has been developing for several years to scan how far along a carrier is in covering their route. The scanner is also a flip cellular telephone. There are quite a few complaints on the internet about USPS not asking about the sticker. Apparently, they do not have to. Looks to me like a way to can lazy postal carriers.
I checked on the internet, a postal carrier delivering mail on the street makes between $52,220 and $57,700. Is this government getting "more bang for their buck," or is this "Big Brother?" For some reason the term "Patriot Act" is running through my mind right now.
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