There was a meeting of the MTAC 135 Workgroup today to discuss the feedback from USPS Engineering on the D&R (Dispatch & Routing) tags. (rewind a few weeks –> mailers had requested some additional white space be allocated on the D&R tags to allow them some room for “mailer information” – Engineering’s first response was “no – we don’t see a business reason for it” – the industry said “it’s not YOUR business need – it’s OURS” -> fast forward to now)  Engineering now says they can accommodate either a longer or wider tag, but the industry has to make a decision on which because it can’t support both.  When that decision is made by the industry, Engineering will work on and publish specs detailing where the mailer info white-space is.  (btw, rumor has it than an internal USPS mock-up document showed the mailer info at the bottom of the tag)

The USPS will first contact the tag and print vendors to see what they can support (longer or wider or either) – then they will survey the mailers.  More info to follow as it becomes available.

A meeting attendee asked if the USPS will change THEIR stock to accommodate the new sized tags (when in use) to fully cover the mailer’s tag if there is the need for an “overlay”.

The USPS responded that they will need to look into how to accomodate this – just as the industry will – and they will let us know.

 

Wallace Vingelis

Director, Postal Industry Practice

Window Book, Inc.                

Phone:  (617) 395-4569

email:    wvingelis@windowbook.com