As if there had been any doubt, the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) approved the USPS’s holiday season rate hike requested last month. But in its filing on Thursday, the PRC noted that the Public Representative* called the temporary increase a method by which the USPS extracts revenues “by twisting the financial screws on the wallets of holiday participants” and said he hoped the USPS could focus more on reducing costs.
Shippers who use USPS competitive services (as opposed to market dominant services such as First Class Letter mail) will pay at least 5% more to send their orders beginning October 5. The rates impact: Priority Mail Express (PME), Priority Mail (PM), USPS Ground Advantage, and Parcel Select.
The average rate increase for commercial rates on two commonly-used services include the following:
- Priority Mail Commercial: 5.2%
- USPS Ground Advantage Commercial: 5.3%
The “temporary” rate increase for competitive services will last well into the returns season, ending on January 18, 2026, at which point the USPS will likely impose new higher 2026 rates.
Today’s PRC filing includes rate charts.
*Public Representative: “An Officer of the Commission is designated to represent the interests of the general public in public proceedings that come before the Commission.”