Highway Contract Routes

To learn what is happening within the USPS and HCR/CDS Routes, try doing a search for HCR or for Highway Contract Route within the www.usps.com  web site and at www.google.com search.

• Handbook P-5  http://www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/hand/p5/welcome.htm October 2004

• Mail Transportation Contracting Guide
• Publication 33 - June 2004 PDF  -  www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/pubs/pub33.pdf    http://www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/pubs/pub33/welcome.htm

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22 Rural Service Versus Contract Service

http://www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/hand/p5/p5_2.html

221 Supersedure of Rural Delivery by Contract Service

Contract service may be established or extended to provide for delivery and collection service to postal customers served by a rural route under the following conditions:

a. A rural route becomes vacant when it does not serve a minimum of one family per mile; it may than be converted to contract delivery. A physical survey of the route must be made to determine if the route serves less than one family per mile. The survey may be conducted when it is learned that the route will become vacant or when it actually becomes vacant. Include in the family count all businesses that receive mail on the route but are not operated out of a family residence. Once completed, the survey determining the actual family count must be used as a basis for conversion within a reasonable period of time. If a survey is necessary, notify the concerned National Rural Letter Carriers' Association (NRLCA) steward in writing of the intent of the Postal Service to conduct the survey and of the possibility that the route may be converted to contract service and, therefore, not be posted.

b. Parts of rural routes may be converted to contract service to provide greater efficiency and/or greater economy of service.

c. If a segment of a rural route becomes detached so that it is impractical for the carrier to serve the segment, that segment may be converted to contract service. Detached refers to a physical separation, such as that caused by the construction of a dam that separates a rural route from a segment of its territory. In these cases, management (manager, transportation contracts, or other officials) will determine the means of delivery to the detached segment.

d. Conversion of rural delivery to HCR delivery will normally not be considered unless a cost reduction would result.

222 Supersedure of Contract Service by Rural Delivery

222.1 During Contract Period

A contract route will not be replaced by rural delivery service during the contract period unless the supplier consents in writing or there is a significant improvement in service or cost reduction.

222.2 At End of Contract Period

A contract route will not be replaced by rural delivery service at the end of the contract period unless there will be a worthwhile service improvement or a reasonable cost reduction. Exceptions: Exceptions to 222.1 and 222.2 may be made when post offices on contract routes are closed or consolidated, which would make it impractical to continue HCR service.