also requires any plans to replace post offices with alternate retail to: 1) consider the impact on small communities and rural areas; 2) ensure that the Postal Service continues to serve small communities and rural areas after the implementation of the plan; and 3) allow for the solicitation of community input.
Section 203 – Area and District Office Structure
In an effort to reduce costs and create efficiencies, this section requires the Postal Service to develop and update every five years a strategic plan relating to area and district office structure and to develop a 10-year plan with timetables that provides for the consolidation of area and district offices wherever the Postal Service determines that such consolidation would be cost effective and would not substantially and adversely affect operations. This section also requires the Postal Service, consistent with the required plans, to consolidate district offices located within 50 miles of each other, to consolidate those area and district offices that have less than the mean mail volume and number of work hours for all area and district offices, and to relocate area offices to headquarters.
Section 204 –Post Offices; Retail Service Standards
This section requires the Postal Service to consider several options prior to making a determination to close or consolidate a post office. These include considering whether to consolidate two post offices within a reasonable distance, reduce the number of operating hours at a particular post office instead of a closure or consolidation, and permit a contractor or rural carrier to provide retail services in the community served by the post office. The Postal Service must provide notice at least 60 days prior to the proposed date of such post office closure or consolidation to persons served by such post office. This section also requires the Postal Service to develop a set of service standards that would guarantee its customers a certain level of access to retail services, whether at a post office or some alternative to a post office, taking into consideration the following: 1) the universal service obligation; 2) the alternate retail plan required under section 302 of the PAEA, as amended by section 202 of this bill; 3) the population served, including population density and demographic factors that may affect customers‘ ability to access services, such as age or disability status; 4) the feasibility of offering retail access in addition to that offered at post offices; and 5) the existing requirement that the Postal Service serve remote areas and communities with transportation challenges and other conditions, including inclement weather, that could impede access to services. Customers who believe that the Postal Service has failed to provide them or their community with a level of service consistent with the standard would be permitted to file a complaint with the PRC.
Section 205 – Conversion of Door Delivery Points
This section authorizes the Postal Service to convert door delivery points to curbside, sidewalk, or centralized delivery points, and defines these terms. This section also provides certain exceptions to the use of this authority, including physical hardship of a customer, weather conditions in a geographical area (such as where snow removal efforts could obstruct access to mailboxes), circumstances in urban areas (such as obstructive street parking) that preclude efficient use of curbside delivery points, or ―other exceptional circumstances.‖ This section