Postal Service to Adjust Prices

/PRNewswire/ -- The first U.S. Postal Service price change in two years will have minimal impact on retail customers who will continue to pay only 44 cents for a stamp.

The prices filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission today will become effective April 17.

Highlights of the pricing proposal include:

* First-Class letters (1 oz.) remain unchanged at 44 cents,
* First-Class letter additional ounces increase to 20 cents,
* Postcards will cost 29 cents,
* Letters to Canada or Mexico (1 oz.) increase to 80 cents, and
* Letters to other international destinations will remain unchanged at 98 cents.


"While changing prices is always a difficult decision, we have made every effort to keep the impact minimal for consumers and customers doing business with us at retail lobbies," said Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe. "We will continue to balance our business needs against the needs of our customers."

The overall average increase across all mailing services is capped by law at 1.7 percent – at or below the rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index – although actual percentage price increases for various products and services will vary.

Prices will change for other mailing services, including Standard Mail, Periodicals, Package Services and Extra Services. Larger volume business mailers will see price increases in a variety of categories. Detailed pricing information will be available later today online at www.usps.com/prices . Today's announcement does not affect Express Mail and Priority Mail prices.

In July 2010, the Postal Service filed an exigent price proposal that was rejected by the Postal Regulatory Commission in September. The Postal Service filed an appeal of that decision with the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in November and awaits a decision.

Faced with decreased mail volume traced to the recession and increased use of the Internet, the Postal Service continues to face a daunting financial crisis. Increasing prices is one of a series of solutions the Postal Service proposed in March 2010 to address the crisis. Other actions outlined in the March plan included changes to delivery frequency, restructuring prepayments of future retiree health benefits, creating a more flexible workforce and expanding access to products and services to places more convenient to customers. In December, Donahoe began a reorganization of all administrative and managerial functions as part of his vision to operate "leaner, faster and smarter."

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

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Sawtimber Prices Expected to Recover in 2010-2011 for US South, yet Results Vary by State

/PRNewswire/ -- Turbulent times characterized by plummeting pine sawtimber prices could soon be over for timber sellers. A new stumpage price forecast published by Forisk signals climbing prices for pine sawtimber in the US South beginning in 2010. The ForiskFORECAST pine sawtimber price forecast and "Forecasting Timber Prices" workshop provide insights for timberland owners, investors, and wood procurement managers in planning future pricing and management strategies as lumber and plywood markets recover.

Despite positive indications for the US South as a region, results vary across the 11 states covered in Forisk's models. For example, between 2010 and 2011, Georgia pine sawtimber prices rebound 17% while prices in North Carolina increase less than 1% over the same timeframe according to the ForiskFORECAST. "The key is understanding the local, state-specific relationship - the elasticity - between wood demand and prices," explains Dr. Tim Sydor, Forisk's Forest Economist. "Pine sawtimber demand declined 32.6% South-wide between 2006 and 2009. Yet these declines varied by state. In the next few years, as lumber demand recovers, our historic wood demand and price analysis suggests a strong stumpage price recovery in several Southern states, while others will take longer to respond."

"Timber markets are uniquely local," says Brooks Mendell, President of Forisk. "Our clients are less concerned about national prices, and directly focused on their local options. South Georgia differs from North Alabama which differs from East Texas. Our basin studies, workshops and the ForiskFORECAST focus on the idea that successful investments in forestry or wood-using facilities rely on detailed knowledge of localized markets."

The ForiskFORECAST-Pine Sawtimber predicts annual pine sawtimber stumpage prices across the US South through 2020. It is available as an interactive Excel model or as individual forecasts for 11 states. For more information, visit www.foriskstore.com and click "Stumpage Price Forecasts."

In addition, two upcoming short courses on February 10th from Forisk - "Timber Market Analysis" and "Forecasting Timber Prices" - teach specific skills and strategies for forestry, procurement, bioenergy, investment and appraisal professionals who must evaluate pricing and demand in specific local wood markets today and looking forward. To learn more about these Atlanta-based courses, visit www.forisk.com and click on "Continuing Education."

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Gas Prices Continue to Top Travelers’ List of Most Frustrating Issues

BUSINESS WIRE--In national survey of recent travelers, commissioned by travel insurance and assistance provider Access America, in unaided responses, nearly half (48%) of recent travelers identified gas prices as the most frustrating issue they faced while traveling. That number is double what is was (24%) nine months ago. (Unaided responses are often more powerful than aided responses, because the respondent can choose any response they choose, including nothing.)

“Frustration with gas prices has been a consistent issue for travelers since the Access America Travel Frustration Index was launched last year,” said Mark Cipolletti, vice president for marketing and communications for Access America. “Whether in the form of increased air fares or miles on the road that cost more and more each day, gas prices are a particularly frustrating issue that spills over into non-travel time as well. It’s informative to see how this frustration has increased over time in-step with rising fuel costs.”

Gas ranks high on the frustration scale for both leisure and business travelers and across demographic factors such as region of the country and income. Among leisure travelers, 86 percent report frustration with gas prices, while business travelers registered at 85 percent. Across all income segments more than 80 percent of respondents said they are frustrated with gas prices, similarly all regions of the country registered above 80 percent.

When asked to rate their frustration with gas prices, three quarters (74%) said they are “very frustrated” with the cost of gas.

The Access America Travel Frustration Index measures ten categories each quarter. While gas was clearly the most frustrating issue, costs of travel and service issues on airlines also registered on the frustration scale – though both of these issues trailed frustrations with gas prices significantly and even showed improvement over previous quarters. More than half (52%) of respondents said they are frustrated with the cost of airline, cruise line and train tickets. Frustrations with these costs ranked nearly 10 percentage points above frustration with other costs, such as costs of lodging (43%).

Slightly less than half (48%) of respondents said they are frustrated with airline and airport services, such as lost or delayed baggage, cramped and overcrowded planes, missed connections, long lines, etc. That number is down from previous quarters, when more than half of respondents were reporting frustration with these issues.

In unaided responses, flight delays and airline/airport issues garnered just three percent and six percent respectively, ranking well below cost concerns (including gas) and crowds or traffic issues.

Booking travel remained the least frustrating issue for travelers. Just 18 percent of respondents ranked booking their trip, including working with a travel agent, selecting a destination or selecting a supplier as frustrating.

The overall Frustration Factor (aggregated responses across all categories) went down from the previous quarter, but frustrations are still rising overall in 2008 compared with 2007:

• In March 2008 the aggregated Frustration Factor was 57.6 out of 100, while this quarter the Factor was 55.6 out of 100.
• In August 2007 the Frustration Factor was 53.9 on the same scale.

Complete results for the latest survey, completed in June 2008, across all ten issues measured, are as follows: (percentages show number of respondents who indicated they are frustrated with the issue)

Issue		% reporting frustration
		Quarter2 2008
Cost of gas		86%
Cost of travel		52%
Airline service		48%
Cost of lodging		43%
Illness or injury affecting your trip		39%
Labor actions		36%
Weather delays		28%
Service by other travel suppliers		23%
Booking the trip		18%