
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, July 28, 1993                   TAG: 9307280040
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Knight-Ridder/Tribune
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short

PRIORITY MAIL DOESN'T QUITE DELIVER GOODS

The Postal Service bragged that its Two Day Priority Mail program could deliver your 2-pound package in two days for $2.90.

But a congressional report says the offer was, well, two-faced, and the program was more two-bit than customers imagined.

In fact, the report says, 34 million pieces of "priority" mail took three days or more to deliver during a three-month period that ended March 5.

That accounted for 23 percent of the mail in the program; the rest arrived on time.

People whose letters or packages arrived late got no refunds.

"I would call Priority Mail a delivery commitment, but not a guarantee," Postal Service spokeswoman Robin Minard said Monday.

But in its report, the General Accounting Office, the investigative arm of Congress, said the Postal Service wrongly implied that on-time delivery was ensured.

The GAO cited bold "Two Day Priority Mail" lettering on envelopes, and a Postal Service advertising slogan that declared, "2 plus 2 plus $2.90." The minimum rate for the service is $2.90 for 2 pounds or less, with the price increasing as the weight mounts.

by CNB