The fall meetings of the Mailers Technical Advisory Committee (MTAC) and the PostCom Board were anything but routine this year. With new Postmaster General David Steiner at the helm, the U.S. Postal Service signaled a fresh, customer-first mindset—one that could reshape how marketers plan, budget, and deliver high-performing mail campaigns.
At American Litho, we track these policy shifts closely because they don’t just influence postage—they influence how brands connect, convert, and compete.
MTAC Meeting Insights
MTAC: A Customer-Centric USPS Takes Shape
At the October 7–8 MTAC meeting, Postmaster General Steiner outlined a new framework to transform USPS into a customer-driven enterprise, grounded in the belief that the Postal Service’s first and last mile networks are its greatest strategic assets.
His message:
"Future growth will come not from cost-cutting, but from building a better experience for the marketers and mailers who rely on USPS every day."
Key Takeaways Included:
Deferred Market-Dominant rate hike until July 2026 with an expected increase of ~5.3%, while structural and pricing program adjustments will continue.
Acknowledgement of underinvestment in mail, with Steiner signaling renewed focus on First-Class Mail as an engine for engagement and brand connection.
USPS CIO Pritha Mehra announced enhanced, secure APIs and anti-fraud initiatives, noting that 40% of postal fraud originates in retail operations.
Greg White, USPS Operations, addressed quality metrics, identifying piece, tray, and bundle irregularities as top areas for improvement.
Perspective
This renewed customer focus reflects a long-overdue shift toward valuing marketers as growth partners. For American Litho clients, it means more transparency, stronger data integration, and a postal environment built for performance. Our postal optimization team turns these developments into actionable intelligence—modeling rate impacts, refining logistics, and ensuring every piece of mail delivers maximum ROI.
PostCom Study Day:
Facing Fiscal and Structural Realities
Earlier, at the September 30 PostCom Study Day, senior postal and regulatory leaders addressed the financial and operational challenges shaping USPS’s path forward. While the tone was pragmatic, there was optimism that Steiner’s leadership is steering the agency toward modernization and accountability.
Highlights Included:
Marc McCrery, VP Customer Experience, unveiled the CX Vision Activation Pilot, designed to foster a customer-obsessed culture across USPS.
Gary Reblin, Chief Technology Officer, outlined six modernization pillars—from upgraded processing equipment to world-class visibility and analytics.
Sharon Owens, VP Pricing & Costing, reaffirmed plans for the 5.3% Market-Dominant increase in July 2026, with additional adjustments slated for 2027.
PRC Commissioner Ashley Poling underscored transparency and collaboration, expressing optimism that Steiner’s appointment marks a reset after a turbulent period under prior leadership.
PostCom Board member Bob Fisher reported a projected $7.8 billion FY25 net loss for USPS, emphasizing liquidity concerns and the urgent need for structural reform.
Clarity
These insights reaffirm what top marketers already know: success in direct mail depends on agility, planning, and deep postal expertise. While the USPS navigates fiscal headwinds, American Litho provides clarity in the noise—offering our clients predictive models, postal optimization, and data-driven mailing strategies that anticipate change instead of reacting to it.
Adapting to Change, Leading with Insight
For marketers, postal reform isn’t background noise—it’s a budget, timing, and customer experience issue rolled into one. Every rate change, operational pilot, and service enhancement affects campaign performance and ROI.
That’s why American Litho remains deeply engaged with USPS leadership, PostCom, and MTAC—so our clients don’t just hear about change, they plan around it. From data intelligence and Amerlytics-driven insights to postal optimization and omnichannel campaign integration, we empower brands to mail smarter, faster, and more profitably—no matter what the rate environment brings.
Because in a world of constant postal evolution, American Litho delivers clarity, control, and a competitive advantage.
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