In February 2022 the Postal Regulatory Commission opened a Public Inquiry docket to address the issue of post offices that have been under emergency suspension for an extended period of time without being resolved by reopening them or closing them permanently. Such suspensions become de facto discontinuances without having gone through a discontinuance process that provides opportunity for public comment.
The inquiry was intended to examine “issues impeding the Postal Service’s progress in resolving the suspended post offices in a timely manner” and to consider “procedures or courses of action for how the Postal Service may expeditiously resolve suspended post offices.” The Commission received comments from the Postal Service, the PRC’s Public Representative, and me.