The Fuel Surcharge

December 4th 2005

Here is the link to the recent fuel surcharge rates.

Fuel Surcharge at Canada Post

The history and explanation of this charge is also documented here.

Seems to me they raise their prices every year to keep up with the rising cost of fuel etc.?

So in essence the fuel surcharge might be thought of as another form of letter shark pocket picking?

OUCH!

When they up their rates, they feed inflation.

OUCH!

The Non Distribution of Fuel Surcharges

To the Rural Route Carriers.

I recently questioned my rural route carrier about Canada Post and the availability of funds collected through the Fuel surcharge.
I was already alerted to this new problem by a friend who rides shot gun (for $1. an hour) (1) in another postal area. I was just clarifying this with my carrier. They pay for the gas to run their often up to 60 km routes out of their own wages. They have not seen a cent from the fuel surcharge?

Is it just me or does this appear to you to be a form of fraud? The money is collected to pay for the higher price of gas, but the people who drive the rural routes are not seeing any of it. So where is that money going?

What I found out at my friends home later, is that this problem is on the table, but Canada Post is only offering one month retro active payments. Excuse me, the gas prices and fuel surcharge went up in the summer. The fuel surcharge has been in effect since April of 2003.

The last statement out of my carriers mouth was, "Canada Post is run by a bunch of crooks." (2)

(1) The courier must pay for an assistant out of their own pay. That's why my friend only makes $1. an hour. Jobs are very scarce out here in the back woods, the few dollars she makes help supplement the loss of ebay sales more than likely due to the Canadian postal rates.
The only alternative the carrier has without an assistant, is to find a vehicle with right hand drive in North America?
It takes two people to run these routes.

(2) It occurred to me that if I was going to undermine the Canadian economy in an effort to have the country collapse to the point that they would need the assistance of a country eager to gain the Canadian resources, that I would start with the major cog in the wheel that runs the market place.
Is this my paranoia or democratic sabotage at work?

Might be.

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