Linehaul and Interconnect Business Letter Services

Introduction The Linehaul and Interconnect options are transport services that are available to Business Letter services customers. They allow customers to transport lodgements to interstate facilities and get cheaper Same State postage rates. In this module This module covers Linehaul and Interconnect option for the Print Post PreSort Letters and Acquisition Mail and services. Learning outcomes By completing this module, you will be able to: identify the difference between Linehaul and Interconnect identify the reasons why Linehaul and Interconnect are used

Linehaul and Interconnect at a glance What are Linehaul and Interconnect? Linehaul and Interconnect are terms used to describe the transportation of mail either by Australia Post or other private providers so that customers can take advantage of Same State rates, which are usually the most economical. Linehaul is used by customers lodging large volumes of Print Post articles. The Interconnect option is used by customers lodging large volumes of PreSort Letters and Acquisition Mail articles. A cost benefit analysis of the transportation price and the Same State rates usually needs to be performed to determine the cost savings of using these services. For example, if you are in Qld and have mail for delivery to NSW, is it more economical to lodge the NSW mail in Qld and pay Other State postage rates, or transport the NSW mail to NSW and pay Same State postage rates? Not a simple question to answer, so detailed analysis needs to be done by the customer to determine the most cost effective approach. For delivery to Metropolitan or Country addresses within the state of lodgement. Print Post is an economical choice for the delivery of magazines, newsletters and periodicals within Australia. The PreSort Letters service offer reduced prices to those customers who can apply barcodes to their letters, sort them into a particular order, place them into appropriately labelled trays, complete documentation prior to posting at a designated postal outlet and comply with relevant mailing conditions. Acquisition Mail is an addressed (non personalised) bulk mail delivery service. It allows customers to geographically target an addressed mail campaign to residential address points in specific postcodes, suburbs (localities) or Census Collection Districts (CCDs).

Linehaul and Interconnect at a glance More information More detailed information about Linehaul is available in the Linehaul and Interconnect Fact Sheet and the Print Post service guide and the Australia Post website (auspost.com.au). More detailed information about Interconnect is available in the Linehaul and Interconnect Fact Sheet, the PreSort Letters service guide the Acquisition Mail service guide and the Australia Post website (auspost.com.au).. These guides are also available at any Australia Post outlet.

Advanced: Linehaul and Interconnect Linehaul and Interconnect Options Linehaul and Print Post Linehaul is a freight transport service available for use with Print Post. It allows you to pay Australia Post (or a private freight service) to transport lodgements to an interstate ‘gateway’ processing facility to access the cheaper Same State or Local Sort Division rates. Gateway facilities are identified in the Print Post Sort Plan by a ♦ symbol. A Linehaul fee is charged by Australia Post. This fee is determined by the pickup and delivery point. For information on pricing for Linehaul charges, contact your Australia Post account manager.

Advanced: Linehaul and Interconnect Linehaul and Interconnect Options Linehaul and Print Post When Australia Post is used to Linehaul articles, the articles are contained in Unit Load Devices (ULDs). To facilitate the charging of the ULD transport a ULD Supporting Document/Linehaul Mailing Statement is required. This records the number of ULDs for each destination mail centre. An example of a ULD Supporting Document can be downloaded from Additionally, for any Print Post lodgement a Print Post Mailing Statement ( ) is required. For lodgements that exceed 5,000 articles a Print Post Supporting Document is also required. The delivery standard for articles that have been Linehauled commences when the ULD arrives at the designated facility for processing.

Advanced: Linehaul and Interconnect Linehaul and Interconnect Options Preparing a Print Post ULD for Linehaul If there is spare capacity in the ULD, you may top-up with Print Post articles for different Sort Divisions subject to the following: Articles contained within a ULD must all terminate in the same state CBD Sort Division articles and Residue articles must terminate at a designated gateway processing facility for that state. A minimum of 100 identical Print Post articles for each processing facility is required. Consolidation and Linehaul Consolidated lodgements may be linehauled using Australia Post transport. The linehaul fee will be charged to the mailing agent’s Business Credit Account. The ULD Supporting Document must list each of the job numbers and publication titles contained in the consolidated lodgement. Articles lodged at a Mail Centre for delivery by postal delivery offices within the postcodes served by the Mail Centre A CBD Sort Division is a designated range of postcodes - there are 6: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Hobart.

Advanced: Linehaul and Interconnect Linehaul and Interconnect Options Interconnect for PreSort Letters and Acquisition Mail articles Interconnect is an option that is available to PreSort Letters and Acquisition Mail customers. It allows customers to arrange their own transport of a PreSort and Acquisition Mail lodgements interstate to a designated Australia Post facility to benefit from the cheaper Same State rates. Acquisition Mail customers are required to register for the service and at the time of registration the Lodgement form will be provided. PreSort Letters customers are required to: complete an application form - Application for Lodgement of PreSort Letters ( ), nominating the facility/s where the letters are to be presented for lodgement and forward the application to the Australia Post contact in the State in which their business is located. A list of Designated Interconnect Facilities can be accessed in the PreSort Letters and Acquisition Mail service guides. For delivery to Metropolitan or Country addresses within the State of lodgement. The PreSort Letters and Acquisition Mail services offer reduced prices to those customers who can apply barcodes to their letters, sort them into a particular order, place them into appropriately labelled trays, complete documentation prior to posting at a designated postal outlet and comply with relevant mailing conditions.

Advanced: Linehaul and Interconnect Linehaul and Interconnect Options Interconnect for PreSort Letters and Acquisition Mail articles At the time of lodgement, the following documentation may also be required: Acquisition Mail Lodgement Document PreSort Letters Lodgement Document ( ) Manifest document, if the lodgement exceeds 2,000 articles Metered Lodgement Document, if a postage meter was used for payment of a PreSort Letters lodgement. Acquisition Mail customers need to tick the appropriate meter payment channel on the Acquisition Mail lodgement form.

Advanced: Linehaul and Interconnect Linehaul and Interconnect Options The difference between Linehaul and Interconnect Linehaul is available as a service to Print Post customers customers can use Australia Post transport or a private freight service for lodgement attracts an Australia Post Linehaul charge when Australia Post transport is used Print Post articles must be lodged at letter processing facilities or Gateway processing facilities depending on the level of sort achieved (Local Sort, CBD, Residue, Country, Metro) Interconnect is available as a service to PreSort Letters and Acquisition Mail customers customers organize their own private transport for lodgement lodged at specific designated Interconnection facilities

Advanced: Linehaul and Interconnect Summary You have now completed this module. The key points covered were: Linehaul: is available as a service to Print Post customers customers can use Australia Post transport or a private freight service for lodgement a Linehaul fee is charged by Australia Post requires a ULD Manifest / Linehaul Mailing Statement Interconnect: is available as a service to PreSort Letters and Acquisition Mail customers customers organize their own private transport for lodgement lodged at specific designated facilities Using the Linehaul or Interconnect options allows customers with large lodgement volumes to access the cheaper Same State postage rates

You now need to complete a short assessment to check your understanding of the information covered in this module. This assessment consists of 10 multiple-choice questions and should take you approximately 10 minutes to complete. To pass the assessment, you need to answer at least eight of these questions correctly. Attempt this assessment as many times as you need to. If you do not pass, it is recommended that you review this module again. Assessment

1 For which Business Letter service can customers use Linehaul? a.Unaddressed Mail b.PreSort Letters c.Print Post d.Clean Mail e.Acquisition Mail Correct answer = C Linehaul is available to customers who lodge Print Post articles.

Assessment 2 For which Business Letter service can customers use the Interconnect option? a.PreSort Letters and Acquisition Mail b.Clean Mail c.Print Post d.Unaddressed Mail Correct answer = A The Interconnect option is available to customers who lodge PreSort Letters and Acquisition Mail.

Assessment 3 True or false? Customers who use the Interconnect option can transport their lodgement to any Australia Post facility a.True b.False Correct answer = B Customers who use the Interconnect option can only transport their lodgement to a designated Interconnect facility.

Assessment 4 True or false? A fee is payable to Australia Post for the Interconnect option a.True b.False Correct answer = B PreSort Letter customers who use the Interconnect option pay for their own private transport of their lodgement to an Australia Post facility.

Assessment 5 Print Post customers who use Linehaul to transport their lodgement can… a.Use a private freight service b.Use Australia Post transport c.Both of the above Correct answer = C Print Post customers can arrange for a private freight service to transport their lodgement to an Australia Post facility, or arrange transport through Australia Post, where a Linehaul fee is charged to transport the lodgement.

Assessment 6 PreSort Letters and Acquisition Mail customers who use the Interconnect option to transport their lodgement can… a.Use a private freight service b.Use Australia Post transport c.Both of the above Correct answer = A PreSort Letters and Acquisition Mail customers can only use a private transport service to transport their lodgement to Australia Post facilities.

Assessment 7 True or false? A customer using Linehaul for their Print Post lodgement only needs to provide the Print Post lodgement documentation. a.True b.False Correct answer = B A customer using Linehaul for their Print Post lodgement is required to provided the Print Post lodgement documentation as well as a ULD Manifest / Linehaul Mailing Statement.

Assessment 8 True or false? The delivery standard for Linehauled Print Post articles commences when the ULD arrives at the designated facility for processing. a.True b.False Correct answer = A The delivery standard for Linehauled Print Post articles commences when the ULD arrives at the designated facility for processing.

Assessment 9 What is the maximum weight for a ULD (including the weight of the ULD)? a.700kg b.500kg c.600kg Correct answer = C The maximum weight load for the ULD (including the ULD) is not to exceed 600kg.

Assessment 10 If you are in QLD and have mail for delivery to NSW, is it more economical to lodge the NSW mail in QLD and pay Other State postage rates or transport the NSW mail to NSW and pay Same State postage rates? a.Yes, it is more economical b.No, it is not more economical c.Difficult to say without completing a detailed cost benefit analysis Correct answer = C A detailed cost benefit analysis needs to be performed by the customer to determine whether the transportation costs and the Same State postage rates would be more economical.