Every year, the Canadian Postal Service publishes wide ranging changes to postal codes for points across Canada.

A large number of these postal changes affect the rate levels applied by motor carriers and shippers alike!!

For information on the specific types of changes, how they affect carriers and shippers, and ways that the FCA/NATC can assist in understanding and applying the changes, click the subject of interest.

Types of Changes and The Impact on Rates

I. Expansion of Postal Codes for Major Points

When the postal code range of a point is enlarged, new postal codes, both three and six characters, are often created. Unless your database of points and grouping files include these new codes, your autorating systems and give-away DiskRaters will not provide rates for shipments to or from these postal codes within major Canadian centers.
II. Rural Points Incorporated into Major Centers
As metropolitan areas expand, surrounding locations often see their postal codes changed from a specific six digit rural code to a range of urban codes. This can have major implications for the rate level applying to these points.
III. New Postal Codes
As populations shift, businesses relocate, post offices move and transportation infrastructure changes, new postal codes are often the result. Unless your database of points and grouping files include these new codes, your autorating systems and give-away DiskRaters will not provide rates for shipments to or from these points.
IV. Data Corrections
Over time, we have identified incorrect postal codes in almost everyones’ databases. These corrections have been incorporated in the FCA and NATC databases. Using the wrong postal code invariably results in using the wrong rate.

Unless you have regularly updated your postal code database and made the appropriate changes to the point groupings and rate base matrix in your rate structures, you are out of step with the realities of the Canadian market. If left unchanged, over time the postal codes and groupings  will become seriously out of line with actual current postal codes. Portions of major centers may have no rates or the rates may have changed without anyone’s realization. ONLY FCA/NATC UPDATES ITS CANADIAN POSTAL CODE DATA ON AN ONGOING BASIS.

What you need to do...

You need to immediately gain an understanding of the postal code changes made since you installed your Canadian postal code database and how these changes affect the rate application in your various tariffs. Once this analysis is done, you can proceed to take the steps necessary to bring your rate structures up to date.
OR, you can let us do the work for you...
Our expertise in the use of Canadian postal codes for motor carrier tariffs is unmatched. Over the years, we have kept our postal code data current on an ongoing basis. Furthermore, we also keep abreast of other changes that affect rate application, such as opening of new roads necessitating broadening of territorial applications, addition or elimination of ferry services, etc. We can point out traps and pitfalls you may not be aware of. Like the fact there are a multitude of duplicate point names in the same province with different rate levels.

In today’s downsized workplace, it is imperative that everyone focuses on their core competencies. For you, this means moving freight and satisfying your customers’ needs. For us this means being a source of information for suppliers and users of motor carrier transportation.

I. Subscribe to FCA and/or NATC Postal Code Groupings
• The quickest and most cost-effective method of ensuring that your rate publications are always complete and current.
• Databases are updated frequently to incorporate all new, changed or expanded zip and postal codes.
• FCA/NATC pioneered the use of Canadian postal codes in motor carrier tariffs.
• Only FCA/NATC offer the depth of knowledge needed in maintaining postal codes and linking them with the appropriate rate application.
• Often new postal codes open up new opportunities to make desirable changes in rate application that were impossible under the prior code assignment. We have the expertise to develop this information for you and allow you more flexibility.
• This service will guarantee your Canadian databases are never stale!
II. Postal Code Analysis
Confused about how to analyze your current postal codes and the impact of updating them? We offer a wide variety of assistance levels, from recommending potential solutions to designing and implementing a full scale review of your current data. We focus on your goals and tailor our approach to meet them.
III. Postal Code Data
• Our database of Canadian points and postal codes is available in an ASCII format or MS Access.
• The data can be incorporated into your own applications to identify obsolete codes in your data, automatically update your files, or other ideas you come up with.
• The database contains the point name, county (included for duplicate points with the same name located in the same province), province, and postal code.
• Updated regularly as zip and postal codes change.
IV. CityList
• A module of the FCA-NATC Rating System.
• Used as a stand alone program, provides instant access to the postal or zip code, county and province or state.
• A pop-up menu alerts the user to misspellings, multiple points in the same province or state and non-existent points, allowing identification and selection of the correct point on the fly.
• Searches by postal code, zip code or point name.
• Creates hard copy printouts of all postal codes by province or state.

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