DHL announces 2007 rate increases

DHL announces 2007 rate increases DHL Express' U.S. division said Thursday it will raise shipping rates 3.9 percent for domestic air and international express products, and 4.9 percent for ground shipments, effective Jan. 1.
   The effective rate increase for air and international package shipments was reached after applying a 2 percent fuel surcharge reduction to a nominal 5.9 percent increase.
   DHL's percentage rate increase falls between the 2007 price changes announced by competitors UPS and FedEx. UPS said it would raise rates 4.9 percent for domestic ground, air express and U.S.-origin international shipments, while FedEx said its express shipments will rise 3.5 percent. FedEx has not yet announced how much it will raise rates for its Ground division.
   DHL will also follow FedEx's lead by using a dimensional weight system for oversized ground shipments.
   If the dimensional weight is greater than the actual weight, dimensional weight will apply to ground shipments that are three cubic feet or greater. Packages less than three cubic feet will be billed based on actual weight.
   Other changes effective Jan. 1, include a 10-cent increase in the surcharge for residential delivery and for both residential and commercial Delivery Area Service. The Remote Area Service fee will increase by $2.00. Additional details of the 2007 fee and rate changes will be available at https://www.dhl-usa.com as of Dec. 15.