1925 -- First equipment allowance, at rate of 4¢ per mile, authorized on January 1, 1925.

1934 --  Five cents per mile authorized on July 1, 1934.

1943 -- Public Law 78-205 granted 6¢ per mile on a temporary basis as of December 17, 1943.

1945 -- Public Law 79-134 made permanent the 1943 temporary increase of the 6¢ per mile.

1948 -- Public Law 80-467 granted a temporary increase of 1¢ per mile for a period of 2 years, effective April 1, 1948.

          -- Public Law 80-900 made permanent the 7¢ per mile, effective November 1, 1948.

1949 -- Public Law 81-381 granted 8¢ per mile, effective November 1, 1949.

1951 -- Public Law 82-204 granted 9¢ per mile, effective July 1, 1951.  Also, authorized payment of allowance up to $3.00 per day for carriers on heavily patronized routes, in lieu of 9¢ per mile.

1956 -- Secured payment of equipment maintenance allowance for all required deviations.

1958 -- Public Law 85-399 granted 10¢ per mile, effective June 14, 1958.  Established a daily minimum allowance of $3.50 for all routes (35 miles guaranteed minimum) and granted authority for payment of additional allowances up to $2.50 per day for carriers on heavily patronized routes.

1962 -- Public Law 87-793 granted 12¢ per mile, with a daily minimum of $4.20, effective October 13, 1962; and continued permissive authority to pay additional allowances.

1970 -- Secured an increase of 70¢ per day EMA for heavy duty carriers based on stops and miles.

1973 -- The National Agreement increased the EMA to 14¢ per mile, effective on July 21, 1973.  Also, the special EMA chart based on stops and miles extended to all rural routes, with a minimum of $5.60 per day.  The daily minimum mileage for computation of EMA increased to 40 miles.

1974 -- A temporary increase of 1¢, effective March 2, 1974, due to fuel crisis price increases unforeseen at the time of the 1973 negotiated agreement.  Special EMA Chart increased 40¢.

         -- To meet future gasoline price changes, for each 4.5¢ per gallon in cost based on Bureau of Labor statistics an adjustment in the EMA of ½¢ per mile.

          -- Effective June 8, 1974, the EMA increased to 15½¢ per mile.  Special EMA chart increased 20¢.

1975 -- The National Agreement improved the EMA as follows:

        (a) Increased the EMA to 17¢ per mile for first year, with minimum of $6.80;

        (b) Increased EMA to 18¢ per mile for the second year, with minimum of $7.20;

        (c) Provided for reopening discussions on EMA for the third year if the cost of operation of vehicles, excluding gasoline, exceeded 12%;

        (d) Increased the increments on the Special Chart, based on miles and stops, from 5 to 10¢ for each mile or 20 boxes, with the limit of $2.50 above the 40-mile minimum also doubled to $5.00.

1977 -- Effective May 7, the EMA increased to 18.5¢ per mile based on a 4.5¢ per mile increase in regular gasoline prices.

1978 -- The National Agreement improved the EMA as follows:

         (a) Increased EMA to 19¢ per mile, or $7.60, whichever is greater, effective July 22, 1978;

            (b) Increased 1¢ per mile, with a 40¢ increase or minimum rate, effective July 21, 1979;

            (c) Increased 1¢ per mile, with a 40¢ increase or minimum rate effective July 19,1980;

            (d) Additional EMA increases due to gasoline price fluctuations in the cost of no-lead gasoline at a rate of ½¢ for each 4.5¢ per gallon change, with the May 1978 B.L.S. average as a base;

            (e) Continuation of the Special EMA Chart, with increment increases of 10¢ for each mile or 20 boxes at a rate of 20¢ increase for each ½¢ increase EMA;   

            (f) Auxiliary Rural Carriers paid EMA of 19¢ per mile or a minimum of $2.50 per hour, whichever greater.  An additional 5¢ per hour added to daily rate for each ½¢ increase per mile.

1981 -- The National Agreement improved the EMA as follows:

        (a) Increased EMA to 30¢ per mile or $12.00, whichever is greater, effective July 25, 1981.

        (b) Increased 1¢ per mile, with a 40¢ increase or minimum rate, effective July 24, 1982.

        (c) Increased ½¢ and a 20¢ increase on the minimum rate, effective July 23, 1983.

        (d) Additional EMA increases due to gasoline price fluctuations in the cost of no-lead gasoline at a rate of ½¢ for each 4.5¢ per gallon change, with the May 1978 B.L.S. average as a base.

        (e) Continuation of the Special EMA Chart, with increment increases of 10¢ for each mile or 20 boxes.

        (f) Auxiliary Rural Carriers paid EMA of 19¢ per mile or a minimum of $2.50 per hour, whichever is greater.  An additional 5¢ per hour added to daily rate for each ½¢ increase per mile.

1984 -- The National Agreement improved the EMA as follows:

        (a) Increased 1¢ per mile, with a 40¢ increase or minimum rate, effective July 19, 1985;

        (b) Additional EMA adjustments due t gasoline price fluctuations in the cost of no-lead gasoline at a rate of ½¢ of each 6¢ per gallon change;

        (c) Continuation of the Special EMA Chart, with increment increases of 10¢ for each mile or 20 boxes;

        (d) Auxiliary Rural Carriers paid EMA of 31.5¢ per mile or a minimum of $3.75 per hour, but not to exceed the amount provided for in the special chart for the route stops and miles.  Any changes in the EMA resulted in an adjustment of 5 cents per hour for each adjustment of ½¢ per mile.

        --Optional Equipment Maintenance Allowance 32.1¢.

1985 -- NRLCA achieved retroactive relief for rural carriers on EMA audits by the IRS by political and legislative pressure.

         -- Optional Equipment Maintenance Allowance 32.7¢.

1986 -- Optional Equipment Maintenance Allowance 36.8¢.

1987 -- Optional Equipment Maintenance Allowance 41.2¢.

1988 -- HR 4333, November 10, 1988, Section 6008, permitted rural carriers to compute the amount allowable as a deduction for the use of their vehicle in delivering mail by using a standard mileage rate for all such miles equal to 150% of the basic standard rate.

        -- Optional Equipment Maintenance Allowance 44.3¢.

1989 -- Optional Equipment Maintenance Allowance 52.6¢.

1990 -- The National Agreement improved the EMA as follows:

        (a) 2½¢ increase effective December 1, 1990;

        (b) ½¢ increase effective November 30, 1991;

        (c) ½¢ increase effective November 28, 1992;

        (d) Eliminated "gap" or "dead zone" in which the gasoline escalator clause was inoperable;

        (e) Established $1.37 as the base price upon which future EMA adjustments would be made, based upon the national average of regular no-lead gasoline;

        (f) Changed the trigger which causes an EMA adjustment from 6¢ per gallon to 7¢ (14 m.p.g.) average.

        --Optional Equipment Maintenance Allowance 50.2¢.

1991 -- Optional Equipment Maintenance Allowance 51.8¢.

1992 -- Optional Equipment Maintenance Allowance 51.8¢.

1993 -- Optional Equipment Maintenance Allowance 45.7¢.

1994 -- Optional Equipment Maintenance Allowance 48.5¢.

1995 -- The National Agreement improved the EMA as follows:

        (a) Increased EMA ½¢ per mile to 35.0¢ - effective November 25, 1995 and the minimum EMA to $13.80.

        (b) Future operating cost will be paid to rural carriers based on changes in the Expenditure Category for Private Transportation index issued by BLS.  This encompasses most of the cost associated with furnishing a vehicle on rural routes based on each item's relevance to the cost index, not just gasoline.

        (c) Any carrier may now request the Employer to provide a vehicle on his/her route not just routes on the special EMA chart.  Furthermore, the Employer may offer a vehicle to any carrier on any route.

        -- NRLCA negotiated $500 incentive to be paid to purchasers of new right-hand drive vehicles.

        --Optional Equipment Maintenance Allowance 39.9¢.