USPS Woes

[Mr. October]

USPS screwed me... I mailed an item to a fellow member here on RS and they lost the item. I opened an online inquiry and they closed it without resolving, then I tried to call their customer service line and it just tells you to go online. So I went the my local post office and talked to them. They gave me the number to the last Post Office to handle it and they don't pick up. So being the outstanding citizen I am I refunded the other member their money and am now attempting to collect the insurance on the package. But OMG is it like pulling teeth from them to get an insurance claim. Rant complete.

USPS insurance is nearly useless. I don't ship anything of even moderate importance with them.

 

[Fatcamp]

I kind of like it. As close as I get to living on the edge at this point in my life.

 

[Bailer]

I ordered a pack Sunday, sprang for 2-3 day shipping so I could use it this weekend. Still no sign of it. I’d have thought even usps could pull off Utah to Az in a full business week.

 

[Spike elk]

I have found that if you write on the box that it contains several democrat ballots for prez that it will make it through just fine and arrive on or before Nov 3 2020 no matter when it was sent. Just a smart azz thought.

 

[Ntgm37]

Alot of misinformation and comments on here are cringe worthy. I'll stop back by tomorrow to offer some inside baseball since I've worked for the p.o. for 14 years. I'm just too tired right now to do so.

 

[MuleyFever]

Alot of misinformation and comments on here are cringe worthy. I'll stop back by tomorrow to offer some inside baseball since I've worked for the p.o. for 14 years. I'm just too tired right now to do so.

So you want to defend the institution you work for, great. The comments on here are personal experiences. If they are cringe worthy, well....

 

[Bailer]

Alot of misinformation and comments on here are cringe worthy. I'll stop back by tomorrow to offer some inside baseball since I've worked for the p.o. for 14 years. I'm just too tired right now to do so

Got any insight into how tracking on 2-3 day shipping looks like this? Really could have used that pack today for my kid to help me haul water in for a coues hunt next weekend.

 

[Erict]

You ordered on Sunday but it looks like your package did not even get to the USPS until mid-Tuesday afternoon (Dec 1), the day after "cyber Monday" and only several days after "Black Friday". So on top of all of that extra volume you have COVID related issues. Shipping delays were inevitable from not only the retailer but the shippers, the shippers airlines, etc.

I would ask - what is the definition of "2-3 day shipping" and who guaranteed that?

 

[EastCoaster]

I am now 3 for 3 on missing usps packages......two amazon orders and a McMillan stock off eBay. Two are off in a black hole and the other is tracking as LATE. Seriously....the only update is your package will be LATE.

 

[Rick M.]

UPS and FedEx are the only two that actually adhere to their delivery targets, in my experience. If I am sending something mildly important, it's almost always UPS that I use. When I order something from online and get my tracking number, I let out a sigh if it's USPS.

 

[Ntgm37]

First and foremost, the USPS DOESN'T utilize it's own airplanes, our packages fly on FedEx and UPS planes. Once we got into the package game, we realized it wasn't feasible to buy that many planes. In order to do so, we agreed to do the "last mile" delivery for these competitors. So if you have a po box and UPS is the primary shipper, you can still get your item since every morning these competitors stop at our offices and drop packages for us to deliver. Another deal was made to allow their drop boxes to be placed at our locations. The problem is that once our stuff is loaded on the competitors plane, we can't update tracking info, and have no say in any logistics. Hince the lack of updates in the tracking info. Another thing people don't realize is that we deliver over 40% of the WORLD'S mail. Think about that. Now imagine what covid has done to distribution centers. Hell, Denver's shut down for a month so all of Wyoming and Colorado had their mail and parcels sorted in Las Vegas. If you want something insured, no doubt we're the worst. Don't use us. Pay for a third party insurer or use a competitor. Aside from that we have a 97% accuracy number for tracked packages, so we're actually pretty good. Some offices have a minimum of 10 unmanned routes every day BEFORE covid nonsense. We're using and abusing new hires on the reg and they make a ton of mistakes and that reflects poorly on the organization. But to pretend that UPS and FedEx dont have issues would be ignorant.

 

[Mr. October]

First and foremost, the USPS DOESN'T utilize it's own airplanes, our packages fly on FedEx and UPS planes. Once we got into the package game, we realized it wasn't feasible to buy that many planes. In order to do so, we agreed to do the "last mile" delivery for these competitors. So if you have a po box and UPS is the primary shipper, you can still get your item since every morning these competitors stop at our offices and drop packages for us to deliver. Another deal was made to allow their drop boxes to be placed at our locations. The problem is that once our stuff is loaded on the competitors plane, we can't update tracking info, and have no say in any logistics. Hince the lack of updates in the tracking info. Another thing people don't realize is that we deliver over 40% of the WORLD'S mail. Think about that. Now imagine what covid has done to distribution centers. Hell, Denver's shut down for a month so all of Wyoming and Colorado had their mail and parcels sorted in Las Vegas. If you want something insured, no doubt we're the worst. Don't use us. Pay for a third party insurer or use a competitor. Aside from that we have a 97% accuracy number for tracked packages, so we're actually pretty good. Some offices have a minimum of 10 unmanned routes every day BEFORE covid nonsense. We're using and abusing new hires on the reg and they make a ton of mistakes and that reflects poorly on the organization. But to pretend that UPS and FedEx dont have issues would be ignorant.

Good information. I have no doubt in the grand scheme of things USPS has a pretty good track record given the volume they do.

 

[ewade07]

God damn USPS. I sent a package that’s now three weeks late. Says ‘Arriving late, In transit’. We’ll see if that cook kit ever gets to the guy. Filing an insurance claim this coming week.

Came home today expecting a Sirui pan head to be waiting at my door. Not there. My gut sinks. I check the tracking. ‘Arriving late, In transit’. I have little faith that I will ever see that pan head.

 

[Deplorable77]

I'd love to see USPS privatized. The irony is that 75% of the current employees probably wouldn't qualify for the exact same position in the private sector.

Elephant in the room is privatize the post office. Aren't they 50 billion in debt?

 

[DudeBro]

#1 problem with USPS - it's run by the federal government

 

[Desk Jockey]

My local USPS said if you launch an inquiry (online with tracking or in person), that it can actually help. she did admit they are still dealing with an early to mid December backlog and perversely items sent later are actually arriving earlier because that pile of stuff from December is buried under newer stuff.

 

[OXN939]

I am now 3 for 3 on missing usps packages......two amazon orders and a McMillan stock off eBay. Two are off in a black hole and the other is tracking as LATE. Seriously....the only update is your package will be LATE.

I had this happen in December. "In transit, arriving late" starting on 02 DEC. They both finally showed up this week.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

#1 problem with USPS - it's run by the federal government

And they aren’t held accountable. There’s no excuse for this slow down. Short handed??? Hire more people.

 

[DudeBro]

And they aren’t held accountable. There’s no excuse for this slow down. Short handed??? Hire more people.

Oh, I’m sure there will be a power grab to hire more people. It just won’t be who or where they’re actually needed and will show up too late to actually make a difference.

The problems manifesting over the last couple of months are signs of systemic problems with business practices, leadership, and strategic planning (the same things that plague the rest of the bureaucratic, bloated federal government). For the most part, the working class postal worker is busting his/her butt.

 

[TheBootBowhunting]

I have a package from Kifaru that has been "accepted - package acceptance pending" for 28 days.

I guess USPS is putting together a jury to present the case to see if they will ultimately accept the package or not.