USPS Issue

[eajacobson]

Ordered regional A shipping boxes from the USPS on Mar 4 - they began shipping them from St. Paul, MN on Mar 6, kept working at it Mar 7, got them to the other side of the river and into Minneapolis on Mar 8. Arrived to my suburb of Minneapolis on Mar 9. Hmmm.

<table class="zebra-table" summary="Table describes the label details returned from track query." id="tc-hits"><thead><tr class="header"><th scope="col" class="date-time" style="width:33%">Date & Time
</th> <th scope="col" class="status" style="width:33%"> Status of Item
</th> <th scope="col" class="location" style="width:33%"> Location
</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody class="details"> <tr class="detail-wrapper latest-detail"> <td class="date-time"> March 9, 2015 , 12:24 pm
</td> <td class="status"> Delivered, Front Door/Porch
</td> <td class="location"> MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55431

</td> </tr> <tr class="detail-wrapper odd-row"> <td class="date-time"> March 9, 2015 , 7:34 am
</td> <td class="status"> Out for Delivery
</td> <td class="location"> MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55438
</td> </tr> <tr class="detail-wrapper "> <td class="date-time"> March 9, 2015 , 7:24 am
</td> <td class="status"> Sorting Complete
</td> <td class="location"> MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55438
</td> </tr> <tr class="detail-wrapper odd-row"> <td class="date-time"> March 8, 2015 , 10:08 am
</td> <td class="status"> Arrived at Hub
</td> <td class="location"> MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55438
</td> </tr> <tr class="detail-wrapper "> <td class="date-time"> March 7, 2015 , 7:34 pm
</td> <td class="status"> Departed USPS Facility
</td> <td class="location"> SAINT PAUL, MN 55121
</td> </tr> <tr class="detail-wrapper odd-row"> <td class="date-time"> March 7, 2015 , 10:06 am
</td> <td class="status"> Accepted at USPS Origin Sort Facility
</td> <td class="location"> SAINT PAUL, MN 55121
</td> </tr> <tr class="detail-wrapper "> <td class="date-time"> March 6, 2015 , 7:55 am
</td> <td class="status"> Arrived at USPS Facility
</td> <td class="location"> SAINT PAUL, MN 55121
</td> </tr> <tr class="detail-wrapper odd-row"> <td class="date-time"> March 5, 2015
</td> <td class="status"> Pre-Shipment Info Sent to USPS
</td> </tr></tbody></table>

 

[Smitty37]

Package mailed Saturday 3/7/15 from Wooden Wonders, Pearland TX USPS First Class - arrived Monday 3/9/15 at Smitty's Pen Works, Milford DE. I don't know about you folks but I would call that pretty decent service.

No argument LeRoy.
In general, USPS does very well - I use them a lot and I have very few complaints.

However, you do get what you pay for. As an example, I shipped out a number of gift packages during December. Most of my "2-3 day" USPS deliveries took 5 days or longer - particularly as we got closer to Christmas (and there were no weather issues involved). All of my FedEx deliveries at that same time were right on target - some even arriving a day early. My point is simply that for-profit companies have different incentives than government agencies and sometimes that needs to be taken into consideration.

The USPS doesn't get taxpayer subsidies except for voter mailings overseas and matter for the blind. They also handle more volume than FedEx, UPS and the other private couriers combined.

To expect 2 or 3 day delivery during December with the Christmas volume is hilarious. Next time I see my mailman I will tell him, I bet he needs a good laugh.

I believe USPS makes in pretty clear that December shipping will often take longer than normal simply based on the volume of shipping. BTW my last UPS package arrived via my USPS mail Carrier.

I should have noted that I live in a development where I see UPS trucks making deliveries virtually everyday both in the morning and afternoon so this particular package probably traveled the whole trip via USPS. I also used to ship from a small town/rural post office where the UPS truck stopped every day to drop off packages for the rural mail carrier to deliver.

 

[Michael67]

[

Call it what you want, but USPS runs a huge deficit every year which is covered by a "loan" from us taxpayers that will never be repaid. I call that a taxpayer subsidy. And I'm not necessarily complaining about that situation either as I take advantage of their lower shipping charges and free shipping materials quite often. I also realize that I would not likely get 6-day a week rural route mail delivery if it weren't for our subsidies and I certainly don't get free boxes from UPS or FedEx.

I didn't say that I expected a 2-3 day delivery at Christmas time - I was just pointing out that private enterprise companies are more incentivized to maintain or even surpass their normal delivery schedules at that time, and find a way to do so, while a government agency is not, and doesn't.

I didn't mean for my posts to be construed as a complaint about USPS. I was mainly just trying to point out why UPS and FedEx offer better tracking service, generally better customer service with regard to refunds, and overall somewhat more reliable delivery than USPS.[/QUOTE]



Hi, I would just like to add to your quote about the "Loan" you referred to. I'm not mad at you guys, this is just more mislead info about the USPS brought on by media outlets. That money was from the billions(about 5 billion per yr.) that the USPS is being forced to pay for a retirement plan that went into "Law" in 2007. That is the largest part of our debt. We are not allowed to have an account just for this money, it is paid to the U.S. Treasury Dept. So, it is all floating around with all the other money from this country and when asked to have some back to help it gets labeled as a "loan or bail out" from taxpayer money. This law is making us pay a retirement 75 years into the future in just 10 years!! No other agency is being forced to do this. This has caused major restructuring of USPS(early retirements,hire of part time empolyees,Distribution closings AND Congress blocking everthing that we try to fix) in a short amount of time. USPS is not perfect, but we are trying to change for the better. I step down... my soap box sure is dusty.... Later

 

[TellicoTurning]

We all complain about the postal system and I'm sure that at some point in time I have too., but face it, we still have one of the best postal systems in the world... back in the Vietnam era, I worked for a major airline as cargo master... the USPS contracted for one of our planes to carry mail from the U.S. to Vietnam, just for the soldiers... the only mail on or allowed on that flight was military mail... it was a guarantee contract that said the flight flew whether it was full or had one letter on it.... we generally had about 70,000 lbs of G.I. mail on the flight every time it lifted off.

Complaints have been made about their insurance and re-imbursement system.. I've filed only one claim that I remember... it took only two weeks to settle the claim.. granted I did have pictures and information from the recipient and presented all of that... over the years in my former career as an international shipping manager I've filed a number of claims for lost or damaged good and most were settled relatively timely....documentation is the key to any insurance claim....

While at the airlines, for a time I was in charge of supervising the runners that hauled mail from plane side to the sort center at the airport... I've watched the system go from almost totally hand sorting to the automated systems that are in place now and that are in constant state of improvement. Some of their systems may be a result of working with the major courier companies, some of the major courier company's systems are developed from working with the postal system.

Considering the size of this country, the number of pieces handled every day, we really have little to complain about with the postal system.

 

[Smitty37]

I remember when the Post Office was run as part of the Government. I always thought that it is the one major service that benefitted every person in the USA - there is no one who gets no mail - That being said I don't mind to much if there is a government subsidy. In my opinion there are a lot less useful ways the government spends money. I remember the "mail car" on trains where sorting of mail was done enroute.

 

[Smitty37]

Ordered regional A shipping boxes from the USPS on Mar 4 - they began shipping them from St. Paul, MN on Mar 6, kept working at it Mar 7, got them to the other side of the river and into Minneapolis on Mar 8. Arrived to my suburb of Minneapolis on Mar 9. Hmmm.

<table class="zebra-table" summary="Table describes the label details returned from track query." id="tc-hits"><thead><tr class="header"><th scope="col" class="date-time" style="width:33%">Date & Time
</th> <th scope="col" class="status" style="width:33%"> Status of Item
</th> <th scope="col" class="location" style="width:33%"> Location
</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody class="details"> <tr class="detail-wrapper latest-detail"> <td class="date-time"> March 9, 2015 , 12:24 pm
</td> <td class="status"> Delivered, Front Door/Porch
</td> <td class="location"> MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55431

</td> </tr> <tr class="detail-wrapper odd-row"> <td class="date-time"> March 9, 2015 , 7:34 am
</td> <td class="status"> Out for Delivery
</td> <td class="location"> MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55438
</td> </tr> <tr class="detail-wrapper "> <td class="date-time"> March 9, 2015 , 7:24 am
</td> <td class="status"> Sorting Complete
</td> <td class="location"> MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55438
</td> </tr> <tr class="detail-wrapper odd-row"> <td class="date-time"> March 8, 2015 , 10:08 am
</td> <td class="status"> Arrived at Hub
</td> <td class="location"> MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55438
</td> </tr> <tr class="detail-wrapper "> <td class="date-time"> March 7, 2015 , 7:34 pm
</td> <td class="status"> Departed USPS Facility
</td> <td class="location"> SAINT PAUL, MN 55121
</td> </tr> <tr class="detail-wrapper odd-row"> <td class="date-time"> March 7, 2015 , 10:06 am
</td> <td class="status"> Accepted at USPS Origin Sort Facility
</td> <td class="location"> SAINT PAUL, MN 55121
</td> </tr> <tr class="detail-wrapper "> <td class="date-time"> March 6, 2015 , 7:55 am
</td> <td class="status"> Arrived at USPS Facility
</td> <td class="location"> SAINT PAUL, MN 55121
</td> </tr> <tr class="detail-wrapper odd-row"> <td class="date-time"> March 5, 2015
</td> <td class="status"> Pre-Shipment Info Sent to USPS
</td> </tr></tbody></table>

But that was Free Shipping....

 

[GBrackett]

It's common practice with them. Cheap rate but, poor delivery! They're only in business because the feds have to keep them in business!

 

[eajacobson]

Yes, but that is product that they could just as well carry at the Post Office, as it is one of the best rates for packages in the one to ten pound range.

Actually, it is interesting to think that they would spend time/effort to not process a package - seems like a waste of time to delay things like that. If they were beyond capacity, then I could understand it, but how do they know it will ever get through in that case.

Ed

But that was Free Shipping....

 

[Monty]

Package mailed Saturday 3/7/15 from Wooden Wonders, Pearland TX USPS First Class - arrived Monday 3/9/15 at Smitty's Pen Works, Milford DE. I don't know about you folks but I would call that pretty decent service.

What I can't understand is I shipped Smitty's and 2 other packages at the same time, one a flat rate envelope and two 1st class padded envelopes about 5" X 7". Both of the 1st class ones arrived at their destinations on the 9th while the FRE did not even arrive at the sort facility in the destination city until this morning.
View attachment 130518

I will concede that the 2nd 1st class envelope destination was basically "across town" in Seabrtook, TX.

 

[Smitty37]

Yes, but that is product that they could just as well carry at the Post Office, as it is one of the best rates for packages in the one to ten pound range.

Actually, it is interesting to think that they would spend time/effort to not process a package - seems like a waste of time to delay things like that. If they were beyond capacity, then I could understand it, but how do they know it will ever get through in that case.

Ed

But that was Free Shipping....

My local Post Office can't keep SFRB on their shelf. And, according to my mail carrier if I order them on line I get them faster than if I have them order them for me at the Post Office.

 

[dankc908]

Remember ... It is called "SNAIL MAIL"!

 

[socdad]

This is cut / pasted from USPS Tracking site. All looks OK other than I live in Dayton, Ohio ... I am not sure why my package sent from St Paul MN went to SANTA CLARITA, CA 91383!

DATE & TIME STATUS OF ITEM LOCATION
March 8, 2015 , 4:11 am Departed USPS Facility SANTA CLARITA, CA 91383

Your item departed our USPS facility in SANTA CLARITA, CA 91383 on March 8, 2015 at 4:11 am. The item is currently in transit to the destination.

March 8, 2015 , 12:59 am Arrived at USPS SANTA CLARITA, CA 91383
March 6, 2015 , 4:45 am Departed USPS Facility SAINT PAUL, MN 55121
March 6, 2015 , 1:37 am Arrived Origin Facility SAINT PAUL, MN 55121
March 5, 2015 , 11:40 pm
Shipping Label Created SAINT PAUL, MN 55111 March 5, 2015 , 10:46 pm

I just checked the USPS Tracking site & saw the 3 magic words … 'Out for delivery' :biggrin: <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>

 

[Monty]

Package mailed Saturday 3/7/15 from Wooden Wonders, Pearland TX USPS First Class - arrived Monday 3/9/15 at Smitty's Pen Works, Milford DE. I don't know about you folks but I would call that pretty decent service.

Smitty, My package seems to be in a time warp somewhere between BELLMAWR, NJ and Houston.Lats update says it left BELLMAWR on March 10 and 10:25 am.

 

[Smitty37]

Package mailed Saturday 3/7/15 from Wooden Wonders, Pearland TX USPS First Class - arrived Monday 3/9/15 at Smitty's Pen Works, Milford DE. I don't know about you folks but I would call that pretty decent service.

Smitty, My package seems to be in a time warp somewhere between BELLMAWR, NJ and Houston.Lats update says it left BELLMAWR on March 10 and 10:25 am.

It probably has not left the truck yet. Yours to me must have caught an airplane for the trip.

 

[SteveG]

Not that this has anything to do with anything...

One time while on vacation on Oahu, I inadvertently left some medication behind in the hotel room when I moved to the second week of my trip on Maui. No big deal, thought I, I'll just call the hotel and ask them to Overnight the Rx via FedEx...so that's what I did...or so I thought...
)

What you could not know, except by experience of living on a "neighbor" island in Hawaii, is that Priority Mail will get delivered overnight to almost any Hawaii address, as long as you have caught the last outgoing pickup of the day at the originating P.O. (Excluding Sunday delivery). This is not offered nor guaranteed, it is just what happens here in Hawaii. My experience is living in the islands nearly 40 years, and doing "small package" business thru most of that time.

 

[Fay Prozora]

I was surprised that my lathe belt came 2 days early!.. I was supposed to be delivered on Tuesday the 17th and it came yesterday. So that was a plus except the mail was very late in getting here. It comes around 10:30 a.m. and it didn't get here until after 2 P.M.! I've never seen it come that late before. But I did not put up a fuss and the mail lady asked me a question about another tenant. I told her I didn't know that tenant and whoever it was may have moved out. So she may have been a new mail lady or a substitute person. Now all of my orders are here and I don't have any worries about not getting some thing while I'm gone. Going to have surgery on Tuesday and then after that going to my sisters and turn my new blanks to see if I get a decent pen out of them. Will be gone a couple of weeks but will use my kindle to check in with.. Fay