USPS - snails pace

[Luis]

Anyone else having this wonderful experience of waiting and waiting for your package?
This is about the sixth item in the past month where it takes 6x longer to receive package. Researched this and it has been going on for sometime now.
Does anyone know if they will ever be back to normal?

 

[Dan Allen]

USPS raises their rates periodically to cover the cost of storage.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I've honestly never had a significant problem with the Post Office. Deliveries are always prompt, and service is always smooth. The only complaint I have with them is sometimes the mail carrier knocks the lid off my mailbox and doesn't put it back on.

Fed Ex, on the other hand, I have no use for at all. They've twice in the last few weeks lost or delayed vital film shipments for work, requiring last-minute overnight shipments to get me my show in time to show it, and I dread getting the news that an upcoming show is being delivered thru that service.

 

[Nick D]

 

[Luis]

No update since Thursday night. There's dozens of complaints on the web, I just don't understand. People pay for "faster" shipping but yet it's not guaranteed and it seems they never come through. I read they were consolidating in Houston 77315 but it seems to be everywhere lately.

http://abc13.com/shopping/usps-probing-cause-of-stalled-deliveries-as-complaints-rise/434759/

 

[Luis]

View attachment 36243

I think the snail is actually faster now.

 

[tonyb]

Wholly anecdotal observation here, but it is the experience of a person who ships frequently, and has for several years, and who has used all the major shipping companies ...

USPS has proven more reliable than any other service I've used. Priority Mail gets packages to addresses in the same general region (West Coast to West Coast, say) sometimes the next day. From one coast to the other, even to rural addresses, never takes more than three business days. And the packages arrive undamaged.

Sorry that such has not been your experience, Luis.

 

[Luis]

Wholly anecdotal observation here, but it is the experience of a person who ships frequently, and has for several years, and who has used all the major shipping companies ...

USPS has proven more reliable than any other service I've used. Priority Mail gets packages to addresses in the same general region (West Coast to West Coast, say) sometimes the next day. From one coast to the other, even to rural addresses, never takes more than three business days. And the packages arrive undamaged.

Sorry that such has not been your experience, Luis.

It's ok, I have faith they will pull through and deliver Art's masterpiece.

I've had a suit delivered soaked from snow since the box was half torn and a coin misdelivered to my lucky neighbors.

Tonyb, I'm glad you have had better luck than I have.

 

[Stearmen]

I have to agree with those who have had good luck with USPS. I always get my package fast, and any one I send to gets it fast. Remember when UPS and FedEx had to take shipments to USPS to try and make their Christmas deliveries on time? I don't even want to talk about damaged boxes from the gorillas that work for the two private companies! I think they only hire ex rugby players, who are good at the forward laterals. [video=youtube;Mw76bjAG6hk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mw76bjAG6hk[/video]

 

[tonyb]

I really should have saved that correspondence from some veterinary clinic in Florida informing that Rambo was due for his annual checkup. The postcard was addressed to 311 17th Ave. in some little place in Florida I'd never heard of before. There has to be some tale behind how it made its way to 311 17th Ave. in Seattle.

That's been 30 or more years back now. I trust that things long ago worked out one way or the other for Rambo.

 

[Luis]

Update - Tuesday 10-6-15 10:00 AM

Well... I was hoping to wake up to some new activity or good news but nothing still has updated on the tracking site since 10-1-15.
Just gotta keep hoping it will get here soon.
I will keep updates of the status here.

 

[Dan Allen]

My 91 year old mother just told me the other day that she had just received a letter from my nephew who was twelve at the time it was mailed and was addressed to my father . My father has been dead 25 years and the nephew is now a retired marine. By all means don't give up hope.

 

[Luis]

Better late than never

[video=youtube;g42EG7LD1UY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g42EG7LD1UY[/video]

 

[Fading Fast]

I agree that USPS does an outstanding job, but I also realize it is running at a huge loss subsidized by all of us taxpayers. Hence, it isn't a fair comparison as Fed Ex and UPS have to turn a profit or they go out of business. But on the other side, the USPS has to do a lot of things by law that force it to be unprofitable that UPS and Fed Ex would never do (delivery to practically every address, every day - for example). My point is not political - it's just that the comparison is not balanced. One is a subsidized business with non-business objectives; whereas, the other two are for-profit businesses.

 

[green papaya]

something I noticed is several of my packages have a hole punched on the box to appear like damage? the hole looks just big enough so somebody can take a peek inside or try to feel inside to see whats in the package.

this seemed to happen when a certain mail carrier was the regular mail man, he must have changed routes or got fired because he's been replaced and no more suspicious rips or holes in my packages, I do remember a story in the news about a local mailman that was caught stealing mail and gift cards a few years ago.

 

[St.Ignatz]

I agree that USPS does an outstanding job, but I also realize it is running at a huge loss subsidized by all of us taxpayers. Hence, it isn't a fair comparison as Fed Ex and UPS have to turn a profit or they go out of business. But on the other side, the USPS has to do a lot of things by law that force it to be unprofitable that UPS and Fed Ex would never do (delivery to practically every address, every day - for example). My point is not political - it's just that the comparison is not balanced. One is a subsidized business with non-business objectives; whereas, the other two are for-profit businesses.

By subsidised you mean our stamps right? No government funds go the post office. The loss is due to a government decision to have them pre-pay retirement and health care in a short period for benifit payments to people not even hired yet. No other business or agency has been saddled with the same requirements. It's not perfect but it does great by me.

Tom D.

 

[Stearmen]

By subsidised you mean our stamps right? No government funds go the post office. The loss is due to a government decision to have them pre-pay retirement and health care in a short period for benifit payments to people not even hired yet. No other business or agency has been saddled with the same requirements. It's not perfect but it does great by me.

Tom D.

That is something most people don't realize! No private business would do that, and neither would USPS if they were not forced to do it.

 

[vitanola]

L

I agree that USPS does an outstanding job, but I also realize it is running at a huge loss subsidized by all of us taxpayers. Hence, it isn't a fair comparison as Fed Ex and UPS have to turn a profit or they go out of business. But on the other side, the USPS has to do a lot of things by law that force it to be unprofitable that UPS and Fed Ex would never do (delivery to practically every address, every day - for example). My point is not political - it's just that the comparison is not balanced. One is a subsidized business with non-business objectives; whereas, the other two are for-profit businesses.

The last time that the USPS received any subsidy was 1982.

Right now it is running at a disadvantage, for some years ago Congress passed legislation which was heavily promoted by Fred Smith which required the USPS to fund the future health care and pension needs of its employees nearly seventy y are into the future, finding the retirements of employees who have not yet been born. This has been a terrible strain on the service, and has led to the underfunding of the actual operation.

I ship several dozen parcels each week, fragile radio and phonograph stuff, and I generally use the USPS Priority Mail. I've had far less damage than with, say UPS, and in the odd case something was damaged the insurance actually pays off. I have suffered horrific damage at the hands of UPS back before I closed my account with them, and never once got the insurance to reimburse, even if the parcel was packed - at GREAT expense - by UPS themselves. Don't get me started on UPS charges on overseas shipments. They charge 'paperwork' fees, "Customs handling" fees and generally charge double any applicable duties. USPS is much cheaper and less trouble for such shipments. FedX is pretty good, too, but their nearest office is a forty mile round trip, so I generally only use them for oversized or overweight stuff.

 

[Fading Fast]

As regards above posts, For the USPS, I was referring to these subsidies (from a "Fortune" article):

- Tax breaks. The Post Office is exempt from state and local property and real estate taxes, along with other burdens like tolls, vehicle registration fees, and parking ticket

- Cheap borrowing. The Postal Service, writes Shapiro, “can borrow from the U.S. Treasury through the Federal Financing Bank, at highly-subsidized interest rates.”

Fed Ex and UPS pay local taxes, fees, etc. and borrow at private sector (higher) interest rates. These are meaningful subsidies. That said, USPS also has to deliver mail daily to highly unprofitable rural areas. Although, some argue its obligation / legal monopoly on daily letter delivery is profitable while others argue it isn't. And as noted above, USPS has to address pension issues differently than the private sector companies.

I am - sincerely - not argue for or against the subsidies the USPS obtain (that's a separate and political conversation that I personally don't want to have), I was just trying to point out that in comparing the two business models - USPS vs. FedEx or UPS - we are not comparing apples to apples. They have different cost structures, obligations and subsidies. UPS to FedEx is probably a fairer comparison.

 

[Luis]

10-7-15
After calling the 1-800 number during lunchtime, they initiated a case number with all my info. Told me to file a claim if it is not received from 15 days of shipping. Later that evening Post office near my home left a voicemail to call next day since they were given the wrong tracking number and could not pull it up in the system.

10-8-15
Following up from voicemail - Post office does not know anything yet in regards to where it is, all they can tell me is that it could still be on its way. I guess it could take another week or so. They cannot tell me why it is taking so long either.


Losing hope here. Package is heavily insured but I'm still down on the dumps.