Postal Packages

I requested something shipped via Priority Mail in mid December, and still don't have it. Disappointing as that is, I don't blame anyone working at the USPS. The lack of funding and recent changes/cuts have stretched the system to its limits. Thankfully we have not had anyone lose it and "go postal". I would bet there are very many USPS workers who are depressed, dejected, and on the verge of a break down.

You can't really compare them to Amazon, though. Amazon has fulfillment warehouses all over the country, so whatever you order is probably in the nearest one already. Does not have to ship very far which is why they can deliver very quickly, instead of you going to the store to get it yourself (i.e. Target, Walmart, etc.) .
 
Are their bar code readers defective? I keep having parcels sent the wrong direction(s).

From North Carolina to just east of Cleveland via Olympia, Washington.

From Boston area to just east of Cleveland via St. Peterburg, FL.

From London to just east of Cleveland via Chicago to Pittsburg, to Chicago to Cleveland - after nine days circling over the Atlantic, setting a new cargo aircraft endurance record for non-aerial refueld aircraft by 1,800%.

It takes computerized systems to really screw things up.
 
I've had a few cases of loop mail. The dresses were filled out properly, but the post office put the my address in the bar code. The package kept coming back to my home post office, then back out again. The automated system saw np problem with this. After several phone calls, they tracked it down and corrected the bar code. I didn't have this problem when I printed my labels.
 
I mailed a flashlight to another forum member on Monday 12-16-20, It shows being accepted & leaving my post office that day, then it goes dead for the next 13 days, today it surfaces in Los Angels Ca.
The only problem is I live in the ChicagoLand area, the light was being shipped to north east Nebraska, hopefully I will get there after the USA tour is over, I'm thinking I may want to try UPS or FedEx I know it's about double the price but it would save a lot of unnecessary STRESS
 
RICKSTER said:
I mailed a flashlight to another forum member on Monday 12-16-20, It shows being accepted & leaving my post office that day, then it goes dead for the next 13 days, today it surfaces in Los Angels Ca.
The only problem is I live in the ChicagoLand area, the light was being shipped to north east Nebraska, hopefully I will get there after the USA tour is over, I'm thinking I may want to try UPS or FedEx I know it's about double the price but it would save a lot of unnecessary STRESS
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I have swapped to UPS and FedEx, at least until USPS is less slammed. Costs literally 2x-3x more, but I just calculate it in my price and make a note on my sales that the shipping is UPS or FedEx and thats the reason for the cost. If they want it cheaper, I will send it USPS but I can't promise any delivery dates.
 
I haven’t even had any mail or packages delivered in the last five days. No idea what the hell is going on.
 
Contrary to what some here are saying there are a couple of main reasons that the PO went off the rails here in December - and it has little to do with budget cuts, mismanagement, or some conspiracy theory.

1. Ecommerce has jumped ahead several years of growth due to the pandemic. People have found it is easy to sit at home, avoid the hassle of going to the store, and have it delivered to your door. No one could have predicted this accelerated rate and the PO can't build unexpected capacity overnight. Quite honestly they are not as nimble as UPS or Fedex, and one could argue that long term they probably do not need to add a lot of capacity anyway. Their changing mix of letters to pkgs is an issue too.
2. It is Christmas time and due to the above it only made matters worse - businesses/people were told to order things early and not wait till a week or two before Christmas . USPS, UPS and Fedex all communicated that. People were told that for a reason (not to mention common sense should play) - if you waited and didn't listen - that's partially on you.
3. Yes, part of it is due to covid - when you have employees out due to the virus or close contact with someone who tested positive - YES, that in fact impacts your staffing.
4. The PO got even more unexpected customers/volume because those customers had no where else to go due to volume constraints other carriers had.

Those are some of the facts ...……… it's not an excuse for poor service - but is what it is.
 
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I mailed a Priority Flat Rate Envelope at the local post office. It sat there for 10 days before being scanned into the system and moving to the main Boston hub 5 miles away. Now it is progressing (supposedly) toward PA.

A Christmas card from SC took 3 weeks to arrive.

Another package from MA to PA has taken 3 weeks (so far) and has been located in a NJ warehouse. No date certain for delivery.
 
Got an alert on informed delivery for a “failed delivery” yesterday even though we were home and there was no attempt to deliver anything.
 
Jcsixx01 said:
Got an alert on informed delivery for a “failed delivery” yesterday even though we were home and there was no attempt to deliver anything.
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What I was told by my mailman when that happened was they ran out of time in the shift before getting to me.
 
Meds invisible on tracking since left Pittsburgh - totally off-route - on 12/21/20

"December 25, 2020
In Transit, Arriving Late
Your package will arrive later than expected, but is still on its way. It is currently in transit to the next facility [which would be Cleveland Main].
December 21, 2020, 1:29 pm
Departed USPS Regional Destination Facility
PITTSBURGH PA NETWORK DISTRIBUTION CENTER "
 
sharp_edge said:
Gastonknife Gastonknife you are a great member and we may have dealt before but I say USPS sucks lately for its extended delay.
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To be clear, I agree the USPS service has been poor in many locations and I am in no way saying it is acceptable. Poor service is never ok.
I was just trying to explain a few reasons why this happened and attempt to address some of the misinformation out there - a lot of it intentional.

Another good example of this is the reporting on the removal of some sorting machines in select locations. These machines sort letters, not packages and everyone knows that letter volume has been significantly been dropping for years. Many are old. They take up room and when you need space to sort more packages - well common sense says you remove the old/non-productive items. The plans to remove some of those were put in place way before the current postmaster g took over. The usps did a fine job overall handling the election ballots ...so there you go on that.

When networks get overwhelmed it often results in some areas getting behind in a disproportionate manner. Example: things could go relatively well in Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Baltimore etc. While the Philadelphia area may be days behind .....or worse.
It happens at the usps, fedex, and ups.

I can tell you that all the employees at every package transportation company have been working their butts off for 9 months since this pandemic started; December was insane. And that includes everyone - from top managers to drivers to the warehouse workers.
 
LightningG said:
I find it interesting that my Amazon orders, which in my area are delivered by USPS, have arrived on time or early.

Edit: Everything else shipped with USPS has been delayed.
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I

This is likely due to Amazon injecting those packages into the usps network close to where you live; your regional usps area may not be experiencing any backlog.
 
Amazon is a big account for USPS, owned by the richest man in the World. Whereas, we are nothing to USPS,as they conveyed when USPS "resolved" my inquiry about my missing meds by simply closing it with abolitely no action taken.
 
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