What's Wrong With The Postal Service?

[blue_monkey]

I hate to bite the hand that feeds me, but I'm not just a Postal employee (21 years, thank you very much), I'm also a customer. And as a customer, I am not too happy about some of the delivery times for my packages. I don't want to go on a full blown rant and rave, but this just doesn't make sense -- look at these Delivery Confirmation scans:

Electronic Shipping Info Received, August 09, 2008
Processed, August 09, 2008, 6:08 pm, KEARNY, NJ 07032
Processed, August 10, 2008, 11:17 pm, SANTA CLARITA, CA 91383
Processed, August 13, 2008, 3:36 am, FRESNO, CA 93706

My package flew 3000 miles from NJ to CA in only 1 day, 5 hours and 9 minutes, but then it took 2 days, 4 hours, and 19 minutes to travel the 194 miles from Santa Clarita to Fresno. Now, a 4 day delivery time with Priority is not so bad (the 2-3 day thing is a goal, not a commitment), but it looks like this package was just sitting somewhere. Sadly, it just seems as if the "service" part of our name has been long forgotten.

[Queen of Blades]

Whoa, that is just.......mind-boggling. :eek:

[Sejanus]

You get zero sympathy from me. Canada Post is far..far worse than USPS especially when dealing with cross border issues. :rofl

I routinely have to wait around 2 weeks for packages to arrive from the US. I had Lee send me two brushes from NY (I am in Ontario.. in other words just over the lake) and we are 2 days away from 2 weeks since he sent those.

Also the prices are insane. 9 Dollars to send a small box to Texas and it will be given a 2-3 week estimate.. if I want 1-2 weeks they bump up the charge to nearly 25 dollars.

[-PO-]

I hate to bite the hand that feeds me, but I'm not just a Postal employee (21 years, thank you very much), I'm also a customer. And as a customer, I am not too happy about some of the delivery times for my packages. I don't want to go on a full blown rant and rave, but this just doesn't make sense -- look at these Delivery Confirmation scans:

Electronic Shipping Info Received, August 09, 2008
Processed, August 09, 2008, 6:08 pm, KEARNY, NJ 07032
Processed, August 10, 2008, 11:17 pm, SANTA CLARITA, CA 91383
Processed, August 13, 2008, 3:36 am, FRESNO, CA 93706

My package flew 3000 miles from NJ to CA in only 1 day, 5 hours and 9 minutes, but then it took 2 days, 4 hours, and 19 minutes to travel the 194 miles from Santa Clarita to Fresno. Now, a 4 day delivery time with Priority is not so bad (the 2-3 day thing is a goal, not a commitment), but it looks like this package was just sitting somewhere. Sadly, it just seems as if the "service" part of our name has been long forgotten.
I have noticed that too lately with my cigar purchases from he East Coast. Takes longer once it hits Cali than it does to go from one coast to the other.

[dmikel]

Some of my vendors are shipping with a USPS/fedex service. Fedex gets it and when they damn well please, drop it off at nearest big postal center. I've had stuff from LL Bean take 3 weeks to get to me. Even then it's a crap shoot as to whether my carrier will put it in the right box. I've had other people's stuff delivered to me with tracking numbers which means it shows delivered even when the package never got into their box. I have more to say but it would rapidly get into lots of four letter words strung together.......

[blue_monkey]

Some of my vendors are shipping with a USPS/fedex service. Fedex gets it and when they damn well please, drop it off at nearest big postal center.

Yes, the "drop ship" business is growing by leaps and bounds, and when functioning properly, is a win-win situation for all of the involved parties. Fedex and UPS are set up better to move parcels from point A to point B, and we (USPS) are better set up for home delivery. We also get daily drops from DHL.

[Single Wedge]

Everything went to heck when the postal service was outsourced. It is no longer a government body. It is a government body contracted out.

Viva la Pony Express.

[Michael]

I've never had a problem with USPS. Sending or receiving. Whatever distance. In fact, a couple of times, I have online ordered stuff from a store in Brooklyn - at around 2PM - that showed up the next day! Only 100 miles away, but still.

Well, actually, I did have a problem once. A friend in Virginia (400 miles) asked me if I had a spare drive shaft and U-joint for a 50's-vintage Triumph, which I did (doesn't everyone?). I made the mistake of sending it Parcel Post. A week went by and he emailed asking if I had sent it. Another week, another email. Went on for about a month. I'm sure he thought I was jerking him around.

Then, I was in VA visiting Mom, so I stopped to say hello to my friend (still no drive shaft). While I was there, there was a knock at the front door. Guess who?! Don't remember how many weeks, but FAR too many!

First Class and Priority work very well for me though.

[blue_monkey]

I've never had a problem with USPS. Sending or receiving. Whatever distance. In fact, a couple of times, I have online ordered stuff from a store in Brooklyn - at around 2PM - that showed up the next day! Only 100 miles away, but still.

And that's how it should be. Apparently the extra 94 miles for my parcel was the straw that broke the camel's back. :rolleyes:

BTW, my goodies did arrive today. It was a couple of bottles of A&F Fierce cologne, so now this monkey is smellin' good!

[JayKay]

I'm supprised the tracking worked. Every time that I've ordered anything with tracking from the USPS, it registers as shipping info recieved the day it sent and than doesnt show up with any more information for about 4-5 days when I actually recieve it.

With fedex I ususally watch my packages sit in some random warehouse for 3-5 days before it is shipped out to the area where it should be delivered. I think thats their way of saying you should pony up the extra 500% it would cost for over night or 2 day shipping.

[Single Wedge]

I have something coming from Bulgaria. It was returned to the sender once and I was just sent the tracking number for it and it is still waiting to enter the states. I figure1 month almost 2 is a good amount of time to traverse the globe.:D