The USPS... really lifting off of the throttle.

[mrsilv04]

I've been keeping track of my inbound and outbound packages for the past few months now, and the transit of packages via the US Mail has slowed down significantly.

For example, what the USPS calls a two day Priority Mail delivery (by entering both zip codes on the USPS website), one took 6 days, and one has taken a week. There was no significant weather in the route that either package had taken.

The one Priority Mail package that took a week had to travel just 500 miles.

And when one complains, the response is... Priority Mail isn't guaranteed, and we have no idea what happened. Which is exactly the response that one should expect coming from something that is overseen by the federal government.

Right now, I'm watching a package that hit St. Louis, and has completely fallen off of the radar screen. It was mailed on Monday in Atlanta, hit St. Louis on Wednesday... and then (blam...) nothing. Today is Saturday, and I have no idea as to when I might actually receive it.

So.... if the USPS wants to prove themselves to be the inefficient dinosaur that most people perceive them to be, then they need to keep showing this type of slow-it-down behavior.

Especially, by screwing around with Priority Mail packages, they're going to shoot themselves in the foot. The USPS heavily promoted that Priority Mail would be a 2-3 day delivery, and now they aren't going to/can't/don't want to do that anymore.

Personally, I'm done with them. I'm trying to screw them out of everything that I can going outbound. I now use on-line bill pay, and ship everything as much as possible in-bound using Fed-Ex ground or UPS ground. I'm trying to see how long I can make a book of 20 stamps last.

For example, I was able to submit my last Pennzoil rebate completely online.

 

[94astro]

I have a small computer repair business & I have noticed the same thing. Some packages are accepted by USPS and sit there 2 days before the are sent to the destination. On the other hand I have some packages from the west coast arrive in two days, go figure. The one thing I will never use again is DHL, that must be by mule train.

 

[Tdbo]

My recent experience with Priority mail was very efficient. We ordered an urn for Jasmine and I spoke with the Woman at the vendor in Minnesota yesterday afternoon at 4 PM and the Urn arrived here this morning at 11. We have had another family member Priority us something this week, and even though it was not as far, was here overnight.

 

[John_K]

We have had very poor mail service lately. I wonder if they aren't trying to pull some sort of work slowdown because of elimination of Saturday delivery.

John

 

[OilNerd]

USPS package shipping is hit or miss.

My buddy's birthday present made it from here to Denver in two days (Priority Mail), hitting the estimated delivery date.

A small first-class package mailed to my sister, near Niagara Falls, sat for two days in local handling before it was even scanned ("Accepted"), then got delivered the next day.

An eBay item I ordered was postmarked the day after sale, but took two weeks to arrive by first-class. I don't remember the exact location, but remember that I had estimated only five days, based upon the distance from the midwest. (Since the delay was USPS' fault, I left the seller 5-stars for shipping time)

 

[NorWest5]

Living in Canada with Canada Post, I'd be delighted to trade our postal service for the USPS which still delivers 6 days a week and has postal inspectors that carry guns and take safe guarding the mail very seriously.

The last thing you want is UPS having you at their mercy with no USPS option.

Complain to your Senator and Congressman!

 

[PF52]

Originally Posted By: OilNerd
USPS package shipping is hit or miss.



That is true. It can be very quick or very slow.

Its their tracking that I always complain about. It really doesn't tell me much and I've had items delivered to me already when tracking tells me it might be half a continent away.

 

[sdan27]

I've tried using the tracking service online and usually it will give information on when the package was received but then you won't see much new until it arrives at your home. But, I can send out an oil sample on a Monday, it has to travel about 360 miles down to Indianapolis, and then I get the results emailed back to me by Thursday which seems pretty good. Thats just using regular mail service.

 

[Artem]

I've noticed the same thing lately with a few packages taking long then usual for Priority Mail but the rest of incoming and out going packages seem to travel quick via Priority Mail.

I also noticed that their Express Mail (around the US) is no longer a one day thing for certain locations. I used to ship from Florida to California via Express Mail and it would get there the next day, now it takes 2 days! Even the online shipping estimator shows 2 days for transit. I don't get it.

I ship via UPS 90% of the time anyway, unless the package is small enough to go into a flat rate box.

 

[Doog]

I use click & ship and love it. But if it absolutely has to be there..I still use FedEx or UPS. However, an analysis of cost savings last year using USPS click & ship for most of my packages that could wait saved me $277 over FedEx.

 

[OilNerd]

Originally Posted By: css9450
Its their tracking that I always complain about. It really doesn't tell me much and I've had items delivered to me already when tracking tells me it might be half a continent away.


Funny you mention their tracking. Here's my lastest tracking fail. The package arrived here yesterday. The post office meter label had a print failure over the part that normally shows the mailing date, so I tried to run the tracking label to see when it was mailed:

 

[Cujet]

Solution: Use FedEx.

I can't risk using any other method.

 

[bullwinkle]

I had USPS LOSE 4 checks that were mailed to pay bills in mid February that have not shown up here or at the payee yet, as far as I'm concerned they're DONE-nothing more important than a Christmas card will be entrusted to them in the future!

 

[mrsilv04]

Just as bad... today.

Priority Mail - 4 days from Austin, Texas to Illinois.

USPS website said it would take two days to deliver. Only took them twice as long to do it.

 

[Artem]

I have a package coming from California. It was shipped on Friday, March 22nd. It's now the end of Saturday, March 30th and the tracking info only shows: 2x acceptance scans and 1 dispatch scan, all on March 22nd.

The shipped called the post office and they said that it should be here no later then Monday April 1th. That's 10 days in transit with absolutely zero tracking updates.

 

[stephen9666]

I've shipped about 1,000 items in the last few years, 99.9% of them by USPS.

I've had exactly two problems. These two items were delayed. Both were delivered, but they took about an extra week.

I haven't had the problems people in this thread are claiming. Overall, USPS service has been fast and very reliable for me. It's far cheaper than rates I can get by UPS and Fedex, and both have given me worse service.

Also, I just had an item delivered by USPS priority this week, one of many I've had. It took exactly two days.

 

[mechanicx]

I'm always a little skeptical of USPS critism when I see the anti-gov agency stance, just like I'm skepticle about critism of a car make when there's an anti-UAW stance

. I've had all good experiences with the USPS.

 

[stephen9666]

Originally Posted By: mechanicx
I'm always a little skeptical of USPS critism when I see the anti-gov agency stance


There are definitely some questions to be asked about the anecdotal instances of bad service claimed in this thread. As I noted, I've had two problems with the USPS, but I've had more problems with UPS and Fedex, and I've shipped/received far fewer packages with them.

#1 - when where the packages actually shipped? When does the tracking show they were actually accepted by the USPS? Sometimes shippers claim a USPS delay when they're actually late to ship a package.

#2 - Was the item shipped to the correct address? I believe some mail will be returned to sender rather than forwarded if the incorrect address is used. I do freelance work for an organization and they have a terrible payment department. They frequently send my checks to an outdated address, despite my complaints, and the checks are returned to them, rather than forwarded to me.

I'm not saying the USPS is always perfect, but they've been very good for me. Sometimes there are outside forces that cause shipping problems and aren't the fault of the USPS.

 

[sxg6]

I agree with Stephen, I've had nothing but good experiences with USPS shipping. I expressed my skepticism last time mrsilv posted a thread similar to this one.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubb...amp;Main=191929

 

[HTSS_TR]

I was very happy with USPS especially the Priority Mail/Package service until the last couple months. Priority Mail usually came in 2-3 days but now 3-5 days, ground can take up to 10-12 days from East Coast. Just ordered 1 book last week, first scan was at San Antonio, Tx on Monday, second scan was at Memphis, TN yesterday and estimate to deliver on or before April 15, 2 weeks from today.

Date Time Location Event Details
March 29, 2013 05:39:00 AM Memphis TN US Departure Scan
March 26, 2013 07:08:00 PM San Antonio TX US Departure Scan
March 24, 2013 US Shipment has left seller facility and is in transit to carrier

I think the problem is USPS is cutting cost by reducing the number of employees, the one who retired did not get replaced.