USPS is on meltdown.....

[jltrent]

I have several items, according to tracking info, were accepted by USPS almost 3 weeks ago and have not moved from that destination. Other items moving slowly that are way behind scheduled delivery date. Who knows what is going on. It maybe on a truck setting somewhat, in a warehouse or employee theft. Warning, order at your on risk.

 

[Silver]

There must be a lot of stuff moving (or not moving, as the case may be) around out there.
The large plane traffic over my house is almost non stop. Apparently I live under a flight path. I found an app called Flightradar24 and it tracks flights in real time. There is a constant stream of cargo jets flying overhead either originating in Japan, China, S Korea or reloaded planes from Anchorage heading mostly stateside. I did not know FedEx had so many planes. Memphis seems like a popular destination.

 

[Dave]

A main east-west rail route runs through our little town about 5 miles from here. Every day there are several trains which are near two miles long that are totally double stacked cargo containers. Lots of goods that came in on a ship being sent further east.

 

[simme]

USPS is doomed to fail without some changes. Income and operating costs have to match up. They are losing so much money. Probably some inefficiencies. They deliver to most anyone 6 days a week - in most cases direct to the house or mailbox. Do we really need delivery 6 days a week? I think I am OK with getting mail delivery 2 days a week or even one day. They could eliminate some of the delivery people with the remainder of the delivery people alternating routes depending on the day of the week. Could charge the receiver for delivery to their house as opposed to pickup at the post office. Need to cut costs or raise rates. You can send a letter across the country for 55 cents. Seems very cheap compared to UPS and Fedex rates.
They deliver some of the Amazon orders. I hope they are making a profit from those, but have heard that might not be the case.
Years ago, my son was working on a cattle ranch (station in local terms) in the outback of Australia, 250 miles from the nearest town. He wore out his pair of Ariat boots and asked us to send him a new pair. UPS and Fedex shipping was going to be over $150. USPS would ship for $50. I don't see how they could make money on that.

I have sometimes suspected that USPS tracking information is not updated very often. But 3 weeks seems like a problem. I also think that "accepted shipment" may not mean physical possession. They may have the "paperwork", but have not received the item.

 

[Dave]

I can see lots of ways for them to cut cost. We have no delivery. You have to have a post office box and they charge you to have one. The counter at the post office is only open from 8 to 10 AM. Access to the PO boxes is open 24/7. There is a sign giving hours but someone lost the key so the door is never locked.

 

[Lee VanRoss]

This subject sure hit a nerve. To the extent that I can and when I think it practical I will add a coin to my collection. Ordered on the 3rd of Nov and
should of had it within the week. I was given a USPS tracking number which indicated it had been delayed in Kansas City , then it was gong to be
late, then it showed up in West Virginia at which point I contacted the Postal Authority (with the help of my local postmaster) PA assured me they were
aware of the situation and that it could take up to 3 weeks to get back to me. Received word yesterday the item had been located (never indicated where)
Received email from USPS last night informing me item was on way to delivery followed by --Will Be Late grind grind
Over the years I have had checks delivered to people up to 5 miles away, received countless mail belonging to others last week an insurance letter
to someone who lived in the next county! Latest word I heard is that USPS had delivered ballots for the November 3rd election!! by the millions!!
No doubt delivered with their impeccable accuracy to who knows where?

 

[bigbluegrass]

Wife ordered a package about 2 weeks ago. It was shipped 3 day priority. A week ago tracking showed it sitting in a sorting location in Cincinnati, which is the closest big sorting hub. A few days later it was in Cleveland. Then it was at another location in Ohio, forget the name. At some point, it will still need to come back to Cincinnati and eventually come out for delivery. We needed it by this weekend. Crazy.

 

[Silver]

I always thought moving packages was something that the US excelled at. Any time I've ordered something from the states even if it went USPS it moved like lightning until it got to Canada. The Canadian end of the trip is crazy slow anymore.

 

[Stocker Steve]

The corona virus has lots of effects. Mall traffic is down about 75% but sales are up 25%. So everyone who still has a job is taking the money they did not spend on travel and dining to either going to the box store for home improvement - - or buying household goods online and buying clothes online and buying sporting goods online. Major online operations are way short on inventory (due corona factory shut down earlier and 25% more sales for the year). My wife tried to buy something from LL Bean last week and it is back ordered till June.

So they are trying to fly stuff in before the 25th. Shipping capacity is waaaay over extended. Go Santa Go! He is our only hope.

The sad part of this is the Chinese are making a lot of money off the virus driven businesses, and their ability to track and control their people...

 

[Brute 23]

I didn't order near the stuff online this year because of the issues. Tried to order some hunting boots a couple months ago and it took 2 weeks to leave bass pro and dang near the same time to reach the house. They weren't even sending emails. Call BP direct multiple times and got a different answer each time.

Waiting on some binoculars from optics planet for my son now that were ordered 3 weeks ago. Shipper still hasnt updated the tracking number info.

When we were in WTX and packages would ship to ups you would just drive up there and they would let you walk around with them in the warehouse to try to find your stuff. LoL Rarely did they even answer the phone.

 

[TexasBred]

I always thought moving packages was something that the US excelled at. Any time I've ordered something from the states even if it went USPS it moved like lightning until it got to Canada. The Canadian end of the trip is crazy slow anymore.

It still does if you consider the overall picture. The amount of late and/or lost packages etc. is extremely low considering the volume.

 

[Jet]

I’ve lived out of town for a long time. Because I used to work in town, and replacing mailboxes destroyed by plows and maintainers gets expensive, I paid to have a post office box in town. I checked it a couple times a week. I no longer work in town and live 7 miles out. Delivery to my box is now free 6 days a week. It takes a second to throw my mail in a box a foot from where you’re sorting mail in town and 15 minutes and vehicle maintenance to drive the 7 miles. No private business could operate this way. That’s part of the problem. It would make more sense to give country folks boxes for free and charge delivery.

 

[GoWyo]

Ordered a hydraulic toplink from an outfit in the Netherlands off eBay on 12/15 and FedEx delivered it on Sunday 12/20. That was about as fast as it can be.

 

[4hfarms]

I just bought some winter firehose clothing yesterday, I hope to get it be for the February ice storms.
I'll cross my fingers.....

 

[Green Pastures]

Yeah, we've had delivery delays here too and it is interesting to note that USPS has had better performance than UPS or FedEx. The big difference is in the tracking procedure...USPS sucks. Not complaining, though.

 

[kenny thomas]

I just bought some winter firehose clothing yesterday, I hope to get it be for the February ice storms.
I'll cross my fingers.....

If you ordered from Duluth they normally get it out pretty quickly. Let us know how you like it. I am wearing a pair of their lined stretch pants right now.

 

[4hfarms]

I love the firehosee stuff. I have used a Firehose 11oz jacket all through the last couple winters and still wearing, so far. I found a pair of 11oz cargo pants last year at a discount shop here in town. Like them so much I had to get more. I use them on the farm when work has to be done. No briars or barbed fence has ever went through any of them. Last march I was cutting trees up with a chainsaw from sun up to bedtime after the tornados. I had a kickback and the saw hit my leg..... made a hole in the pants but not even a scratch on my leg. They look like hell but they are made for work. Dont confuse my enthusiasm for the lite 8oz that they call flex hose or something like that. My wife thought mine was too thick so she ordered the flex, very unhappy.

BTW real firehose 11oz, is on sale right now.

 

[kenny thomas]

I love the firehosee stuff. I have used a Firehose 11oz jacket all through the last couple winters and still wearing, so far. I found a pair of 11oz cargo pants last year at a discount shop here in town. Like them so much I had to get more. I use them on the farm when work has to be done. No briars or barbed fence has ever went through any of them. Last march I was cutting trees up with a chainsaw from sun up to bedtime after the tornados. I had a kickback and the saw hit my leg..... made a hole in the pants but not even a scratch on my leg. They look like hell but they are made for work. Dont confuse my enthusiasm for the lite 8oz that they call flex hose or something like that. My wife thought mine was too thick so she ordered the flex, very unhappy.

BTW real firehose 11oz, is on sale right now.

The firehouse is for rough work. I have some that's 6-7 years old. I like the lined stretch pants for the easy stuff like moving electric poly wire fence. I stay very warm

 

[4hfarms]

I also have fleece lined, for the cold mornings.....