Is the postal slowdown affecting you?

[WoodDuck]

Seems about the same to me, but all shippers have slowed a bit due to volume. One thing I noticed is a several day delay from when a seller claims 都hipped to when they actually get it in the hands of a shipper. I have 3 shipments from Thursday and Friday, and all three said shipped but only printed a label so far. The shippers (USPS, UPS, and FedEx in this case) will all get the packages on Monday. That痴 when I think the seller should consider it shipped. At this point it is only 菟ackaged?

This is exactly why I quit buying anything off the "Bay" website. I had 3 separate situations this year with sellers on that site sending me a "shipped notice" with a tracking number, and more than a week later, whenever I'd run the tracking number through the USPS/UPS/Fedex website because it never showed up, it would show that the seller had printed a label, but the package had never been received by the carrier to be shipped to me. Had to get "Bay" involved twice to get a refund, because the seller never responded to my ongoing requests to either ship my merchandise, or refund my money. I've had plenty of slow deliveries from carriers in the past, but I can't fault them in these instances, because the bum who took my money either wouldn't ship it, or never really had it in stock to be selling it in the first place. And all three of them were "fast & free" 3-day shipping. Bull butter! On a brighter note, I had a roughly 20# package shipped DHL from New Zealand last year; he shipped it on Monday, and it was on my porch Thursday. Impressive!

 

[Mat4644]

I'm sure the USPS service varies greatly by region, including down to the local post offices. I can't say I'm impressed with our local service. We have contracted carriers in private vehicles and they definitely do not go 'out of their way' to provide anything more than the minimal service. Sloppy too. We more than we should... have to swap mail with our neighbors.

I don't enjoy knocking the USPS but there is a distinct difference in attitude between the delivery folk compared to UPS or FEDEX. I wonder why? I think most know.

98% delivery people are still USPS employees with full benefits. They get paid an equipment allowance for using a private car for deliveries plus wages. More of a training, setting expectations and supervision issue.

 

[Hay Dude]

The USPS does a great job for me with very little problems. :thumbsup: Don't mess with it!

Same with mine! My mail delivery gal is a devout conservative and we like to chat about President Trump.
I havent noticed anything changing in MY area in terms of a “slowdown”, but my kids mail a lot of stuff they sell on let go and other things they need and once in a while something seems to take forever.
I think the whole post office controversy is an artificial way for the losing party to make an excuse after the election.

 

[wngsprd]

I understand they have contracts with UPS and FedEx. I thoroughly enjoy these threads that talk about and discuss shipping companies... Honestly I do.

The slow down comes from many things combined...more people are not only buying more online to avoid physical stores, but companies now working half shifts to create space between employees, so less orders are processed in a day, not enough delivery drivers for all these packages, not enough delivery vehicles to load all these extra packages onto (seriously), there is now a more broad range of people buying online also...I know people that never liked buying online, but not have to due to age and health.

You say you have an inside source, and I understand every area/region is affected differently, but where I live, I am the inside source. Worked here 18 years now, same operation. Our drivers deliver everything loaded on their truck. An attempt must be made. Drivers are going out with delivery stop and package count numbers they only see at Christmas. Some work 60hrs, I'm working almost 70hrs per week because of my role.

My area could very well be different than yours or anyone else in this discussion.

I don't try and ruffle any feathers or annoy anyone. I see what is happening on a daily basis, so I get to experience it from the package drop off up to the actual delivery.

And just because a label was created, does not mean it was shipped. It bothers me that companies do that z then ship it days or a week later...

Thank you for what you do.

 

[Doofy]

Do you know how many 2 pound blocks of Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese you can fit in to a USPS Large Flat Rate Priority Mail shipping box? Nine! Since my local store quit carrying my favorite cheese, I had to take drastic measures. Salt Lake City to Boonie Alaska in 3 days for $18, delivered to my door. I consider that dang good service.

 

[slckeys]

Thank you for what you do.

Thank you

 

[rswyan]

USPS removed at least 10 automated mail sorting machines in MI this summer ... reducing first class mail sorting capacity by 300,000 pieces ... PER HOUR ...

 

[MossRoad]

USPS removed at least 10 automated mail sorting machines in MI this summer ... reducing first class mail sorting capacity by 300,000 pieces ... PER HOUR ...

Remember, though, that their boss told them to.

 

[sd455dan]

USPS removed at least 10 automated mail sorting machines in MI this summer ... reducing first class mail sorting capacity by 300,000 pieces ... PER HOUR ...

If this is due to an Upgrade in Sorting systems- where are they?

Did the Postal Service have the new machines ON SITE before removing the old machines.

That would seem like common sense- if efficiency is the goal or running the service like a business is the point.

 

[Mat4644]

Letter types of mail that the USPS handled have seen a drastic reduction because of the internet. Look at the junk and personal mail volume now vs 10 to 15 years years ago. The problem isn't letter mail automatic sorting machines because with the huge reduction they are over capacity. The problem is efficiently handling packages, transportation and competent staffing.

All the equipment removed was for a place in time that has passed because of the internet.

 

[rswyan]

If it isn’t needed anymore why are they claiming they are going to replace it with “new state-of-the-art equipment” ?

Photos appear to show mail sorting machines in parts in US postal facility - ABC News

 

[Mat4644]

Equipment is both being upgraded and eliminated at the same time. Newer equipment is faster and takes up less space. They are trying to modernize to fit todays world.

 

[sd455dan]

If it isn稚 needed anymore why are they claiming they are going to replace it with 渡ew state-of-the-art equipment ?

Photos appear to show mail sorting machines in parts in US postal facility - ABC News

It would certainly help to know what the utilization was on those machines before they were removed.

Big difference if running 24/7 or a couple hours out of a day.

Or running a couple hours a day and spending the rest of the hours fixing problems with the machines.

 

[Tinhack]

They should let Amazon deliver mail. They're already better at parcel delivery than anyone on the Planet. For most items, I can order today before 7pm and have it tomorrow. And I live out in the sticks! (That's Texan for "a rural area".) It takes the Postal Service three days for Priority Mail even if it comes from the same town. :confused3:

 

[dragoneggs]

98% delivery people are still USPS employees with full benefits. They get paid an equipment allowance for using a private car for deliveries plus wages. More of a training, setting expectations and supervision issue.

Do all USPS employees (delivery folk) still wear a uniform?

 

[deserteagle71]

Do all USPS employees (delivery folk) still wear a uniform?

In northern Nevada the ones that deliver in town do. The ones that deliver out to the rural area do not. They are contract employees that drive their own vehicles and wear whatever clothes they choose. I've spoken to several of the ladies who deliver to my mailbox complex and they don't seem very happy with their jobs.

 

[Ford850]

Do all USPS employees (delivery folk) still wear a uniform?

Ours do not. Ours has been a great delivery person, but occasionally her car (personal car and it's a pos) breaks down so she waits for her husband to come swap out another of their cars for her to continue (after transferring all the mail to the replacement car). She's retiring soon and we'll miss her, but we won't miss the stank of cigarette smoke on our mail every day from her heavy smoking habit. We can tell when she's off for the day when we pull the mail from the box and there's no cloud of smoke coming off of it.

 

[Mat4644]

Do all USPS employees (delivery folk) still wear a uniform?

No - our rural USPS employees have never worn uniforms. No uniforms in the small post offices either. Larger towns and cities they wear the uniforms. Don't know about other regions. Several small post offices have closed window service and only offer boxes and others have closed completely.

In our region and others they have full time rural carriers and RCAs. Rural Carrier Associates are part time and fill in as needed and are typically looking for a full time job to open up somewhere in the system. They are still considered USPS and not outside contract labor. All use their own cars and get paid a vechicle allowance in addition to wages.

Maybe other regions have went to contract labor but not here.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Local mail seems to be working well, with perhaps a day or two of delay. I just got my renewed CCP from the county sheriff. The postmark says August 14, it arrived on the 17th, which is over a weekend. That seems like reasonable service to me.

Long distance shipments are taking more time, and international mail is a total disaster, with parcels weeks late or not arriving at all.