"UPS Transferring to USPS?" Topic

I've had two packages lately that take longer to arrive, because they are shipping via UPS, but then for some reason UPS transfers them to the local post office (USPS) for delivery. This seems to add two days to the delivery time.

Just wondering if anyone knows why UPS would be doing this? Is it common elsewhere?

Not sure why but have had Fed ex do the same as well.

Never even heard of that happening. Totally bizarre.

Very common practice in the South with deleivery companies who take it to the local postoffice to make the final delivery. It saves them money on fuel and time. They do not have to roam the streets lookign fo an address.

However as Malaki said are you sure it was not Fed Ex?
UPS has done it but not often in my area.
I w2ill ask more tomorrow when I go to the post office. Herb or Melissa the clerks and I talk for a few minutes each time I go to the USPS.

Ebay forum thread on this question:

auction

Yep, as Rudy suggests, the contract between UPS and USPS has provided for USPS to provide the "final mile" of UPS delivery in rural areas for a number of years (originally 2003, expanded in 2006). And the practice seems to be expanding even more to non-rural area.

Allen

I've had this happen. Does your house sit in a GPS Deadzone? I've had drivers turn my packages over to the local PO because they simply couldn't find my place with GPS. Usually they will call if there is a problem, but we have so many deadzones in our area were many cell phones fail.

Also had a package with a bad address delivered to the local PO once, they matched it up with my regular mail and had it out to me in a few days.

I wish that they would do that just before the package crosses the border into Canada!

That's crazy. What's the point of paying extra for UPS/Fed Ex service if the package is going to sit for a couple of days until USPS delivers it?

Mike

I'm in a rural area and Fed Ex takes the package from one mile to infinity.

My son has a post office box address in Louisiana. UPS doesn't do post office boxes, so things he ordered would go to our house via UPS, and we'd ship it to him via USPS. Last Christmas, we sent him something that came out of a warehouse in Arizona, and was supposed to be delivered UPS directly to him. It shipped to a big distribution center, then to Mississippi, where it would supposed to be forwarded to the USPS in Louisiana for delivery. Apparently somebody hadn't gotten the word, because it went back to the distribution center, then to Mississippi again, bouncing back and forth between the two for a week. It finally did make it to his post office box right before Christmas, though.
Grelber

I live in the country and get USPS, UPS, and FedEx deliveries. My guard dogs are so used to seeing them they don't even bark at these guys any more.

I routinely get small packages that have been shipped Fed Ex that go to local USPS and then to me.

Former UPS employee here. Yes, a service is available at a reduced rate where the package is shipped to the nearest city by UPS, then the last leg by the USPS. It's cheaper, and generally works. Package will show delivered when turned in to USPS, but takes a day to arrive on doorstep. Good for Saturday deliveries (which are expensive by UPS normally). Generally not too common.

Every shipment I've had from MicroMark in the US to Australia has been sent out by UPS then dumped into the local mail system. At least then UPS don't try to hit you with a bunch of 'fees' before they will part with your parcel.

The opposite is also true – a lot of package mail travels on UPS planes, and arrives with stamps and UPS tracking stickers.
-Kle.

Captain O has a very good point about Sat deliveries.

Yup.
Happens all the time.

The best way to explain it is final point of delivery.Not sure of the UPS name but the FedEx version is called Smartpost (you can tell because there is an S in the label). From the website it is a low-weight shipping option for residential customers. It is the lowest level of service provided (not time sensative material) and is economical. They utilize the United States Postal ServiceŽ (USPS) for final delivery, FedEx SmartPost reaches every U.S. address, including P.O. boxes and military APO and FPO destinations. You can even use FedEx SmartPost to ship to Alaska, Hawaii and all U.S. territories.

What bsrelee is talking about is the shipping company has an agreeement with another company (or national post office) to deliver to the US. So, there would not be a extra charge to the customer as this is in the agreement.

FedEx Ground offers Saturday deliveries though the Home Delivery product which to my knowledge is cheaper then UPS. Saturday is a standard operating day for FedEx HD.

Just got back from the Post Office. I talked to both the post master and the head clerk. We also talked about the casey Anthony trial. nayway they said that yes all of the delivery seervices use the USPS on occasion the deliver the pakcage to the final destination.

The ironic issue in their opinion was that it would be cheaper to mail the package straight USPS than a combo. Especially with the flat rate system.

It happens to me with "standard shipping" orders from on-line stores like Borders and B&N, usually starting out through FedEx. Sometimes it works okay, sometimes it seems like the local PO likes to hang on to the package as office decor for a day or three.
Of course, I understand that it's not the FedEx "absolutely positively overnight" class of shipping, or even the two-day shipping. It's just the cheap "put it on the next truck heading to that area, whenever that is" shipping. Usually takes about a week or so, depending on where it's shipped from.

RudyNelson and Parzival,
The SmartPost option is actually faster then the USPS standard shipping. The main point is that it bypasses multiple postal distribution plants and gets to the point of delivery faster.