"Is it me, or has USPS nosedived and augered in?" Topic

I've had three packages screwed up in 5 weeks. Here is just a taste. I ordered a 1/700 sub off eBay on August 11, with an anticipated delivery date of August 19:

Aug 14, 2020 EN ROUTE TO DHL ECOMMERCE

Aug 14, 2020 PACKAGE RECEIVED AT DHL ECOMMERCE DISTRIBUTION CENTER Melrose Park IL

Aug 18, 2020 PROCESSED

Aug 18, 2020 DEPARTURE ORIGIN DHL ECOMMERCE FACILITY

Aug 19, 2020 ARRIVAL DESTINATION DHL ECOMMERCE FACILITY
GrandPrairie, TX

Aug 19, 2020 TENDERED TO DELIVERY SERVICE PROVIDER (USPS)
GrandPrairie, TX 75050

Aug 21, 2020 ARRIVED USPS SORT FACILITY
Denton, TX 76201

Aug 23, 2020 ARRIVAL AT POST OFFICE
Denton, TX 76201

Aug 23, 2020 OUT FOR DELIVERY
Denton, TX 76209 <-- I live here

Aug 24, 2020 MISSENT
Denton, TX 76201

Aug 24, 2020 ARRIVED USPS SORT FACILITY
Denton, TX 76201

Aug 24, 2020 PROCESSED THROUGH SORT FACILITY
FortWorth, TX 76161

Aug 25, 2020 PROCESSED THROUGH SORT FACILITY
FortWorth, TX 76161

Aug 25, 2020 DEPARTED TERMINAL LOCATION
FortWorth, TX 76161

Aug 26, 2020 DEPART USPS SORT FACILITY
FortWorth, TX 76161

Aug 26, 2020 ARRIVAL AT POST OFFICE
Denton, TX 76201

Aug 26, 2020 OUT FOR DELIVERY
Denton, TX 76209

Aug 26, 2020 MIS-SHIPPED
Denton, TX 76201

Aug 27, 2020 ARRIVED TERMINAL LOCATION
Dallas, TX

Aug 28, 2020 DEPARTED TERMINAL LOCATION
Dallas, TX 75398

Aug 29, 2020 EXPECTED DELIVERY

and… There is no sign of it in today's mail.

Aug 29, 2020
9:32am

1:54pm

PROCESSED THROUGH SORT FACILITY

Aug 26, 2020

Sorry to hear that. Maybe I'm just getting old but it seems like it's not just the USPS which is in decline but all of society. I had two recent experiences with ordering food (one fast food, the other pizza) and both orders got screwed up.

There is something odd going on in the Denton Post Office. I received a shipment of Reaper paint today that according to tracking data, is still sitting in the Denton Post Office, where it has languished since August 22.

The newly appointed Post Master General has implemented some serious cutbacks, including cutting out over time, removing high speed sorting machines, limited deliveries on rural routes and removing mail boxes. Post office on time deliveries are down about 25%. Employees are saying they're three weeks behind and slipping further.

Talk to to your congressman.

I am constantly getting packages to my house, between my three adult kids and myself we get probably two dozen packages a week. very few problems. Maybe it's the heat down there…

Tracking system is a disaster
In Transit

08/29/2020 – 11:28 A.M.
Received by the local post office
08/29/2020 – 9:55 A.M.

Package transferred to post office

08/29/2020 – 7:41 A.M.

Orlando, FL, United States

Departed from Facility

08/29/2020 – 7:03 A.M.

Lawnside, NJ, United States

Destination Scan

08/29/2020 – 6:32 A.M.

Lawnside, NJ, United States

Destination Scan

08/29/2020 – 3:27 A.M.

Lawnside, NJ, United States

Arrived at Facility

08/29/2020 – 1:40 A.M.

Secaucus, NJ, United States

Departed from Facility

08/28/2020 – 12:55 P.M.

Secaucus, NJ, United States

Arrived at Facility

08/26/2020 – 9:11 P.M.

St. Louis, MO, United States

Departed from Facility

Past Event
Shipped

08/26/2020 – 7:48 P.M.
St. Louis, MO, United States
Origin Scan
Past Event
Label Created

08/26/2020 – 5:03 P.M.
United States
Order Processed: Ready for UPS

Counter service is deplorable. It used to be great. All new people.

They are apparently, "having issues".

A priority package with "delivery confirmation", but no signature, to my home was mis-delivered 60 miles away.

I suspect only because I raised holy-Hell, did I eventually receive it. The phone support person I talked with who knew exactly where it was actually delivered more than an hour away could provide NO assistance. I got the impression from them, nothing could be done. I continued to call, complain, and visit in person.

It eventually showed up several weeks later. Luckily, I paid thru Paypal so felt reasonably safe.

The guys I spoke with at the USPS in person, as well as on the phone had NO explanation as to how you can get a "delivery confirmation" when the item isn't actually delivered to the correct address.

A USPS priority mail letter took about 11 days to be delivered, instead of the expected 2 – 3 day.

Yes, service is suffering.

Apparently, rats are running all over their facilities from the rotting food, in undelivered packages, so you might not want to order any of that, any time soon.

Had a ham from a relative that took about a month to be delivered, from across the country. Luckily, it was salt-cured, so not a concern, other than the very poor service at Christmas-time. That was years ago though.

The new Post Master General is tasked with saving an inefficient, bloated postal service and union obstruction that has continually had unacceptable cost overruns and operating losses for decades. Changes from "business as usual" are being implemented that will take time to go into effect, but the end result will be a more efficient and streamlined postal service.

PS: The mail boxes were removed by the previous administration.

I imagine every administration has added and removed mail boxes and by itself does not indicate anything nefarious.

The current situation is, or appears to be, much different.

"U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Postmaster General Louis DeJoy told her he has no intention of restoring removed blue mailboxes or sorting equipment and no plans for employee overtime.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
PUBLISHED 19 AUGUST 2020"

So DeJoy was lying about removing mailboxes? I don't think he was.

I've been on the sending end with about 25 shipments over the last month.

Based on tracking with USPS flat rate everything is taking between 2 to 4 days thru out the US. Seems about normal

On the receiving end, I did have one issue with UPS where a package went from the east coast, drove past me, went to Utah, then back to the East coast and finally got to me after a week.

I also had three cases (not gaming) where the order went thru and was cancelled by the vendor.

It is my understanding that delivery confirmation simply means that the item was scanned by the carrier as being delivered, but that it does not mean that it was actually delivered to the correct address.

No problems

Ok…we are removing sorting machines because why exactly? To punish workers with more work or??? I mean wth?!

Ok…we are removing sorting machines because why exactly?

I thought it was for maintenance.

And mailing boxes being removed that aren't getting enough use, same policy as forever.

Do you get a feeling that the US is on a decaying path?

UPS is no better it seems, I have a number of parcels that the shipper sent UPS instead of USPS as requested. Its a week later and UPS still hasn't moved, the shipping numbers are valid, they just haven't bothered to pick up the parcels.

I believe DeJoy is a share holder in several parcel shipping services which compete with the USPS.

Last month I sent a package to France from Detroit. It went thru Chicago for an international flight and arrived at the guy's doorstep in 2 weeks total.

Earlier this month I sent a second package to the same guy, same address. It's been sitting at the Detroit Distribution Center (notoriously bad) for 3 weeks now. Why???

I'm still waiting for issue 109 of WS&S, which others outside Detroit received 2 weeks ago. Also a jiffy pack from England sent July 10.

Last spring my wife ordered a tree from a nursery in North Carolina (unavailable locally since all nurseries were closed). It was shipped Fedex within 2 days then went into a black hole. We finally tracked it down at a local distribution center. It was stuck in a semi trailer with other "non-essential" items. After numerous calls and personal visits, it finally arrived. It was dead.

There is no joy in Mudville. Mighty USPS has struck out.

Hey… I'm still gettin the junk mail and bills every day. There sure doesn't seem to be any problems with that stuff.

The USPS has two structural problems mandated by Congress that creates an essentially intractable financial problem. In the early to mid-2000's Congress mandated that the USPS has to set up their pension plan to cover all future hires with current revenue, a ridiculous mandate and one not imposed on any other entity, public or private. The second is a ridiculous requirement to essentially subsidize bulk/junk mail at money losing rates. Both political parties are guilty of failing to fix this and the current Postmaster General is not making anything better.

The US Mail is a Constitutionally mandated service and a reliable consistent mail service is one of the more fundamental responsibilities of any government. Many government entities and services can be debated as to whether a proper function of government, mail is not one of those.

"It is my understanding that delivery confirmation simply means that the item was scanned by the carrier as being delivered, but that it does not mean that it was actually delivered to the correct address".

I can definitely confirm that.

Yea, UPS is suffering too.

The whole virus issue, plus the spike in on-line ordering, since people don't want to leave their bunkers (customers and workers) is causing a lot of havoc to the distribution chain.

If you get anything from Europe not sent via courier (e.g. normal airmail) in less than 5 weeks, you are winning.

Well stated, McKinstry!

Yes well stated McKinstry. It is always a pleasure to listen to a reasonable and intelligent point. Thank you for all you have done here.

Things aren't going so well just now. 2 packages took longer than they should. Pretty sure its Covid fallout.

Some tears ago, tho, I shipped a package to California. The tracking went.

Baltimore
St, Louis
Sacramento
Honolulu
Guam
Sacramento
Delivered.

The other issue the USPS has on the financial end is that they gave crazy deals to bulk shippers to get their business and prevent it from going to Fedex or UPS. This has resulted in the post office signing contracts where they lose money and subsidize the shipping for large private retail shippers, chief amongst them Amazon. They often lose money on every package by some of these shippers.

This model is not sustainable and needs to be fixed. Throwing huge amounts of taxpayer money at the issue won't solve anything except to enable bad practices.

BTW… stuff for me has been a bit slow maybe up to an extra week but I have nothing lost yet.

+3 to McKinstry who said:

"The US Mail is a Constitutionally mandated service and a reliable consistent mail service is one of the more fundamental responsibilities of any government. Many government entities and services can be debated as to whether a proper function of government, mail is not one of those."

At least it didn't go through the Coppell facility. It would have sat ten days before making the rounds. I have no confidence in USPS, at least not in my part of Texas.

Private industry is usually better than government in most areas. Why do you think FedEx and UPS have been such successful companies.

Happy to report from earlier in this thread that my package, a jiffy pack, finally arrived from England. Mailed 7/10 so 7-1/2 weeks to Michigan.

My magazine, on the other hand, mailed 7/3, is still MIA.

So is my package going to France. I have opened a missing package claim. Hopefully this will create some activity and move it along.

Why do you think FedEx and UPS have been such successful companies.

Not being required to provide bulk mail at money losing rates. Not being required Constitutionally to provide first class mail to every part of the US and its' territories. Not being required to fully pre-fund the pension for employees yet to be hired. FedEx and UPS would be happy to take your first class mail under the same deal as USPS if they could charge $10 USD per stamp as otherwise their shareholders would revolt. The mail is a per se government function planet wide and to compare delivering packages at a profit with basic mail is comparing apples and orangutans.

They could and should change ALL the rates so they aren't losing money on them, especially to the mega-corps, and bulk mailers.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out stuff like that.