Rant on shipping

Jstpssng · Dec 27, 2021

Since I'm so good about complaining in this thread and elsewhere, here's a "Hat's Off" to the Postal Service.
Last week my GPS crapped out on me while out in the woods. I went back to the truck and went online looking for a replacement. Garmin listed what I needed as "Not in stock". GPS Store "expected" to get them in sometime next month. A couple other places were the same... but Cabela's had what I needed. I normally don't order anything Christmas week as the delivery services are busy enough but I needed the GPS, and decided to order it before they ran out. I placed the order at around 1:00 PM Thursday, the order shipped on Friday and was in my mailbox today.

jigs_n_fixtures · Dec 27, 2021

I ordered a rock bucket. It came form Tennessee to Idaho, and took two and a half months. Seemed to move a few hundred miles and then sit for a few weeks at a time. It made it to one hundred and fifty miles away and sat for a week. I finally called the freight company, and they got it here two days later.

3Ts · Dec 28, 2021

When I get equipment, it depends on the company as to what happens. Fedex has had a 53' semitrailer in my "front yard", but UPS won't leave the paved highway. UPS won't stop on a state highway and won't drive on dirt or limestone roads. Almost all roads that are not state highways are unpaved so I have to go to their depot to pick it up which is a little more than 50 miles. And this is after paying for door to door delivery. (I've asked about pricing to the depot and I'm told it's the same).

LouNY · Dec 28, 2021

Around here they drive on dirt roads frequently,
also they come up my driveway once winter is over (1/4 mile gravel),
in the winter I put a large tote down at the foot of it as I don't want them even trying if there is any snow or ice.

Jstpssng · Dec 28, 2021

I live on a gravel road with hills on each side of me which can get icy. In summer UPS delivers to my house; in winter I pay 2$/package to have them dropped off at a nearby dropoff point.

PILOON · Dec 28, 2021

Last week UPS dump/delivered a large package by roadside at a neighbor's that slid down the snowbank.
Poor guy was up to his knees dragging out his shipment.

UPS seems to fear leaving the paved roads and sure avoid private drives.

I was told UPS must be back at their depot by XX hour so that outgoing parcels can make flight time.
Might be hearsay, that or drivers refuse to work past 5:00 PM.
Presume they don't get any overtime pay.
On the other hand I do know their pay scale was +/- $75K a few years back, not exactly peanuts.

Jstpssng · Dec 28, 2021

PILOON said:
Last week UPS dump/delivered a large package by roadside at a neighbor's that slid down the snowbank.
Poor guy was up to his knees dragging out his shipment.

UPS seems to fear leaving the paved roads and sure avoid private drives.

I was told UPS must be back at their depot by XX hour so that outgoing parcels can make flight time.
Might be hearsay, that or drivers refuse to work past 5:00 PM.
Presume they don't get any overtime pay.
On the other hand I do know their pay scale was +/- $75K a few years back, not exactly peanuts.

Here, I often see trucks out until 7:00 PM or later. It's about 45 minutes back to base, yet they are still out delivering.

California · Dec 28, 2021

A month ago I was asked to pull a UPS truck out of the ditch that he backed into. He was resting on the chassis. I tried, but my little 1800 lb Yanmar just dug holes in the dirt lane without moving him. He finally got a tow truck to pull him out. I doubt he met his schedule that day.

JethroB · Dec 28, 2021

Probably 95% of what I order from Amazon is delivered by USPS. I use a PO Box in town and that works well for me. Small packages go in my rather large PO Box, the rest I pick up from the counter. Just really two complaints, #1 - if an item has a battery in it the USPS won’t touch it. Then it’s UPS or FEDEX driving across my yard. #2 - My post office closes for lunch, who does that anymore?

Oaktree · Dec 28, 2021

JethroB said:
My post office closes for lunch, who does that anymore?

How many employees work there (not counting carriers, who'd be out on their routes at noon)? Some of the smaller post offices here have just one. I'm sure their contract requires the USPS to give them a lunch break.

Jstpssng · Dec 28, 2021

My PO is open from 9:00-11:00, and 1:30 to 3:30. Saturday she's there from 8:30 to 11:30.

JethroB · Dec 28, 2021

Jstpssng said:
My PO is open from 9:00-11:00, and 1:30 to 3:30. Saturday she's there from 8:30 to 11:30.

Mine has similar hours. Two or three work inside during the week. Maybe just one on Saturday mornings.

Diggin It · Dec 28, 2021

Among everything else they have to deal with .....

MSN

www.msn.com

California · Dec 29, 2021

Deliveries are hampered by snow in the Tahoe region of the Sierras after the new-record snowfall.

Donner Pass on I-80. Open eastbound. Closed westbound with trees, powerlines, slides blocking the roadway. No estimated opening time.

(Source)

TheMan419 · Dec 29, 2021

Ordered a pen. Got shipping confirmation that it would arrive USPS on Dec 20. Dec 20 get notification that it is delayed and will be delivered Dec 23. Dec 24 get notification that it was delivered BACK TO THE SELLER IN ARIZONA. I am in Indiana. Got an automated applogy from USPS. Seller is express shipping back to me on their dime. They have no idea why it was returned to them.

Diggin It · Dec 29, 2021

^^^ Double, triple check every character in the address as they labeled the package. Even something like 'St' instead of "Rd.' can trip up their systems.

I've had sellers post something else in Address Line one (some sort of reference number for example), then my address on Address Line two and even that screws things up.

JethroB · Dec 29, 2021

Our postmaster gave me a tip for shippers such as Amazon who get hung up on delivering to either a PO Box or a street address for some items. Give them both addresses like this:

John Doe
123 Oak Rd
PO Box 456
Podunk, Kansas 98765

It doesn’t work every time with a shipper at checkout and our small post office knows I don’t get home delivery, just the PO Box.

Oaktree · Dec 29, 2021

Diggin It said:
^^^ Double, triple check every character in the address as they labeled the package. Even something like 'St' instead of "Rd.' can trip up their systems.

My town shares a post office (and zip code) with a couple other towns. I've had packages addressed to me, but in the primary town for the post office and still gotten them. I don't think my road name exists in either of the other towns, so that may have helped.
The only local delivery issue I've had is there is someone with the same first name, a last name that begins with the same letter and the same street # as me on the same postal route. Occasionally we'll get each other's mail, though that hasn't happened in quite a while now. Usually only when we get a new mailman.

Jstpssng · Dec 29, 2021

JethroB said:
Our postmaster gave me a tip for shippers such as Amazon who get hung up on delivering to either a PO Box or a street address for some items. Give them both addresses like this:

John Doe
123 Oak St
PO Box 456
Podunk, Kansas 98765

It doesn’t work every time and our small post office knows I don’t get home delivery, just the PO Box.

I've tried doing that to eliminate the need to fill out my entire address twice, but most computerized ordering platforms will kick it out and state "We cannot deliver to PO Boxes." My road name is so unique that I don't believe there's another in the country. Yet I am often denied service and once was refused a CC from my local bank because "That road is not recognized by the postal service." Why do they think that I have a PO Box?