Another FedEx Rant

[Bozz10mm]

Most of the stuff I order online comes via UPS or USPS, but every now and then the shipper uses FedEx. Last two packages delivered by FedEx were kinda messed up. Last week the driver left my package under a tree in the front yard. That's about 20 yards from the house. Tracking said they left it on the front porch. Thursday, a holster I ordered was left on my neighbor's front porch. I've got large contrasting house numbers on the front of my house. Why can't they see that?

5 or 6 six years ago FedEx delivered my ammo to a house the next street over, completely different house numbers too. Fortunately he was nice enough to bring it to me. I returned the favor a few months later when FedEx left me a cold packed ham that was addressed to him. Coincidence? I think not, lol.

Anyway, the latest FedEx order on it's way has me scratching my head. Package originated in Las Vegas, NV. Tracking shows it is now in Hackensack, NJ, with scheduled delivery for tomorrow. Why in the heck did they send it all the way to the East coast when I'm right here in the middle? {/rant/ off}

 

[MacZC7]

Hit or miss with UPS too!

 

[kbaxter60]

Sorry you had so much trouble with them, but maybe it helps to know that you are a mere amateur?

We live way up on a hillside and we have all kinds of trouble with UPS. Our FedEx driver has come a few times and he comes up our steep driveway right to our door. UPS, now, is different.

When we first moved here, they would toss our packages on the side of the road on a road that comes up the hill to our actual road (that our address belongs to). It was probably 1/2 mile from our house. While not ideal, at least we knew where to find it. And there are only a few other families using that road, so almost, kind of secure. I finally got tired of this game, so I tried to get into their system online and give them "driver instructions" to our house. I even included aerial maps and notation to show where our driveway is in relation to where they were dropping the packages. Did that fix it? Oh, no. So they started delivering to a house across the road from our previous "drop point". Luckily, we know the nice man and he would call and say "we have a package down here for you". So, I would walk down the hill, apologize, get the box and trudge back up our hill.

Round II. I jumped on Twitter and publicly flamed them with lots of sarcasm and a little anger. I got a DM on the system and started a conversation with (I think) a real person. Problem is, they were not local, so had to be a middle "man" with the driver. Our next delivery was one of those canvas prints from a photo place. I got a notification that it was delivered, but we sure didn't see it. I walked down our hill and there was a flat box in the original "road side drop" spot. It had a nice boot stomp print right in the middle of the box. I guess they didn't care for my helpful instructions?

I continued to work with the Twitter contact. They finally indiecated that someone local would call (great!) and we could iron it all out. I never did get a call. Ordered a stand for a mitre saw. They actually delivered it to our driveway, where our house numbers show. That saves them a drive up our steep driveway and works just fine for us. I am not confident that the next delivery will be there, but it IS progress.

The joys of rural life. I wouldn't trade it for anything. Here's a look at the roadside drop location. You think they sat on that box?

 

[sidebite252]

USPS did this about 2 months back. I have repeated issues with them as well as FedEx. UPS not so much.

Front porch is only 50 ft away from the entrance but they can’t get there. Smh

 

[busykngt]

Since your post is specifically about FedEx, I'll just mention that I believe their corporate and operational efficiency isn't what it used to be. Or, at least is not representative of their beginning legacy.

Yesterday, my wife and I were leaving our little neighborhood to go run a couple errands. We have to weave our way through a couple of 'low traffic' neighborhood streets before we get to the main highway. All within this short distance of a few hundred yards, we were passed by two FedEx delivery vans. They were out-of-sight of one another but only separated by a couple hundred yards (at most). Both making deliveries to our relatively small neighborhood.

I commented on it to my wife but she didn't really have an understanding of how FedEx first began operations and the kind of efficiencies they had, in the beginning. To her, it was no big deal, they had two expensive delivery vehicles operating the same area, seconds apart. (Vehicles expensive, not only to initially procure but to operate and maintain). Such is FedEx today!

 

[Bozz10mm]

I like what Amazon does. They put it on the porch, then take a photo shot of it and email me the photo. Be nice if FedEx and UPS did the same. At least I'd know which neighbor got my package.

Occasionally I will get an emai from UPS tracking that allows me to follow the delivery truck location on a map. kinda like that too.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

Yep, I appreciate the picture, 90% of the time it's delivered to the front door, but there is the occasional time it's left at the back gate.
At least I know where to look.

 

[kbaxter60]

Since your post is specifically about FedEx, I'll just mention that I believe their corporate and operational efficiency isn't what it used to be. Or, at least is not representative of their beginning legacy.

Yesterday, my wife and I were leaving our little neighborhood to go run a couple errands. We have to weave our way through a couple of 'low traffic' neighborhood streets before we get to the main highway. All within this short distance of a few hundred yards, we were passed by two FedEx delivery vans. They were out-of-sight of one another but only separated by a couple hundred yards (at most). Both making deliveries to our relatively small neighborhood.

I commented on it to my wife but she didn't really have an understanding of how FedEx first began operations and the kind of efficiencies they had, in the beginning. To her, it was no big deal, they had two expensive delivery vehicles operating the same area, seconds apart. (Vehicles expensive, not only to initially procure but to operate and maintain). Such is FedEx today!

It all went to hell when Tom Hanks crashed and ended up on the island with Wilson.

 

[Moonpie]

Unpossible to figure why things go where they do.
Once had a package originating from Topeka, Kansas.
Went to OKC then Houston then DETROIT then back to Houston where it sat for four days in the Houston Distribution Center.
It finally showed up after three weeks.
Then again I am waiting on a FedEx package that originated in Austria. It left the shop the day after I ordered.
Went to Paris airport.
Hit Houston last night and is at the local FedEx center right now.
Supposed to be here on Monday.
Took five days total.

 

[Bozz10mm]

I've had FedEx tracking show "On the truck, out for delivery" for 3 days before it showed.

 

[Fishkiller]

Unpossible to figure why things go where they do.
Once had a package originating from Topeka, Kansas.
Went to OKC then Houston then DETROIT then back to Houston where it sat for four days in the Houston Distribution Center.
It finally showed up after three weeks.
Then again I am waiting on a FedEx package that originated in Austria. It left the shop the day after I ordered.
Went to Paris airport.
Hit Houston last night and is at the local FedEx center right now.
Supposed to be here on Monday.
Took five days total.

Austria? Does that mean Glock?

 

[Mowingmaniac 24/7]

FE blows.

They leave packages 'outside' our unlocked gate on a regular basis.

I've called FE a number of times about this.

They always assure me it won't happen again.

It does.....

If I could I would choose a different delivery service, but most often I don't have that option...gd-ammit!

 

[Moonpie]

Austria? Does that mean Glock?

Nope.

F. Beltrame

 

[Southpaw]

Austria? Does that mean Glock?

Same thing I thought

 

[Wolfwood]

Nope.

F. Beltrame

classic swing guard or switch?

 

[Moonpie]

classic swing guard or switch?

11” swing

 

[Waldotallboy64]

After over two and a half months, a gun was shipped via FE from a west TX location to Houston . It took 5 days to get to the Houston hub. I’m thinking, alright!, finally Almost here. Two working days later and handful of calls, find out it’s in California???????? It takes a scenic route back to TX . So an extra week + to the ordeal. Then, when it gets to the FFL only because I called them did I confirm it actually arrived. They normally call me. Found out gun Mfg Co. didn’t send my phone# with gun.(which I provided or they would not process order) Had I not been on top of it, no telling how long /or if ever It would have taken.
Ok. FE/gun Mfgr over!

 

[MTA]

Its different everywhere I have lived but in my current house, fedex sucks and UPS + USPS are great

 

[Axxe55]

Its different everywhere I have lived but in my current house, fedex sucks and UPS + USPS are great

That has been my experience as well. I have gotten great to poor service from all three at one time or another.

 

[rmantoo]

I live in San Angelo, a town/city of right about 100k people.

We live on a 'private road,' with 24 houses on it. There is only 1 entrance, you come in, and can go left or right at the fork, and either way, it circles around right back to the entrance. It's a .7 mile loop.

At LEAST 1 in 5 UPS or Fedex packages end up at a neighor's house.

MOre than a few times, a neighbor will call or come by the house and tell us they were expectign a package, too, so they didn't even look at the addressee: They just opened it and realized it wasn't theirs- at which point they looked, and then brought it or called...

Likewise, many times over the last 5-10 years we've had to walk around the neighborhood and locate our package on someone's porch (some of these homes almost exclusively use the side or garage entrance and won't check their front door for weeks on end).

What I don't get is that, while I don't 'know' our UPS or Fedex drivers, I recognize them, and I can't help but think that if I recognize them that they should...could...likely know our addresses as well as our USPS guy.

Our USPS mailman only VERY rarely gets a deliver wrong- mostly that only happens when he's out and has a sub.

Are the Fedex and UPS drivers so overwhelmed with massive numbers of packages that they're basically frazzled and unable to cope?

I've read accounts of what delivering for amazon's subcontractors is like, and that has to be pretty horrible... Have Fedex and UPS gone that far down the road of 'corporate optimization'