Slow United States Postal Service

[Bobk]

I know that mail is typically slower during the holiday season, but it shouldn't take two weeks (still counting) to get a first-class letter to South Carolina or over a week (still counting) to California. It appears that the Postal Service is now using trucks to send first class mail, versus airlines as a cost saving measure. They might as well them close them down as it's dang near not worth using them anymore.

 

[Ausländer]

They do this every year and then complain that they (the Union really) needs more money. It's amazing that they can handle massive amounts of mail-in ballots, but can't handle something that happens every year...

For regular mail, it seems we're stuck with the inefficient, unmotivated and incompetent USPS.

For packages though, use pirateship.com to get the best rates. I've been using them for years and haven't found anyone yet that can beat their prices.

 

[MountainGirl]

They do this every year and then complain that they (the Union really) needs more money. It's amazing that they can handle amazing numbers of mail-in ballots, but can't handle something that happens every year...

For regular mail, it seems we're stuck with the inefficient, unmotivated and incompetent USPS.

For packages though, use pirateship.com to get the best rates. I've been using them for years and haven't found anyone yet that can beat their prices.

Do they pick up? If not, where do you take the packages?

 

[Ausländer]

Do they pick up? If not, where do you take the packages?

Sorry for the confusion, Pirateship only provides deep discounts and price comparisons to UPS & USPS shipping services - they do not ship themselves. You will still need to get it to the carrier (directly, drop off location, etc) or arrange for a pick it up at your house (UPS will do this, not sure about USPS).

Using pirateship, I've found that I can send packages (small, large, light, heavy) much cheaper via UPS (who has a tracking system that works) vs USPS, which is drop-off and and pray service. YMMV

 

[Mills]

I can’t complain, our usps service pretty good.

 

[angel71rs]

There used to be tight delivery standards. I was an ET at a processing plant, machine down time was a big deal. Maintenance manager would get called on the carpet if it delayed the mail. The ET test used to be a real nutcracker, most of us were former military techs. Eventually they had problems getting anyone to pass, so they changed it to an aptitude test. What a mess ensued when these new "techs" couldn't fix stuff. Lots more machine down time, delayed mail, etc. Used to drive me crazy, eventually helped me decide to retire early at 58.

Then the china virus threw USPS a lifeline. Everything could be blamed on the virus, delivery standards out the window. Once that firewall was broken, all bet were off, any delay was acceptable.

One of my buddies that's still a real ET came out to the range with us Friday morning. He said they are going to move El Paso processing to Albuquerque! I used to think El Paso was immune to getting cut since we are so far from everything. Nope. Local processing center will have most machines moved out except for 6 letter sorting machines. Carriers from stations all over the city will move in. Needless to say the result will be much more delayed mail.

And this is happening all over the nation. Letter mail, you have no choice, unless timeliness is vital and you pay $$$ for that. Package mail, hate to say it, but I wouldn't use USPS.

 

[Lonesome Dove]

Ordered from Amazon 7 days ago got my package yesterday. It's a two day deal via Prime but the season screws everyone.

 

[MountainGirl]

Our USPS carriers are very confused, mail misdelivered weekly. I know more about the `down the road' people than I ever wanted to, just from return addresses on what they shoulda got.

 

[Tnhawk]

USPS frequently delivered mail to the wrong address in Memphis, but I haven't needed to deliver my neighbor's mail since moving to Texas.

 

[jmohme]

So, who runs USPS?

Oh yeah, the US government. And you expect efficiency?

 

[jmohme]

Ordered from Amazon 7 days ago got my package yesterday. It's a two day deal via Prime but the season screws everyone.

The season does have its effect on things.
I get a lot of orders for photographs this time of year with the question "will I get this before Christmas?". odds get slimmer as each day passes.

 

[striker55]

Sucks where we are, we had a good USPS postman, he was a Marine and knew how to get the job done. You could rely on him everyday, one time he was on vacation and one package we were expecting didn't show up. When he came back we talked to him, he found it in the post office. Since he left, I think he took a different route, we don't have a regular guy. Sometimes mail doesn't get delivered till 6 pm or later, or not until the next day. I hate it when something gets shipped by one carrier only to be handed to USPS for final delivery.

 

[Steve In Texas]

I have a pair of packages that are 12 & 14 days late per informed delivery as I type. Other packages have arrived in the mean time. The USPS service at my home address is awful to begin with as the private contractor who delivers it is rude, crude, uncaring, and incompetent. Routinely my neighbors and I exchange the boxed mail. I have paid attention to mail service sing the mid 70s when I learned how to exchange letters. Their quality of service was dropping a bit before Covid, but it has cratered since, and my local carrier is failing. Best yet, there is no way to comment to USPS.

 

[Nicholst55]

I had been waiting for a small order from Brownells, and monitoring the tracking information. It repeatedly was shipped from Houston to Missouri City (a burb), and then back. I filed for a refund after a week or so of such nonsense, and it was magically delivered the following day (yesterday). This morning I read that the Missouri City PO is under investigation by the local congresscritter because of all the complaints that they have received. I realize the strain placed on folks by the increased demand during the holidays, but good grief!

 

[Tnhawk]

As the quality of service has declined, the cost of postage has increased. USPS can't continue to use covid as a valid explanation.

 

[dsgrey]

Our USPS carriers are very confused, mail misdelivered weekly. I know more about the `down the road' people than I ever wanted to, just from return addresses on what they shoulda got.

Same here and a different carrier often. Earlier this week, he seemed to start delivering mail for the house after and just continued so the entire street got the wrong mail. This occurs frequently and I dread if any package is being delivered since they'll misdeliver 50% of the time and never find it.

 

[Lonesome Dove]

Conroe USPS has many employees buy never more than two work the counters.

Most of the time it's only one person. Yet you can stand there and watch several employees walk back and forth and just stand around in the back ground.

Sometimes one will come forward and whisper in the ear of the only one working the desk and then back to doing nothing. And they wonder why so many workers have gone POSTAL!
Government and Union workers are funny.

 

[oldag]

USPS is hit and miss.

Amazon has had a lot of late shipments this year.

 

[Mowingmaniac 24/7]

USPS is good where I live.

 

[Otto_Mation]

There was a story on the local (Houston) news about packages being diverted to Missouri City, Texas and being delayed for weeks. I have two packages there in apparent purgatory. It is a USPS sorting facility with no store front and no number to call. If you search the internet you will see many people complaining that there packages are stuck there.