USPS at its finest ...

[nwslopoke]

I get mail for my actual neighbor and sometimes from address on my cross street. We share the same corner box but the numbers are way off. Sometimes if I'm not expecting anything I may not check for days. I've been embarrassed more than once to give them some old mail.

On the flip side. UPS or FedEx also deliver paid for items to the wrong place I only realize if I check email and it says, delivered. Then I knock on a few doors first before I ask for help. I think the drivers get into a delivery routine on some streets.

 

[jbett98]

My late friend Rod was an elevator repairman and he told me that the downtown Portland postal office had mail ankle deep in the bottom of the elevator shaft.
Seems the big mail carts were being overloaded and when they entered in and out of the car while crossing over the threshold, mail would fall off and slip down through the gap. Some of the mail was years old down there.

 

[FourTeeFive]

Don't forget there are people who want the government to run the entire healthcare system.

 

[nwslopoke]

Don't forget there are people who want the government to run the entire healthcare system.

A lot of people don't understand that government workers don't make the law, but individual offices can make policy. When the pesky taxpaying public becomes a nuisance by demanding actions on their accounts I have seen where local policies can put the brakes on that. Pushing things out for review or other delaying tactics.

 

[arakboss]

Yep, supposedly they can geo track it. But if the neighbor gets to it first, it may be gone for good. One time the mailman retrieved it before it got collected by the neighbor. One time the neighbor brought it over. But there was at least one misdelivered package that never made it to me.

If the PO doesn't rectify it by Friday, I will go over to the other complex and knock on the door of the same number unit as ours and see if they got the package.

I sent the seller this email today, we'll see if they can rectify the delivery. I am not fine with paying for products that they don't have delivered to me.


"I received an email from you today, indicating that my order #xxxxxxx was delivered just before noon today. I checked my locked mailbox and there was no package. Would you please follow up with the shipper and see that the package is delivered to my mailbox."

 

[Mikej]

I sent the seller this email today, we'll see if they can rectify the delivery. I am not fine with paying for products that they don't have delivered to me.


"I received an email from you today, indicating that my order #xxxxxxx was delivered just before noon today. I checked my locked mailbox and there was no package. Would you please follow up with the shipper and see that the package is delivered to my mailbox."

I'll tag this one to see how it turns out! I ordered 400 bullets from Mid South, Jan 22nd/shipped 12/30 and thought it took a long time, delivered on 1/5.

 

[gmerkt]

Okay, here's my latest story. Since until today this was on-going, I didn't want to jump the gun and possibly hex it. I'm just that superstitious.

Last month, I sold two Ruger rifles to a buyer in Illinois. At the time we made the deal, I told him I had to ship via USPS because around here, a private seller cannot ship by UPS or Fedex. I have an online account with the USPS which offers significant discounts on shipping rates. He had asked for combined shipping, which I declined. I made it a condition of sale that the two rifles ship separately. My reasoning was, that if the combined package went astray, two rifles would be missing. This wouldn't be likely to happen if they shipped separately. Or at least the odds would be way less. Anyway, he agreed to this.

The rifles shipped on Dec 21st. They went by surface rate, what we used to call Parcel Post. The rifles were going to a small town in northern Illinois, west of Chicago. One of the rifles was routed through Seattle, then through Indianapolis (Jan 3), to the Chicago Bulk Mail Center. Then it went to Palatine, IL, which is a sorting center that services certain northern IL Zip Codes. From there it went on to its office of delivery and was signed for on Jan. 6. Considering there were two major holidays in there, I guess a transit time two weeks wasn't the worst. Why it had to go by way of Indianapolis, I don't know. There are a couple of extra transit days in that move.

Okay, the second rifle left at the same time as the first one on Dec. 21. This one dawdled along until it got to the Chicago BMC on Jan 5 (but by-passing Indianapolis). Then this package took a little tour around northern Illinois. Between Jan 5 and Jan 9, it bounced from the Chicago BMC to Palatine, IL, then to Carol Stream, IL, then back to Palatine, IL, then to Rockford, IL, and finally to its destination in Rock Falls, IL. I think this last leg of the trip was a sorting error, both places started with "Rock." Anyway, the rifle finally got there after 19 days.

One possible factor in delay around the holidays this year has to do with the timing of them. Meaning, both fell on a Thursday this year. In modern America, this is a perfect lead-in for two long weekends. Lots of people took those two Fridays off. Perhaps this created a short-staffing issue in post office sorting centers.

I've endured this process of shipping long guns quite a few times over the past year but I think now I'm finished for the most part. BUT: It seems like I've sweated out several of these shipments, waiting through delays and missing tracking information to see if they actually get there. They all made it.

Shipping time delays and sorting delays in themselves are detrimental to security. By that I mean, sitting around in transit and unnecessary misrouting both expose parcels to more opportunities for theft. Not to mention unnecessary extra handling which affords more opportunities for physical damage.

I've often thought that parcels consisting of extra long boxes might be at greater risk of theft. Their very shape somewhat limits what they could be. There are other potential clues, like high postage value, insurance coverage, one end of the box heavier than the other, address information. The latter which I never include any reference to "gun" in same. Example, if it's going to "Ma and Pa's Gun Shop," my address will say, "Ma and Pa's."

Extra handling and rerouting of missent mail surely is an added labor cost for the USPS.

 

[Mikej]

Okay, here's my latest story. Since until today this was on-going, I didn't want to jump the gun and possibly hex it. I'm just that superstitious.

Last month, I sold two Ruger rifles to a buyer in Illinois. At the time we made the deal, I told him I had to ship via USPS because around here, a private seller cannot ship by UPS or Fedex. I have an online account with the USPS which offers significant discounts on shipping rates. He had asked for combined shipping, which I declined. I made it a condition of sale that the two rifles ship separately. My reasoning was, that if the combined package went astray, two rifles would be missing. This wouldn't be likely to happen if they shipped separately. Or at least the odds would be way less. Anyway, he agreed to this.

The rifles shipped on Dec 21st. They went by surface rate, what we used to call Parcel Post. The rifles were going to a small town in northern Illinois, west of Chicago. One of the rifles was routed through Seattle, then through Indianapolis (Jan 3), to the Chicago Bulk Mail Center. Then it went to Palatine, IL, which is a sorting center that services certain northern IL Zip Codes. From there it went on to its office of delivery and was signed for on Jan. 6. Considering there were two major holidays in there, I guess a transit time two weeks wasn't the worst. Why it had to go by way of Indianapolis, I don't know. There are a couple of extra transit days in that move.

Okay, the second rifle left at the same time as the first one on Dec. 21. This one dawdled along until it got to the Chicago BMC on Jan 5 (but by-passing Indianapolis). Then this package took a little tour around northern Illinois. Between Jan 5 and Jan 9, it bounced from the Chicago BMC to Palatine, IL, then to Carol Stream, IL, then back to Palatine, IL, then to Rockford, IL, and finally to its destination in Rock Falls, IL. I think this last leg of the trip was a sorting error, both places started with "Rock." Anyway, the rifle finally got there after 19 days.

One possible factor in delay around the holidays this year has to do with the timing of them. Meaning, both fell on a Thursday this year. In modern America, this is a perfect lead-in for two long weekends. Lots of people took those two Fridays off. Perhaps this created a short-staffing issue in post office sorting centers.

I've endured this process of shipping long guns quite a few times over the past year but I think now I'm finished for the most part. BUT: It seems like I've sweated out several of these shipments, waiting through delays and missing tracking information to see if they actually get there. They all made it.

Shipping time delays and sorting delays in themselves are detrimental to security. By that I mean, sitting around in transit and unnecessary misrouting both expose parcels to more opportunities for theft. Not to mention unnecessary extra handling which affords more opportunities for physical damage.

I've often thought that parcels consisting of extra long boxes might be at greater risk of theft. Their very shape somewhat limits what they could be. There are other potential clues, like high postage value, insurance coverage, one end of the box heavier than the other, address information. The latter which I never include any reference to "gun" in same. Example, if it's going to "Ma and Pa's Gun Shop," my address will say, "Ma and Pa's."

Extra handling and rerouting of missent mail surely is an added labor cost for the USPS.

I found myself holding my breath while reading the story. PHEW! I've had packages, nothing NEAR as important as guns/high-end stuff, be coming from back east, hit SLC and then got to Auburn WA before coming to ptlnd. Also, coming to ptld and THEN going to Auburn before coming back!

 

[fredball]

When any form of Gubberment is involved it will cost 1000% more , no one will know what they are doing they will pass the buck over & over . and then tell you , You are and unreasonable customer .

 

[gmerkt]

I found myself holding my breath while reading the story. PHEW! I've had packages, nothing NEAR as important as guns/high-end stuff, be coming from back east, hit SLC and then got to Auburn WA before coming to ptlnd. Also, coming to ptld and THEN going to Auburn before coming back!

Yes, some of these sojourns are real nail biters. I've been most concerned on the stuff I ship myself, i.e., the long guns. In great, long boxes, I always think larcenous employees must have some stinkling of what they contain. Handguns sold this past year and shipped through my FFL dealer, 105 pieces. These were all guns that I inherited from my pal Dave. I sold others on consignment and through various local options, so those aren't counted. But the 105 all travelled through the mail in Priority Mail boxes, all with tracking numbers. I checked on all of those as they moved through the system. More than once I caught one that was headed for trouble and was able to call the dealer and have him head it off at his end. Each one was a source of worry. None were lost.

 

[Lilhigbee]

I bought an XP-100 from Phoenix. It got a week's vacation in Kentucky, courtesy USPS, before finding its way to Portland.
I sold a rifle to a guy in Massachusetts and sent it USPS. It spent 10 days in Chicago before continuing on its merry way. Gotta love the Postal Circus!!
Then there's FedEx; When I worked at Freightliner we sent a prototype dash to South Bend, Indiana. Hand-made, one-off setup for a show truck. When FedEx picked it up the driver put a sticker on the crate with a little capsule in it. If the crate was subjected to more than 1g of force the capsule turns red. When it arrived in South Bend no one could tell whether the capsule had changed colors because there was a forklift hole through the box and the dash where the indicator had been.
FedEx again. We had two parachutes made in California for the racecar. Due to dallying on the part of the manufacturer he sent them FedEx Red Early AM delivery. Morning comes and the FedEx driver drops off ONE parachute. Says he's supposed to have two boxes but only has one. After a few hours at the FedEx office they discover that the other one is sitting in a shipping container in Sacramento. Two identical boxes, sent to the same address from the same address at the same time. One gets here and one winds up in Sacramento. AND the tracking info showed both delivered together on time. The manager at the FedEx office admitted that their tracking information only reflects what they EXPECT to be true, not reality.
Or UPS; My friend sent an NOS Milodon Hemi block to Kansas to be polished. One of 25 made, probably the only NOS one and maybe the ONLY surviving one left. It came back with every corner of it mashed and a large chunk broken off. When he filed a claim for the insurance UPS said it was "improperly packaged" and wouldn't pay. It had to have fallen off a truck or forklift while moving.
UPS again; another friend makes heads for Porsche motors. Sends them off six at a time to Extrude-a-hone in boxes. Gets a few of them back banged up so he makes a shipping crate to protect them. UPS charges extra because his crate damages other boxes. Now he glues cardboard to the outside of the crate so it looks like a box and he doesn't get the extra charges.

 

[made in china]

I posted a fired up thread about USPS a while back, very much the same as all y'all's are going through.

I spoke with my USPS delivery guy at the community mailboxes, I was very understanding about the challenges of his work, being a gubmint employee myself. Haven't had an issue since, I think for our neighborhood, he's paying extra attention because one guy had a friendly chat with him, unlike the typical crap he usually hears.

Nonetheless, I still have a major hangup with how USPS procedure deals with incorrect deliveries....
It's a federal offense to steal someone else's mail, but when it is misdelivered, seems to be okay for your neighbor to do eff all with it? They throw it away or keep it, who's responsible for that?
Prescriptions are restricted only to the patient, but USPS delivers your meds to someone else? Are they abusing those meds? Is your health at risk from the delay?
And of course, it's a real PITA to get help from the shipper if USPS marks something as successfully delivered.....

 

[arakboss]

USPS postmark timing may change for some mail, shipping prices also set to rise

Postmark dates for mail sent through the USPS may no longer match when you mail items due to operational changes. Manual postmarks will still be available at retail locations for free.

www.foxnews.com

 

[Koda]

I got a package today that wasnt mine. I spend a good half hour on their website with no luck, I called their number and got an automated voice, pushed buttons, gave them the tracking number and got no response to get them the package back.
What do you do with a package thats not yours?

 

[TTSX]

Leave it on your step as outgoing mail. @Koda

 

[Koda]

Leave it on your step as outgoing mail. @Koda

for who? How does the mail know to pick it up?

 

[Nosferatu]

I got a package today that wasnt mine. I spend a good half hour on their website with no luck, I called their number and got an automated voice, pushed buttons, gave them the tracking number and got no response to get them the package back.
What do you do with a package thats not yours?

Put it on your neighbors porch.

 

[TTSX]

for who? How does the mail know to pick it up?

I mean, if you really want to be a good person, you could deliver it yourself if they're in the same city.

Otherwise, you could bring it to any USPS location and explain there.

With letters, you just leave em in your mailbox with a flag or sticking out of the door slot. Probably somewhat similar for packages?

 

[Koda]

I mean, if you really want to be a good person, you could deliver it yourself if they're in the same city.

Otherwise, you could bring it to any USPS location and explain there.

With letters, you just leave em in your mailbox with a flag or sticking out of the door slot. Probably somewhat similar for packages?

Its my address, but wrong name. I of course didnt order it. I supposed, if I can find the time to work it into my weekly errands I could swing by the post office and explain but feel like thats more than I should have to do. Theres nothing on their website to turn in a wrong package.

Few weeks ago I got wrong letters. I wrote not at this address on them and put in mailbox. Postman just ignored them.

 

[TTSX]

Its my address, but wrong name. I of course didnt order it. I supposed, if I can find the time to work it into my weekly errands I could swing by the post office and explain but feel like thats more than I should have to do. Theres nothing on their website to turn in a wrong package.

Few weeks ago I got wrong letters. I wrote not at this address on them and put in mailbox. Postman just ignored them.

With that additional info, I'm going to guess @Nosferatu was right and it's really your neighbor's. I've gotten more than one piece of mail for my neighbor to my address.