The USPS: ?’s, Concerns, Facts, your 1 stop thread for all things related to the PO

[crohrer]

It seems like there are 5 threads created daily bashing the Postal Service that clog up the regular forums. Can we just have one discussion thread where we can address questions and concerns or just vent frustrations? I work for the USPS. I have been selling on eBay since the 90’s and have had one yes one package get lost. Luckily for me it was magically delivered 6 months later and all was well. Nobody’s perfect and I know there are some legit complaints but overall I think the USPS is pretty darn awesome for what they can do on a daily basis. I would like to share with everyone my knowledge and address some things people don’t necessarily know about the PO.

1: We operate on our own revenue. No tax money, no government help period.

2: We generate close to $240 million in revenue a day. Yes per day.

3: Looking at #2 the PO is obviously not a sinking ship. The money “problems” come from the 75 years in advance retirement pre-funding mandate that GW slapped us with

4: The USPS delivers on average 475 million pieces a day.

5: 475 million is a lot and here are a few reasons your mail might be delayed.
Shipping errors ie: Wrong address, distorted labels, printers running out of ink that renders it unscanable. If the clerks can’t scan it then it never even enters the system. How does it still get to you? Manual knowledge of address schemes.

Rollers. These things suck. They can consume a piece of mail or bubble mailer and they may never be seen again. If they do survive they are mangled and may not be readable. I would estimate that 90% + of all mail is sorted by a computer system that uses these rollers.

COVID-19. We have never stopped. Rain, sleet, snow... you know the rest. Until recently (I’ll get to this) the mail had to go no matter what.

Turnover. The postal service has the highest rate of turnover out of any job in the country. The misconception of the PO is that we just sit in our trucks and drive mailbox to mailbox all day long With the occasional package we have to get out for. How hard can that be? Most routes are park and loop. Our trucks don’t have AC. When you start at the PO you are a mule Called a City Carrier assistant or CCA with no incentive to stay. You get treated like a red headed step child. You don’t have health benefits. You work everyday even Sunday. You miss everything and I mean everything... no birthdays, anniversaries, sports... you live at the PO. We joke with newbies about there being cots and bunkbeds in the basement for them. Most don’t make it through the 90 day probation period.

Turnover extended. Once you are career at the PO the benefits are awesome. The average carrier age nationwide is something ridiculous like 52 or something. Nobody wants to leave once you hit 14 years because you are basically maxed out and sitting pretty. You can retire at 20 years service (military included) and 57 1/2 years of age. Sometimes you get an early out offer. If you stay for 30 that’s full retirement. You will have an amazingly comfortable retirement. This is why USPS was forced to prefund. We all get a ton of vacation and only 7 people can be off per day. So the CCA’S are left to cover all open routes from vacation and sick calls. But keep in mind there is no more overtime! We have CCA’S who bring back routes, park the truck and just bounce without even telling anybody. It’s that bad some days. So your mail might not get delivered.

Number 6.

6: New PMG DeJoy. Retired multimillionaire appointed by Trump to destroy the image of the PO. This guy has been bashing the PO for decades. He wants to privatize it so he can benefit. A total conflict of interest appointing this guy. He has stakes in other delivery companies and will more than likely raise shipping costs to make the competitiveness less competitive. He has changed daily operations to delay mail, cut overtime and has said that if you don’t get to it then it doesn’t get delivered if it will require overtime. I personally agree with some of his ideas as I was a supply chain guy for 15 years and even advised similar ideas but I don’t think he will still be here after the new year. Like everything else this or he is all political. Once the election is over the PO operations will go back to the way they were before. With a couple changes!

7: Blaming others for delayed mail. This will no longer be an excuse. We no longer deliver fedex packages. Amazon is building facilities all over the country and are looking to deliver their own packages. The dreaded marriage (Red plum) mail that everyone gets weekly has appeared to stop. Amazon was a big contract but not even close to as big as it should have been.

8: Priority mail: I viewed a thread where somebody was crying that their guaranteed 2 day priority took a week to be delivered. Priority mail is NOT guaranteed. It is an estimate. The only service that has a guaranteed delivery is Express.

9: random fact: We employ the most Veterans in the country. Your service in the military counts as time served with the PO.

10: If you don’t like the USPS or they just aren’t good enough for you please feel free to pay $30+ to UPS plus fuel surcharges and rural fees. USPS would only charge you a base rate to anywhere in the US and Puerto Rico. Even if it were to a van down by the river in BFE in the backwoods of Arkansas it would still cost the same.

11: The USPS has been voted the most trusted government agency in the country multiple years in a row.

12: UPDATE For you UPS lovers you will be happy to hear that UPS packages will now be delivered on Sundays. By the USPS!!! Starting this Sunday we will deliver the normal Amazon and now UPS as well. Final mile!


Please feel free to discuss all things USPS here. There are a lot of knowledgeable people here that can help. Please keep the other boards clear of USPS threads and direct them here.

[pfb11]

Good summary, thanks.

I don't think this will stop the influx of new complaint threads, but it's a good place to start reading.

[Budler]

I have known a lot of people who have worked for the PO. One guy was the #2 guy in the Boulder, Co. main office. Until as he put it. I was put back into the Mail Room for complaining about the way the PO there as operating." That was 10 years ago.

#3 is the biggest issue that they all have said.

#6 The mismanagement has been going on for a long time. Mid level around here was real bad. There has been talk about privatize for along time also. Like any other place when you get a new person in at the top there will be changes.

As far as turnover they are as bad as RTD bus drivers. I can tell you stories about them as I rode the bus for close to 25 years. (the newbies drivers)

Yes I agree the PO is doing a very good job but still issue arise.

[gglenn3278]

I have two buyers right now with item not received cases open. Both items are way late, and the tracking just shows “in transit, arriving late”. Actually, I already refunded one of them (so that case is closed technically) and will most likely end up having to refund the other buyer also. I wish they would at least update the tracking every day so the buyers don’t get so antsy. I’m going to be out $200 and they will most likely end up with the items for free when they are eventually delivered.

[CSprings]

Originally Posted by gglenn3278

I have two buyers right now with item not received cases open. Both items are way late, and the tracking just shows “in transit, arriving late”. Actually, I already refunded one of them (so that case is closed technically) and will most likely end up having to refund the other buyer also. I wish they would at least update the tracking every day so the buyers don’t get so antsy. I’m going to be out $200 and they will most likely end up with the items for free when they are eventually delivered.

I had one stuck like this for weeks but luckily had an understanding buyer. I opened an investigation for missing mail and suddenly it was located and started moving again. Might want to give that a shot or possibly try to have it intercepted.

[DynaEtch]

Originally Posted by gglenn3278

I have two buyers right now with item not received cases open. Both items are way late, and the tracking just shows “in transit, arriving late”. Actually, I already refunded one of them (so that case is closed technically) and will most likely end up having to refund the other buyer also. I wish they would at least update the tracking every day so the buyers don’t get so antsy. I’m going to be out $200 and they will most likely end up with the items for free when they are eventually delivered.

It is ridiculous that a buyer could ever end up with both the item and the money. Even if it takes a long time, there should be some kind of appeal to take back a refund in the case of arrival. I feel like someone keeping both the money and item (when it eventually arrives, especially in a pandemic with severe shipping delays ) is essentially stealing the item, and eBay should not allow this to happen.

[SuperCoolBeas]

Originally Posted by DynaEtch

It is ridiculous that a buyer could ever end up with both the item and the money. Even if it takes a long time, there should be some kind of appeal to take back a refund in the case of arrival. I feel like someone keeping both the money and item (when it eventually arrives, especially in a pandemic with severe shipping delays ) is essentially stealing the item, and eBay should not allow this to happen.

There is.

(not from my experience, directly) but I've seen people post about that exact situation. If the order ultimately gets delivered (in those cases), eBay resends the money to the seller.

[SuperCoolBeas]

I will say one good thing about the countless struggles USPS has lately...

Sometimes when a package gets lost in transit (which, just about every single one does, for some period of time, these days)...the value of your cards INCREASES by the time you receive them:-) (sometimes it goes the other way too, though....but you take the good with the bad, I guess)

#silverlinings

[DynaEtch]

Originally Posted by SuperCoolBeas

There is.

(not from my experience, directly) but I've seen people post about that exact situation. If the order ultimately gets delivered (in those cases), eBay resends the money to the seller.

This is good to know.

I would hope most buyers would simply pay it back on their own accord (I imagine one would feel pretty guilty keeping both the item and money), yet I see posts on this board about this very thing happening and sellers saying they are out both the money and item. It is nice that eBay is protecting the seller in this instance, if true.

[DynaEtch]

To the OP topic, I would have to agree that the USPS has been quite reliable- for me, over many years now. I don’t think I can remember a single package getting truly lost either sent to me or sent from me.

I’ve noticed that it’s a hit or a miss right now in terms of delays. I’m having particular problems with packages going through the Jersey City, NJ and Philly facilities, and Louisiana....delays may be largely due to if it has to go through a certain facility. Also having major slow downs with media mail. The delayed packages will get there eventually I’m sure.

Something else I’ve noticed is an uptick of odd paths. For example, I’ve had a package arrive at the city I’m right by on July 27th. It then goes across state much further away and has been non-updated since. I’m also having packages doing loops back and forth, bouncing back and forth between two cities. I have no idea why the pandemic/less people working would cause this kind of thing, but it is what it is. I’m overall happy with the USPS despite the delays.

[RedMike]

Dejoy needs to go.

This is absolutely the wrong time to be making these kind of changes during these time of crisis where everyone is working from home and or can't leave their house.

[pskell02]

Any insight as to why tracking stopped working like 4 days ago on every single package I've sent or have inbound?

Anyone else experiencing something like this?

[DontToewsMeBro]

USPS sucks

Total incompetence abounds

Period

If I wasn't basically forced to deal with it, I wouldn't.

[shrevecity]

Originally Posted by pskell02

Any insight as to why tracking stopped working like 4 days ago on every single package I've sent or have inbound?

Anyone else experiencing something like this?

Its happening all over. Items are getting to some processing centers and sitting for days. Dallas is completely shut down. Shreveport is down over 400 employees and packages are sitting outside in tents for 4 to 5 days before even moving inside for further sorting.

[shrevecity]

Originally Posted by DontToewsMeBro

USPS sucks

Total incompetence abounds

Period

If I wasn't basically forced to deal with it, I wouldn't.

Better than UPS and Definitely better than Fed Ex.

[RedMike]

I spoke with my mail delivery guy just right now and he told me that it is kind of funny because he actually has less mail to deliver than normal.

The mail isnt even getting to the carriers anymore, it is just stuck in distribution centers.

[DontToewsMeBro]

Originally Posted by shrevecity

Better than UPS and Definitely better than Fed Ex.

Not.

[Zauron]

I am seeing a lot more stuff stuck in transit now, that's for sure. Stuff used to take 2-3 days from shipment to delivery, now takes a week or longer.

I have a package that was sent out to me on the 6th, departed Tucson on the 7th, and no update since then.

[shrevecity]

Originally Posted by DontToewsMeBro

Not.

Ohh yes they are. UPS is not good its often 7 to 8pm before they deliver here and the packages are usually beat to hell and back.

Fed Ex is a joke. They just throw packages in the driveway next to mailboxes they do not carry them to the door or porch. If you have to sign for it they don't even stop they slowdown and honk if they do not see you tough luck.

USPS items on average are taking 2 days longer some are actually arriving super fast. Had an item sent from Texas to Oregon last Thursday it arrived Saturday. That is a 4 day trip on the best times. Out of thousands of packages sent including PWEs I can count maybe 20 items that did not arrive or were truly damaged in transit. That is an incredible success ratio.

PWEs seem to be arriving on time or even faster than normal

[Astros19]

I have to believe this is a regional problem. I ship out of Des Moines and for the most part my packages are being delivered as normal and some even faster than normal.
I had 1 package get delayed about a month ago but it finally got delivered.
As usual when I post something similar to this....knock on wood.
The USPS is still the best deal you can find in my opinion.
Thanks OP for explaining some things.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

[SleeperCards]

Thanks for posting this thread to clear some things up for some of the mor... more simple people on the forums. The deliberate destruction of the USPS should have all online retailers furious, I really hope you're right that things change in January.

[crohrer]

Originally Posted by SleeperCards

Thanks for posting this thread to clear some things up for some of the mor... more simple people on the forums. The deliberate destruction of the USPS should have all online retailers furious, I really hope you're right that things change in January.

No problem. I mean people can hate us but if you’re an eBay seller you are using us whether you want to admit it or not. What buyer is going to pay shipping costs for FedEx or UPS because the seller doesn’t like the USPS? You know the seller isn’t going to offer free shipping!

Speaking of UPS lovers there is an update in the 1st post. Please see #12

[shrevecity]

I dont think many people realize how much of usps logistics that ups and fed ex use.

[sliqwill]

Originally Posted by DontToewsMeBro

USPS sucks

Total incompetence abounds

Period

If I wasn't basically forced to deal with it, I wouldn't.

you aren't forced, there are plenty of companies that will ship stuff internationally...you may not like the prices, but no one is holding your hand...

as for the turnover numbers, id like to know the source for that, because when I was in transportation the company I worked for had over 100% yearly turnover...

I know they tout veteran hires, but I think they are able to do that simply by 'total' veterans employed, not as a % of the workforce...my office we have around 50 people on the total roster, and 2 are veterans...

[gowizards0]

the only problem I have is sometimes a package says delivered on tracking but I never got it.. pain in the ass.

what's the best route to take with this.. open a usps missing package case and what else