USPS: Christmas Rush Rant

[Kevin]

I love the click and ship on the USPS website. I’ve had my fair share of trouble with late mail etc, from the post office, but the Click and Ship usually saves me from having to go and wait in line at the post office.

But today, trying to mail a box, the addresss came up as “Not a valid delivery address.” Funny, I can see the house on Google Maps. I know the zip code is correct.

So, I box up the package and head to the USPS to ask them in person. There are probably 15 people in line, and one poor postal worker.

For those of you who say, “call the post office.” You don’t live in a town of any size, do ya? Almost impossible here in DFW. It’s a 1-800 number for wait and press 5 and wait and press….

So, tell me, why should I wait for perhaps 30 or 45 minutes?

The UPS store two blocks away, greeted me when I came in, no waiting at all, and might have been $5 more.

Oh, and they knew the address…

What a farce. If only someday perhaps with the Grace of God, please privatize the USPS…

 

[Colonialgirl]

Once upon a time mail service WAS a private enterprise and THEN the government discovered they could control it AND make money. The "Post Office" use to require that you COME IN to pick up your mail NO home delivery available UNLESS you used one of those PRIVATE companies.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Once upon a time mail service WAS a private enterprise and THEN the government discovered they could control it AND make money. The "Post Office" use to require that you COME IN to pick up your mail NO home delivery available UNLESS you used one of those PRIVATE companies.

Yep The small town I lived in did not have Mail delivery. You went to the PO. Your mail was put in your box that had a combination to open it.

 

[Kevin]

Yes, I lived in Carnation, WA and same, everyone had a PO box. I figured it was just because it was a small town.

That was the same Carnation, that a year later, the PO lady got shot and killed along with some other people. Pretty tragic.

 

[akbluz]

When I was growing up in SE Texas we had a rural route mail carrier (the area still has them). Mr. Jack Roberts delivered everything - packages, letters, sold stamps, and would pick up your outgoing mail if you left the red flad up. You could set your watch by when he came by. He was "respected" for the service he provided and everyone knew him by name. He delivered mail for 30years before he retired. He rarely made a mistake. He even delivered a rifle to me in 1956, leaving it on top of the 3 mailboxes that we shared with our neighbors (of course I was watching for him everyday).
It's not too different here in SouthCentral Alaska today except for the left-handed trucks and the carriers wearing uniforms. They do a pretty good job but they get here when they get here. My thank you to them is that I keep the area in front of the mailboxes shoveled out.

 

[Colonialgirl]

We had the same mailman here for quite a while and around Christmas, I would leave him a gift of chocolate candy or cookies all wrapped up in the mail box. Sadly he finally got a better route and I no longer see him.

 

[Pps1980]

We had the same carrier for almost 20 years. He retired just before COVID hit. Could set my watch by him. Great guy. Always went the extra mile. Can’t keep track of how many postal carriers we’ve had since. Very sad.

 

[Strider45]

Where I grew up in rural western Kansas we had a rural carrier for years. Dependable. I think they still have rural delivery, but by a contractor, not a USPS employee. Lived in rural New Mexico for several years where everyone had a PO box at the Post Office and no delivery service. Now in a city setting. Have delivery to a "cluster box". The regular carrier is pretty good and timely. However, he must be high on the seniority list, as whenever there's a holiday weekend the carrier is a sub. Usually very late then. Just had a neighbor two streets over at the same house number bring some of my mail over. I try to avoid going to a Post Office if I can. Not service oriented at all.

 

[trebor44]

Living in the boonies for many a year there was no "private" delivery service (either mail or package)! The private companies dumped their mail off on the USPS. And how about the latest mandates from UPS and Fedex regarding non-business shipment of firearm related goodies? Sometime the gift horse does have to be looked at! My condolences to those who have not been as blessed as I have been!

 

[CHEVYINLINE6]

I to have had problems with the USPS. I ordered a piston from a East Coast location and I live on the West Coast. My piston traveled back and forth between the East Coast and West Coast 4 times and was checked in to 14 different post offices. 4 of those times my piston was at a post office only 20 minutes away and then it went back East again. Second problem. The mail person keeps putting my mail in my dead neighbors mail box. Nobody ever picks up the mail there and the mail box is so full the lid won't shut and there is a pile of mail on the ground below it. The last time I complained, I didn't get any mail for a week. True story, I swear by my tattoo.

 

[Kevin]

I to have had problems with the USPS. I ordered a piston from an East Coast location and I live on the West Coast. My piston traveled back and forth between the East Coast and West Coast 4 times and was checked in to 14 different post offices. 4 of those times my piston was at a post office only 20 minutes away and then it went back East again. Second problem. The mail person keeps putting my mail in my dead neighbors mail box. Nobody ever picks up the mail there and the mail box is so full the lid won't shut and there is a pile of mail on the ground below it. The last time I complained, I didn't get any mail for a week. True story, I swear by my tattoo.

I totally believe it.

 

[JackBull]

I love the click and ship on the USPS website. I’ve had my fair share of trouble with late mail etc, from the post office, but the Click and Ship usually saves me from having to go and wait in line at the post office.

But today, trying to mail a box, the addresss came up as “Not a valid delivery address.” Funny, I can see the house on Google Maps. I know the zip code is correct.

So, I box up the package and head to the USPS to ask them in person. There are probably 15 people in line, and one poor postal worker.

For those of you who say, “call the post office.” You don’t live in a town of any size, do ya? Almost impossible here in DFW. It’s a 1-800 number for wait and press 5 and wait and press….

So, tell me, why should I wait for perhaps 30 or 45 minutes?

The UPS store two blocks away, greeted me when I came in, no waiting at all, and might have been $5 more.

Oh, and they knew the address…

What a farce. If only someday perhaps with the Grace of God, please privatize the USPS…

Never see the same carrier twice in a week. During vacations I will get mail addressed to 2-3 other people during the week. The PM thought it was funny. I guess there are no standards in the USPS. I live a small town in CT.

 

[Muley Gil]

Well, due to the economy, I took a job at one of the local post offices. I applied in June, did all of the application on-line, went down to Bristol TN for my fingerprints during the 4th of July week. Then I waited, and waited, and waited. I sent an email to the personnel person in the latter part of October.

Finally, I received an e-mail to go to a one-day orientation on Saturday, November 5th in Roanoke VA. I went and learned that I would be working as a distribution clerk in the back, rather than working at the front counter, selling stamps, taking packages, etc. Well OK, let's see how that goes. I started on Monday the 7th.

I reported in at 6AM and learn that "distribution" means unloading boxes and packages from pallets and taking them to the various route locations, where the carriers then have to load them in their vehicles. Packages can be as light as 2 oz or as heavy as 65 pounds. Once all the packages are sent to the routes, which can take 3-4 hours, then the post office boxes receive their mail. Once that chore is complete, packages for PO boxes have to either put in the large lockers or in the back, to be picked up at the counter.

After the PO boxes have been serviced, then you can take your lunch break. Now here is one of the FUN things-lunch can be 1-4 hours. Then you come back and do more packages.

Oh, I forgot. Almost EVERYTHING has to be scanned, over and over again. The pallets are wrapped in plastic and have a bar code on the outside. Then each package has a bar code. You have to scan the packages as arrived and then scanned again by the carriers or by the clerks, as in when they go to the PO boxes.

So, it takes almost 12 hours to work an 8 hour or more shift. I didn't go into the other stuff that needs to be done daily, like sorting out mail with bad addresses, missent mail, etc.

Anyway, I lasted 5 weeks before my back, both knees and both feet said enough. Yes, the post office has problems, but there are some folks doing a lot of hard work to get your mail to you every day.

 

[Dave P.]

I've posted before that not a week goes by that we don't get someone else's mail. If it is a direct neighbor I usually take it to them if it looks
important. If not, I take a red felt marker and write on it " delivered to wrong address " in big letters and the date, then it goes back in the box with the flag up. Complained numerous time to the local post office...did as much good as posting this message.
I've tried to switch everything I can to electronic communication to avoid the postal service as much as possible. Unless I'm desperate I won't order
anything from anybody that I can't specify something other than the post office for shipping.

 

[GypsmJim]

My local USPS carrier is there every day same time like clockwork. If she sees me she waves. I always know when checking the tracking number that it will come a day early.

The UPS guy is always a day late. He throws the package on the concrete porch and half the time it is in a broken box.

I had to return an item once and the vendor gave me an address. At the PO he said it wasn't a valid address. I called the vendor back again and she said the PO didn't know what he was talking about. So, back to the PO and this time I insisted he send it to that address. A month later the vendor called to complain they never received it. She checked it and came back and said Oh I'm sorry I gave you the wrong address.

I guess it must be a regional thing.

Oh, and on second thought if it comes Fedex they often bring it to the wrong house, even with the correct address on the package.

When I shop online I always ask for USPS. If they won't do it I shop elsewhere.

 

[KIR]

I appreciate the USPS. I often meet them and try to say thank you to them. Usually they are on their phone/ear buds talking to someone.

 

[peachhead]

Well if it takes 5 months to actually get a job there, then getting your mail to you within a week is doing pretty good.

Seriously, my mail carriers do a pretty good job around here. There are always people who expect 100% perfection and they complain a lot but for the most part I have no complaints with the post office. In a lot of ways it seems like the US government sets them up to fail more often than not. I guess they can't wait to privatize it.

 

[peachhead]

Also, I think we could live without getting mail on the weekends. I don't think I've ever had anything delivered that I couldn't live without until Monday.

 

[Johnny-Baseball]

It has long been acknowledged that the USPS is woefully inefficient and needs a complete operational overhaul. I don't blame individual USPS employees for this. I believe, however, that their union will block any attempt to make USPS efficient. And the union will be 100% backed by liberals in congress who count on USPS employees' votes.

At this point in our government's evolution, employment by governmental agencies is "employment for life," and only a murder conviction, or an anonymous allegation that the employee is a conservative would be grounds for that employee's termination.

My late father lamented the oxymoronic term "government employee." In his day, common folks claimed that FDRs' WPA (Works Projects Administration) actually stood for "We Piddle Around." Some things never change.

 

[krw]

Well I can get on a rant about USPS. I live in rural Ark. I get mail 6 days/wk delivered. Lets cut that bak to 2 days/wk. then make everyone pay same rate for pkg’s, bulk junk mailing etc. and if your incompetent at your job, fire them and replace them with a competent person. That would make a huge improvement

 

[Johnny-Baseball]

Truth be known, almost all of the important mail I receive arrives first via email. [The primary exception is mail with the federal government, and particularly IRS.] I estimate more than 80% of my mail is junk.

 

[weaselmeatgravy]

Best line I ever heard from a postal employee was from an old guy who no longer works there, but not because of what he said. He was a retired state trooper working toward a federal pension to augment his state pension and succeeded in that and is now retired.

Anyway, this was maybe 15 years ago, about this time of year when the PO is swamped with Christmas packages and employees are overwhelmed. I'm waiting in line to mail something and he's working the counter. That's when I hear the following:

"Damn, I ran out of tape! The only thing worse is running out of bullets."

 

[GypsmJim]

It has long been acknowledged that the USPS is woefully inefficient and needs a complete operational overhaul.

I often hear negative comments about the USPS. I just don't understand it.

If someone were to ask me which "business" I thought was the best in the country, I would say the USPS.

As I have said before, it must be a regional thing, and I guess I must be in one of the good regions.

 

[Mobuck]

"What a farce. If only someday perhaps with the Grace of God, please privatize the USPS…"
Aapparently, YOU DON'T DEPEND ON USPS as your primary contact with the outside world. Please consider the multitude of rural folks whose only daily contact outside their household is the mail carrier.
If the mail service is privatized, the expectation of daily service will be GONE.

 

[contender]

Well, just like everything else,, there is good & bad.

My home for decades was in Lake Lure. We always had a PO box that my Dad got back in the 40's. Over the decades,, we had a top quality small town PO service,, and the folks who worked there knew everybody & for the most part did an excellent job. Later on, when I moved into my own house,, I got my own PO box. No issues.
Then, I found out that they offered direct delivery to my house. Now,, my house was within sight of the PO. So, I saved my PO box rent by having a rural box. Again,, excellent service,, and even going to the PO for stuff is easy.
Then, about 12 years ago,, we moved 4.5 miles away. Yet,, my house is just across a county line. And the postal service for my home now is based about 13 miles away. Again, I got a rural mail box.
But the service from the several carriers I've had over the last dozen years has been shall I say,, less than it should be. In my first 6 months here,, I had more damaged packages, & stuff missing than I'd had in over 20 years combined from the LL Post office.
I documented things,, took pictures,, and filed a formal complaint after I got really upset over the loss of an item FlatGate had sent me. Apparently,, that did no good. No response or improvement what so ever.
LUCKILY,, I have kept the "family" PO box in Lake Lure. The same one my Dad got in the 40's. That PO is still very good, and much easier for me to go to & receive stuff from. Because of that,, I use my LL PO box for as much of my mail stuff as I can.

So, in my case,, I have both good & bad at the same time.

 

[peachhead]

"What a farce. If only someday perhaps with the Grace of God, please privatize the USPS…"
Aapparently, YOU DON'T DEPEND ON USPS as your primary contact with the outside world. Please consider the multitude of rural folks whose only daily contact outside their household is the mail carrier.
If the mail service is privatized, the expectation of daily service will be GONE.

And it will cost at least twice as much (probably more). The USPS does a good job and right now they are understaffed and overworked.

 

[Fox Mike]

Yep The small town I lived in did not have Mail delivery. You went to the PO. Your mail was put in your box that had a combination to open it.

Yep. Post Office Box 5, Mayo Maryland was my address when I was in high school. No RFD, no ZIP Code. The entire building was about 20 feet square. I might add that my present local PO is a great place. Good people there and our RFD lady is pleasant and always here about the same time each day, regardless of the weather.

 

[the_leper_colony]

...The UPS store two blocks away, greeted me when I came in, no waiting at all, and might have been $5 more.

Oh, and they knew the address…

What a farce. If only someday perhaps with the Grace of God, please privatize the USPS…

I think there can be problems with any of the available options. A few years back, I sold a nice 35 caliber Marlin on GunBroker, to help payoff some unexpected bills. The buyer also wanted the ammo I had for the rifle. The local UPS store insisted that UPS could not, would not, and did not ship ammo. Because I couldn't find any other options, I finally had to get the local UPS person on the phone with somebody at UPS corporate, who explained that, yes, UPS could, would, and did ship ammo. On another occasion, I had a UPS store absolutely refuse to ship some simple gun parts (not a receiver or complete firearm). And then there was the nice old Mossberg shotgun they basically destroyed in transit to my FFL.

Murphy's Law can strike anywhere, anytime. I generally have the best luck with USPS.

As always, IMHO, FWIW, YMMV, etc., etc.