OT: How’s mail service in your town?

[Spaghetti Legs]

I’m curious if my local situation is unique. My local USPS has long had a poor reputation but has never really bothered me. 80% of my mail goes straight from box to recycle bin and if things take an extra couple days to get to me, no big deal. Lately, however, has been next level. It’s been about 3 weeks since my neighborhood has had mail delivery. Neighborhood scuttlebutt is our carrier sprained her ankle. Amongst my undelivered mail is car registration and a rather large check.

Today I had a small package to mail so I drove to our main PO to post it and see if I could pick my mail up. It was eye opening. There was a line of about a dozen people waiting to pick up their mail. Separate line for people doing regular business. In the line were a couple from Crozet, small town about 15 miles away that uses our post office. They’d gone about a week and a half without delivery. 2 separate small business owners that hadn’t had delivery in a week. While waiting, I decided to use the self service kiosk to mail my package - out of order. The first person in line, after about 10-15 minutes, left saying they didn’t have her mail. Right after that, the clerk came out saying she needed to go on break and said she’d been working 12 hr days, 6 days per week for months. She was clearly fed up and frustrated (understandably so) Also said there were three people in that office, one doing passports, another doing customer pickup, and one doing the regular duties. This is the main hub office for the entire city and county, maybe 150,000 people. I gave up and went to a branch office where there were 3 guys at the counter to help me and the one person who came in right behind me.

This isn’t a rant so much as an expression of some frustration but mostly sadness and resignation. I really hope our local problem is an outlier. How about your town?

[glepore]

Its so bad here in Cville that Sen Warner was at the PO 3 weeks ago to investigate. They are short staffed and finding it hard to hire people that can pass a drug test now that mj is legal in Va but still prohibited federally. At least that's their story.
Oddly, my service out here in Earlysville is awesome.

[Likes2ridefar]

Everywhere I’ve lived the post office has always had a line, but nothing as bad as your experience.

Here in Scottsdale it’s very reliable and quick. No issues or complaints the four years we’ve lived here.

[AngryScientist]

That's way worse than what i've seen here, but my mail service is not great either.

in your case, you should absolutely write to the postmaster general and let them know what's going on and encourage everyone else you know in the area to do the same.

many people depend on timely delivery of mail for a variety of reasons and more than two days without mail is unacceptable.

[Plum Hill]

The biggest problem in my small town appears to be years of seniority. It’s very common for a carrier to take days off at the last minute or go on extended vacations. Most of those times carriers work their shift, then fill in for missing people. Subs are at time limits.
My two day Priority delivery took 10 days. While I didn’t pay much attention in geography class, I do know the shortest way to California from StLouis is not through Indianapolis.
While I hate to rag on USPS, it’s time for a top to bottom overhaul. It’s long past time to get rid of DeJoy.
Then again, every business is having trouble these days. I believe the root of the problem is a societal change where people don’t want to work, have no pride in anything, and expect to world to cater to them.
Stepping off my soapbox.

[OtayBW]

Seems like something must've gone wonky with operations.
Bye now....

[imcorn]

I rarely have any issues here in Southern California. Even when I have to go into the Post Office, things typically move quickly if there is a line.

[Ozz]

USPS is cheap and they provide packaging for most of what I need....I guess my expectations on timing are not so high....

Was looking for a bit by George Carlin about cost of postage (I think it was him) but found this: Post Office - Kathleen Madigan

Pretty sure she stole it from George.....

[peanutgallery]

Last few weeks our regular guy has been appearing after dusk. Usually it's a 2 or 3 in the afternoon kinda deal for like 20 years

Agreed with staffing, but delivery of Amazon is a problem, those guys are making deliveries all day Sunday in my hood. Door Dash with a uniform. As always, it's Jeff Bezos's fault....now with the stupid cowboy hat. I dunno, hoping history will not be kind to him and what he's wrought

Thinking their pension load must be worse that our local school district

[deechee]

Canada here, I only got my election voter card this week, AFTER early voting had ended, and my wife hasn't gotten hers. No idea where the cards are going.

[NormansCay]

Here in DC it is totally dependent on the local carrier. Our carrier is great, I have no doubt he works way more hours than he is required, probably without any additional compensation. He's often out delivering mail until 8:00 pm or later.

Also, we went out west to work for 5 weeks so my mom could watch our kids during part of the summer. Tried to have our mail held and post office said we could only forward it, couldn't have it held because it was more than 30 days. Talked to our carrier the next day when I saw him and he said: "no worries I'm your carrier so I'll just hold your mail myself." Once we were back, he delivered all our mail that was held.

That being said, he was on vacation for a few weeks recently...we had about 2 mail deliveries over 2 to 3 weeks. Now he's back, and it's back to normal deliveries. So, I think a lot depends on individual carriers and there doesn't seem to be sufficient backfill for regular carriers to take the leave they have earned and are entitled to take.

[redir]

It's tip top here in my part of Virginia. But it is small town living too. I find it hard to believe they cannot hire people. A Post Office job has always been really hard to get.

[joosttx]

Excellent. Mail person even brings packages to our door when they are too big for our mailbox.

[yngpunk]

Originally Posted by redir

It's tip top here in my part of Virginia. But it is small town living too. I find it hard to believe they cannot hire people. A Post Office job has always been really hard to get.

Most/all of the open roles are for non-union/non-pension roles to start, and then it takes awhile to move into an union/pension type role. Not as attractive as it once used to be.

[jlwdm]

Postal service is great here. Although I don't get anything of value in the mail. I am a big believer in immediately going to 3 days a week delivery - nothing urgent comes in the mail.

Jeff