USPS delivery times suffering massively

[brando]

Originally Posted by pdmtong

Find a post office with a self-service kiosk
https://www.usps.com/shop/use-self-service-kiosks.htm
Once you get the hang of it (it is ridiculously easy) it will take < 2 minutes to generate and pay for a stamp or priority label.

I keep a handful of USPS boxes and envelopes at home so when I sell something here I can usually ship the same or next day - packing material at hand and use the self-service kiosk. I haven't waited in line in years.

Note: Doesn't work if a customs form needed...hence my reluctance to ship outside the USA. I just don't have an hour to wait in line.

I've used the kiosks as well. They can back up like the self-checkout at the grocery store... all it takes is one technology-challenged customer and forgetit.

[martinez]

same problem here!
paid for an item on here and the seller sent it out with it having to be delivered at my house last thursday. It bounced around a few states, and then went back to the seller's home state, and now it is on its way to me here in LA.
is it more of a thing that's going on in the mid US?
(sorry, only read the first few posts)

[choke]

USPS is good for the most part but sometimes a package goes awry. I had one take a week to get to me from about an 8 hour drive away, yet today I received a package from VA that was shipped on Monday. I prefer USPS if I have the option.

Originally Posted by Buzz Killington

I ordered some items, and had them shipped UPS to my home street address. Turns out UPS contracts out the final delivery to USPS. But, since we only get mail from our PO box, and the box only had street address, the post office had no idea what to do. I called UPS to track, they said post office had it. Went to post office and saw it in the corner behind the counter and said hey that's mine. Anyway, moral of story is give both street and mailing address to shippers.

I can so relate to that - we don't have street mail delivery here either. On the plus side, I wouldn't use all of my fingers to count the number of times I've had to wait in line to ship a package in the last 5 years.

[bluesea]

And here I am telling the world how quickly our priority packages are flying over the Pacific these days.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by pdmtong

Find a post office with a self-service kiosk
https://www.usps.com/shop/use-self-service-kiosks.htm
Once you get the hang of it (it is ridiculously easy) it will take < 2 minutes to generate and pay for a stamp or priority label.

I keep a handful of USPS boxes and envelopes at home so when I sell something here I can usually ship the same or next day - packing material at hand and use the self-service kiosk. I haven't waited in line in years.

Note: Doesn't work if a customs form needed...hence my reluctance to ship outside the USA. I just don't have an hour to wait in line.

Or sign up for click and ship on yer computer..and you CAN do customs as well...print label, onto freebie USPS priority or Express box or your own..drop in box at USPS..

PLUS you get a wee discount if you use click-a-ship..

[texbike]

Just this week I sent a package to Florida from Texas via USPS standard shipping and it arrived two days earlier than expected. I usually use the kiosk unless it's a large package or something is going overseas.

Texbike

[stien]

Bringing this one back up. Anyone else to commiserate with? My bike is busted and the parts are stuck in transit!

[tctyres]

Yes. The lateness is real.

I think a lot of people have turned to online ordering via Amazon and Walmart, so that is taking a lot of the cargo space.

[madsciencenow]

Most stuff seems to be making it fine. I do have one package sent to CA where the tracking was back and forth between LA and Chicago. Seemed slightly delayed but it made it.

A few months ago I had my vehicle tags get lost for more than a month. I had to go and request additional tags. About the same time my birthday card from my in-laws was delayed for multiple weeks. One package letter in state and one coming from out of state so there doesn’t seem to be much of a consistent theme to what’s impacted or not.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[peanutgallery]

We'll...there is this pandemic thing going on

There's no bike treasure on the interwebs worth the risk of others to ship it to you. Maybe in August or something. Sit tight and be safe

[OtayBW]

Originally Posted by peanutgallery

We'll...there is this pandemic thing going on

There's no bike treasure on the interwebs worth the risk of others to ship it to you. Maybe in August or something. Sit tight and be safe

Agree. Maybe time to be a little more charitable in people's expectations. Everything is tanking right now, and I'm sure the people who are working are doing their best under pretty difficult circumstances.....

[AngryScientist]

now imagine if you are a senior citizen who relies on home delivery of food, and has for years due to limited mobility, and you're worried that you cant get essentials to feed yourself and get your medicine.

lot of suffering and anxiety in the world right now. i'm 100% on board with shippers prioritizing real essentials like food, medicine, etc.

i know it stinks to be waiting on stuff, but in the big picture, i think we can all understand the limitations of the shipping lines and where the priority needs to be right now.

[Blue Jays]

My anticipation is most people would be comfortable with self-selecting a "slowest" delivery method to help overall logistics.
For example, I received a massive (unrequested) product catalog from an unrecognized company. Easily the same size as a huge dictionary.
It frustrated me that these silly books almost certainly filled an entire mail truck and undoubtedly slowed the system for "real" deliveries.

[alancw3]

I think the postal service is doing a stellar job under these circumstance. have not experienced any delays whatsoever in receiving packages. cuckoos to them for a job well done.

[Clancy]

Originally Posted by Blue Jays

My anticipation is most people would be comfortable with self-selecting a "slowest" delivery method to help overall logistics.
For example, I received a massive (unrequested) product catalog from an unrecognized company. Easily the same size as a huge dictionary.
It frustrated me that these silly books almost certainly filled an entire mail truck and undoubtedly slowed the system for "real" deliveries.

I also get these from time to time, as you said the size of a telephone directory, from companies I never heard of. Also get, unsolicited, these neighborhood or locally focused slick, glossy magazines that seem to only be a driver for advertising. I wish there was an opt out that folks could sign up that would prevent these mass mailings.

Hopefully, after we get through this crisis there will be some serious reflections on priorities and what we truly value as individuals and as a society. Maybe we will turn away from the endless cycle of consumer consumption and slow down a little.

Wishful thinking perhaps, but one can wish. Meanwhile, Stay healthy