Your shipping wrecks. USPS,FED-EX and UPS

Got a friend working for UPS, he's a new hire driving a rented truck working six days 12 hours and they ran short of uniforms. Apparently they are so busy they have had to reduce pickups even for some large shippers. I've gotten my stuff just fine but would not be the least surprised to hear of problems. The post office is hiring and apparently so in need they are even considering hiring people showing evidence of life and initiative.

Actually UPS seems to be the only one that is running on time, but experienced Union help does make a difference.....I didn't used to believe that but I've learned different  over the years.......

Roll with the punches and keep on truckin its Xmas and Covid 19.Welcome to the world of junk.

autospec OP349 posts

+1 Union Yes..

I got to say though the newbies, are a sight with their pants, can't seem to wear a belt, and got no rear end to hold them up.. Wait till they sling a million pounds of packages.. Their pant will stay up...:-)

They are all keeping up over here, so far.. Fingers crossed.

Say do you people wrap presents for you animals? I do.

You aught to see my little girl terrier.. (Jack).. LOL opening presents..:-)

The Rabbit (Junior), turned the egg carton over 50 times getting the goodies, SMART bunny, No dumb Bunnies.. Bigger :-)

Merry Christmas Everyone

+1shubert

Trump derangement syndrome. Lockdowns, changing operations due to social distancing oh and a record(by far) number of packages being sent through USPS as well as all private carriers because people are not traveling for Christmas. I know it’s easier to blame than to think for yourself but let’s keep your politics out of the audio conversation. We can go absolutely everywhere else to hear liberals complain. I have a couple of close friends who are postal carriers and they will say that these unprecedented times have only exposed the shortcomings of a government entity forced to operating at a loss. Your cheap postage is subsidized by your taxes my friend- end rant. 

So it is now Trumps fault  LOL  I guess the head of the USPS was the guy working all the mail and the other people forgot how to do their jobs!  And the newbies what they cannot read or follow directions either.  Because ones pants are down doesn't mean they are an idiot.  The USPS has been a huge drain on revenue for many many years now.  A private company would probably do a better job IMO.

What do you think the percentage of packages delivered to packages that are not delivered our?  I would bet that ratio is pretty good overall compared tot he total number of packages mailed out.

But what do I know.  Happy Listening when you get your stuff!

USPS is really screwed up right now. Stuff is going in the entirely wrong direction. Best to stay away right now. Fed X is always out to lunch. Their tracking system is out to lunch. UPS makes an occasional mistake but is generally more reliable than the other two.

jadam..."let's keep politics out of the audio conversation. We can go absolutely everywhere else to hear liberals complain".

Do you see a problem here?

Privatize the US Postal Service and the 50 cent stamp will cost $5.

The USPS would be profitable if not for the fact the GOP Congress required them to fund future pension liability 30 years out, a requirement no other organization suffers.  Could be fixed fairly easily if the will was there.

This is multifactorial.  Holiday rush, COVID making everyone buy online thus double if not triple the usual business, etc.  A single administrative policy or change in leadership could easily slow things to a halt in times like these.  I'm sure just about every UPS worker is doing their best to get everyone their mail and packages on time.  For goodness, we have had 2 Amazon drivers arrested in our area for throwing packages out of the truck because they realized they couldn't meet their delivery expectations.  Everyone is stressed.  Producers, orderers, and delivers. Happy Holidays to you all. 

I want to state my support for the USPS. Chronically underfunded, yet essential for so many communities. FedEx really seems lost, they used to be the gold Standard. I am impressed with UPS, they have really stepped up. Overall, most folks I have dealt with in shipping have been doing their level best, even where there has been failure.
In a previous life, I had a lot of experience in international shipping in support of a globally ranging scientific drill ship. 

The USPS would be profitable if not for the fact the GOP Congress required them to fund future pension liability 30 years out, a requirement no other organization suffers. Could be fixed fairly easily if the will was there.

Article 1, section 8 gives Congress authority to establish post *offices* and postal roads. That did not include postal carriers, which was originally done by independent contractors.

I don’t see an Amendment that gave Congress authority to change the Constitution. But like 95%+ of what Congress does, it creates bureaucracies that expand the Federal Government beyond what is specified and mandated, and worse, funds it without having that authority.

I’m more a Libertarian than anything else, so don’t get me started how both parties have screwed up the Federal Government and it’s out of control spending by establishing agencies, laws, programs, etc. way beyond their scope of legislative Constitutional authority.

Anyway, I see no correlation between pension liabilities and the current problems.

I told myself not to get involved in this silly political nonsense, so I’ll leave it there.

I bought a vinyl album off ebay and it was shipped on 11/30 via USPS. I received it yesterday 12/19. It was lost stuck or whatever in Austin, Tx for 12 days. I used their online form to inquire what gives and I got a call within 3 hours form our local postoffice here in Fredericksburg, Tx. The lady was very friendly and sorry for my issue. She sent an email inquiry to Austin and I had the album in two days. It was damaged but not the fault of USPS. The seller shipped a vinyl album in just a plastic sleeve, not a cardboard mailer like every other album I have bought lately. I could not believe it. The album cover was a mess but the album itself seemed to survive. I was very pleased with the postal service.

it is heart breaking to watch Americans argue about this issue. 

A subsidised mail system in America would be a tremendous benefit to the manufacturing strength of the country.  look at what Germany has done with DHL.  some activities (mail distribution) can naturally be monopolistic and hence may  fall under purview of Government operation.  this is not communism.  it's just sensible.

UPS went on strike in the early 70's. One of our UPS drivers then went out and got a job with USPS. He finished his route the first day about 2pm. He was flooded with requests from virtually everyone there to slow down. Made USPS workers and management look bad. Accountability is a stretch in governmental bureaucracy. Must limit union influence in regard to job descriptions, assignments, terminations. Safety issues, yes. Compensation, of course. Cannot tie management's hands in regard to how they manage their most costly asset. 
 

fbgbill26 posts12-20-2020 9:35pmI bought a vinyl album off ebay and it was shipped on 11/30 via USPS. I received it yesterday 12/19. It was lost stuck or whatever in Austin, Tx for 12 days...

Sounds about right... we've got a bunch of hippies smokin rope all day in Austin... everything is "manana man"  

look at what Germany has done with DHL. 

I used to chat with a couple people in Germany. They always complained about DHL.

LOL with the blaming Trump thing....you realize that Amazon pays a fraction of the USPS postage per package that we plebs and other smaller companies do. Yet the USPS service still runs at a large annual deficit that the public increasingly subsidizes through increased taxes. Oddly enough, Jeff Bezos the owner of Amazon and the single largest beneficiary of this discounted postage, is among the largest three contributors to the Biden campaign (in the 10’s of millions).....ps, as for the above "Trump did it" narrative, sheesh, the Post Office is run by a Board of Governor’s with staggered terms and it would take someone like Trump another bunch of years to get a working majority of members willing and able to level the playing field with the discounted rates Amazon pays (not to mention the immense strain they place on the system).

Actually Trump did do it, he owns the board of Governors and his stooge Louis DeJoy has been caught redhanded slowing mail service down. This isn't liberal sour grapes or TDS it's what we can facts.

https://time.com/5882006/usps-board-governors-trump/

FedEx managed to destroy a pair of Audeze headphones I ordered a few weeks ago. Pretty impressive too because the packaging they came in was first rate. Shipping on the first pair via FedEx was delayed to me and back to the company I bought them from. Shipping on the second pair was also delayed getting to me. Luckily the second pair is flawless and I won’t be dealing with sending them back. 

I lived in Germany , Always  had postal mail as good as USPO at its best.
It decided to go private to lose good pensions and its postal system is now on a par with the worst in the world .

One of my problems is a item is marked delivered , when it wasn't delivered to me so I can't file a claim as undelivered......So I lose the item and the money.......That's probably a job for the postal inspector. maybe after Xmas.......Maybe it will just get better and everybody can forget the Xmas mess.........That would be the best solution.....

Re: USPS, make sure you sign up for Informed Delivery, which sends you a daily email with images of the mail you are due to receive that day, as well as tracking numbers and/or senders of any packages due for delivery that day and in the near future.  The package delivery can be off by +1 day or so on occasion, but it allows you to file a missing mail claim easily.  I've actually had a USPS carrier come to my house specifically to deliver a critical missing package (meds) after I reported it.  You may not always get this same service, but it always helps to do what you can to track your own mail delivery.  Just my $0.02.

bkeske...You chat with a few people in Germany who complain about DHL? Not a very large survey sample is it? Ever hear of heresay? Also, many economists do point to the pension requirements as unnecessarily hampering the Post Office's ability to be self-funding. Remember, the Post Office was never required or expected (until now) to be profitable. It was established (Franklin?) as a service for the people and the government. The pension requirement was done for no other reason than has already been pointed out, because one party (I didn't name it) wants to privatize the postal service. ALSO, to compare the situation the country faced over 200 years ago to the situation today when the population has gone from a few million at best to today's approximately 330 million people is not a reasonable argument. And I thought you didn't want to be involved in a silly political argument so you were going to leave it at that.
Libertarianism is a wonderful social and political philosophy that would possibly work in a country of few people. It can't work in a country as populous as ours. I equate it with Utopianism. Naive and not realistic.

USPS delivered my new headshell to a wrong address and couldn't get it back. Eight more days before I can even file on that one. Had some wire shipped from Ohio to eastern TN, Priority Mail; Somehow it ended up in MS and sat there for 5 days before it finally started moving again. Should get it today. Got an LP that the company guarantees  was  shipped on the 13th and all the PO site says is "label created". Still have no idea where that one is.

I love music,put your politics where they belong,NOT HEAR! Punn inteaded

Libertarianism is a wonderful social and political philosophy that would possibly work in a country of few people. It can’t work in a country as populous as ours. I equate it with Utopianism. Naive and not realistic.

I have no idea what you are talking about. And I am not sure you know either.

The Constitution itself is a document based on many libertarian principles. Perhaps the greatest document ever developed for any nation. Too bad we have not been able to follow its guidelines as written.

I have a package in a current ship state of “on delivery truck waiting to be delivered” since 12 December. 

Why would anyone buy from eBay.  You are dealing with a bunch of amateurs.  You get what you pay for.  I would trust a dealer before trusting a private party trying to sell their junk.

@schubert

Thanks for the data point.

bkeske...My point is that the conditions and needs of the country in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries were much different than we face today in an industrialized country of roughly 330 million people. Certainly, many of the ideas expressed in the Constitution were based upon libertarian and liberal (small l) ideas. But the Constitution as written was far from a perfect document. Let's not forget that it was intentionally written to benefit wealthy landowners and relegated thousands of people at the time to status as a fraction of the value of whites. At the time, democracy was not something the founders were particularly interested in. For example, US Senators for many years were elected by state legislators. Women weren't allowed to vote until the Nineteenth Amendment (1929?). I could go on and on as to why we need to consider the Constitution as a living document. Times and needs have changed and the founding fathers had no way of knowing what it would be like in the 21st century. Say what you want. I'm leaving it at that. And unlike some people, I mean it.

I ship and receive thru Fed Ex only. With an account I save 25%.
So far (knock on wood) everything has been on time or even early
and not damaged. Except for one guy who I believe may have intentionally damaged the wiring in order to justify a return.
The other shippers all suck for the reasons identified above.

This is pretty coincidental. I received a package today. I wasn't home so I don't know if it was UPS or FedEx. It was addressed to my next door neighbor. The package was from Amazon. I received an email saying my package from T-Mobile, which I was expecting, had been delivered. It had not. Some of you might remember a few weeks back when I started a thread about delivery services. FedEx had "lost" an Audio Research integrated amp that I had purchased. The seller is still dealing with the issue even though FedEx admits the package arrived in Kernersville, NC and then disappeared. On the other hand, in all my years I don't recall ever having a problem with USPS. In the past two months I have shipped over 40 packages of old coins all across the country. To date, there has not been a single delivery problem. All of the positive feedback on ebay I have received mentioned the fast delivery. I trust the US Postal Service more than I trust the private delivery companies.
I didn't go back on my word since this has nothing to do with the Constitution or politics.

First of all. DHL has nothing to do with German government.
Was a US firm that moved to Germany(wise move).I took a 13 pound box I wanted to send to Berlin about this time last year to their agent here in St Paul.
For just a normal flight, no hurry, nothing special they wanted a bit over
2,000 $$. USPO sent it for 30 bucks . And it got to Berlin in 8 days.

USPS is awesome!  I am glad that some of my tax dollars go to supporting that institution.  At this time of year, and especially along with COVID, I expect shipping delays.  A little planning for that and everything is good.  I have received/sent about 8 packages via USPS over the past few weeks without any hiccups.  Maybe I'm just lucky on that.  My experience over the past years have also been excellent with USPS.  Timely, no damage, and very fair shipping prices, especially on international deliveries.
I wish them well, they deserve it. 

bkeske...My point is that the conditions and needs of the country in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries were much different than we face today in an industrialized country of roughly 330 million people.

I disagree. The intent and rational of the original document are still valid. Unfortunately we started separating from the intent at the beginning of the 1900’s. If it needs changed, or expanded in terms of Federal authority, there is an avenue to do that, with the consent of 3/4 of the states. We don’t do that.

If you read the Federalist Papers, which I have, you will find many warnings that we would have to deal with should we stray. They were right (Hamilton, Madison, and Jay).

Every red-blooded Americans knows Our system  is the best.
Rest of  the world are just fools, not one other country has even thoughtof adopting our system in 244 years ! Bunch of morons .

Ordered last Thursday from Music Direct in Chicago IL USA, arrived in Edmonton AB, Canada the next day on Friday by FEDEX tracking....it has been on the truck every day according to their text messages to me, then sent back to warehouse overnight for delivery the next day.  As I type this,  I just got a text from FEDEX that my parcel is on the truck...again... for delivery by 5pm local time today...you be the judge. 

Just to add,  the private/independent contract delivery companies that Amazon has here in Canada on top of the major players, have been smokin the big boys in consistancy and that includes DHL, UPS, FEDEX, even Canada Post has been better imo. 

tim,
I bought an Item from Music Direct , Chicago on Monday got it on Weds. Course only 300 miles to St Paul ,
1 hour flight time.
No body fooled with Canada Post .

I was raised in NY on a farm right on the bank of the mighty St Lawrence 3 miles from Cornwall . ON. Have nothing but respect
for the TRUE North , Strong and Free !

When present PM ’s father died I heard it on radio and went up to Montreal in my US Army uniform and stood in line for hours to show my respect , a dozen Canadians walked up to thank me.

When I got in to walk by the casket of the present PM’s father the Present PM walked up to thank me as well.

I will never forget that day .

God Bless Canada !

Gold bless FEDEX, delivered at 13:40 hrs! 

@schubert and thanks, I was a teenager back then, but have served alongside our southern neighbours in the 1st Gulf War and my appreciation for our natural comradeship.

PS. We are on the same continent and in all my years have never had a truly bad experience between USPS and Canada Post, a few delays but excellent service all round.

Merry Christmas to everyone, stay well. 

My recent experience with all of these shippers...
1) FedEx outright lies, and have been caught several times doing so...they have become very unreliable, though the items eventually show up
2) USPS inefficient, esp now " due to COVID"
3) of the big three, IMHO, UPS is most reliable...
4)BUT , the absolute best, at least between here and Canada, is DHL...they consistently are SO good, packages come before they are supposed to....I honestly dont know if they do strictly domestic, though

timkr- my police pension (Ohio Police and Fire Pension Fund) is required by Ohio law to fund future pension liability out to 30 years, you are wrong in your assertion, there are many pension funds subject to this requirement and I’m sure Ohio is not exclusive in that requirement.  We also contribute nearly half of the funds, the city contributes the rest.  THAT may be where a difference lies, I don’t know how the postal workers pension is funded.

tim, no doubt we can work together as soldiers . God Bless Gen . Currie , Canada has the best battle record in both WW1 and WW II .

I listen almost every night to the CBC "National" .Often they have as much news about the States as they do Canada.
I live in the Twin Cities of Minnesota which is the most major US city
like Canada . When I fly up to Winnipeg very little change .

MN borders both Manitoba and Ontario. In the ten years I have lived
here I have NEVER heard one word about Canada on TV or radio.
15 years in Vermont , 125 mile drive to Montreal and Ottawa , ditto.Not cool.

Was going to do a bucket trip to Regina this summer. Only Province Capital I have never been in. Boo-Hoo on that.