This is nothing personal directed at the mail carriers. Have you ever tried to use the USPS tracking system? The only time you get any information from the site is well after your item has been delivered. Quite often a vendor or individual will use the USPS to ship things to save money. I understand that but if you're going to use the USPS don't charge for FedX or UPS then ship USPS. I cringe whenever I see that something I ordered was sent USPS without my knowledge and punching in the 22 didgit tracking number is a joke. Not knowing how the US post office works internally I'd be willing to bet they spend a fortune on this useless system of tracking. IMO Dan
The Most Useless Electronic Program
- Thread starter 75Sport
- Start date
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Yep, it's useless. So is their estimation on what a package shipment is going to cost. It's one fairly attractive price online but when you actually walk in there to ship it, it costs a few bucks more. Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things but over the course of a few years' shipping, it really adds up. And the sucky part is, it's never in my favor.
SleeperScamp
Well-Known Member
Agree 100%... Total fail...
it is not a tracking system...it is a delivery confirmation...it confirms the package was delivered....it does not track the package...
if you want tracking use UPS or FEDEX...
USPS govt agency...gov agency will be providing you with health care in the near future,,,,LOL
if you want tracking use UPS or FEDEX...
USPS govt agency...gov agency will be providing you with health care in the near future,,,,LOL
It does track the package if you use "express mail"
gunbunny
Well-Known Member
Actually, they can track the package. You'll just have to go to the post office with the tracking info. not very efficient for the customer. but 70aarcuda is right, it's a delivery conformation, not tracking service. the scanners we use are downloaded at the end of the route. so, if your package was delivered at 1:00, it's not going to show up on the system until later in the evening.
As for being cheaper online, it is, they want you to use the online postage.
I don't know why. It's a management thing, kills jobs and they wonder why the PO is broke.
As for it being useless, it actually works quite well, not only do they track the packages that you pay for the service on, they track everything. That includes junk mail. They know when and where everything is. That's why the "it got lost in the mail" thing really isn't true any more. if it was misplaced, 9 time out of 10 it was because of a human error, either a postal employee or the sender. you wouldn't believe how often mis- addressed mail comes to me. I often know where it goes and it just shows up like magic.
As for being cheaper online, it is, they want you to use the online postage.
I don't know why. It's a management thing, kills jobs and they wonder why the PO is broke.
As for it being useless, it actually works quite well, not only do they track the packages that you pay for the service on, they track everything. That includes junk mail. They know when and where everything is. That's why the "it got lost in the mail" thing really isn't true any more. if it was misplaced, 9 time out of 10 it was because of a human error, either a postal employee or the sender. you wouldn't believe how often mis- addressed mail comes to me. I often know where it goes and it just shows up like magic.
gunbunny, let me thank you for the info and especially for being a postal employee who still cares. :-D Nice to know there's a few left out there.
gunbunny
Well-Known Member
there's a lot more of us than you think. the carriers are the closest link to the customers. so we at least try to care. it's management that couldn't care. they would see a mis-addressed letter and mark it up no such number or street.
Actually, I ordered some small parts from a supplier on the east coast a couple of weeks ago. To my surprise I recieved an email from them a few days later with a USPS tracking number. I was able to use my iphone to keep tabs on the package virtually all the way here. I could even see the time my local carrier had it sorted and loaded in their truck for delivery that day. Pretty amazing.
AdamR
Big Member
Cant I get delivery conformation on the health care package ?
Yup, Order something for my wife got a tracking number and 2 days later it said delivered to post office for delivery ?
also the post office just raised there prices UPS is a few bucks cheaper now.
72Dodge
Well-Known Member
The past month or so I've been getting a lot of mail in my box that isn't for me. Is for other people in the neighborhood. First class mail with sensitive financial information (I can tell based on who it's from and how it's marked). I put it back in the box with the address circled and write "delivered to wrong address". I figure the people it goes to should know how their mail is being handled. I know it's got to be just a carrier issue, but I've been hearing about it happen on forums online more often lately, seems odd. If they track every piece of mail and know where it is at any time, it doesn't make any difference if the carrier is going to screw up at the end.
gunbunny
Well-Known Member
unfortunately, that's another management screw-up. Us carriers are way understaffed. management will not not hire anyone to replace guys who retire, quit, go on extended medical leave, ect. they do bring in temps. these clowns don't care where mail goes. they're paid $12 an hour and are told they have by a certain time to be done or they're fired. they have no union protection so they fling mail where ever and make the rest of us look bad. I'd say you live on a route that hasn't had a regular carrier and/or sub in a while. It's not right, but its the way it is.
72Dodge
Well-Known Member
It's the same carrier we've had for well over a year now. Up until recently, there were no issues. But thanks for the explanation, it probably still is the reason... maybe he's taking up the slack for someone out or not replaced or something. He's a cool guy, very courteous.. I've talked with him, but haven't caught him in awhile (I just see him from the window so know it's him) so next time I catch him I'll chat with him to see how he is.
caferacerx
BAND MEMBER
I have had a number of packages sent via USPS and have had no problem tracking them with the USPS web site,
Bulldozer
free ice cream sandwiches
i have been buying and selling here for a while now. everything i have sent out has been USPS because the shipping charges are very reasonable. i have never had a problem, yes it may take a little longer, but it does get there. every package that has been sent to me USPS has been hand delivered to me by my mailman, including big packages like intake manifolds. the 22 digit number is merely a confirmation number that tells you it was , in fact , delivered to that address and they scan the number right there in front of you to confirm delivery, i have never tried to punch in the number while the package was in transit so i dont know if it can actually be "tracked". they charged 18 bucks to send an intake manifold across the country, i feel that was a good deal. so far ive never had an issue.
x2. dan
Eddie, huh??? Scam your mailbox?
Guess that's better than spamming your mail box ....... ;-)
:spam1::spam1::spam1:
Guess that's better than spamming your mail box ....... ;-)
:spam1::spam1::spam1:
dodge freak
Well-Known Member
It has been getting better, in the past it was a joke, today-least in my area-it works OK now, I can see if my local office got the package last night and if so that means I get it today.
But USPS really pisses me off, the have the poorest service when it comes to drop-damage packages and our local mail that used to come by noon is now after 12 and sometimes after 5pm. They cut help and increased the work load of the carriers
And they claim to be losing money.
As for health care, I believe the government is just to help subside insurance payments if you can not afford them, that seems pretty cool if you ask me. More people will be insured, what is wrong about that ?
But USPS really pisses me off, the have the poorest service when it comes to drop-damage packages and our local mail that used to come by noon is now after 12 and sometimes after 5pm. They cut help and increased the work load of the carriers
And they claim to be losing money.
As for health care, I believe the government is just to help subside insurance payments if you can not afford them, that seems pretty cool if you ask me. More people will be insured, what is wrong about that ?
gunbunny
Well-Known Member
you have a bar code in your mail box?
if so, your box has been designated an MSP. that is part of the larger tracking program that USPS uses. it also tells management where we're at during the day.
the good news, your box is going to get attention every day. if you don't get mail that day, then you just didn't get any. you either live at the very beginning of or the very end of a relay.
as for mail times getting changed. yep, it's happening all over the country. they're cutting routes, and piling that on to the other routes. carriers are out later and later. you start cutting days for delivery out too, and that stuff is going to pile up, you'll have people out until midnight.
talk about giving people a reason to be pissed at the government. the 1 part they used to trust 100%
Ben Franklin would be proud.
comoxian
Well-Known Member
I don't think that the tracking system works very well. Or at least it's not being used properly by some.
I bought an item off eBay in early January. It hadn't arrived by Feb 14th. I checked the status with the tracking number, it was "Accepted" at the Toledo PO (Zip 43604) on Jan 13, 12:42 PM. It was "Processed" at the Toledo USPS Origin Sort Facility (Zip 43601) on Jan 13, 18:21 PM. It "Departed" Toledo USPS Sort Facility (Zip 43601) on Jan 14, 00:00. It is "In Transit".
It has arrived, but the system still says that it is "In Transit". However it got from there to here, there is no record.
At least I know that it was mailed. And sorted.
I bought an item off eBay in early January. It hadn't arrived by Feb 14th. I checked the status with the tracking number, it was "Accepted" at the Toledo PO (Zip 43604) on Jan 13, 12:42 PM. It was "Processed" at the Toledo USPS Origin Sort Facility (Zip 43601) on Jan 13, 18:21 PM. It "Departed" Toledo USPS Sort Facility (Zip 43601) on Jan 14, 00:00. It is "In Transit".
It has arrived, but the system still says that it is "In Transit". However it got from there to here, there is no record.
At least I know that it was mailed. And sorted.
gunbunny
Well-Known Member
AHAHAHAHA!
That's what they want. Not what they get. :glasses7:
Once it leaves the US, it's up to receiving country to input the info. They seldom do. Canada Post is one of the worst about it. I'm surprised you folks get anything. that is one screwy system. If we have the info, we'll post it. from the looks of things, I'd say it sat at customs forever.
Have shipped international to brother in Germany and had no problem tracking the package. It took awhile but the German postal system is the one that held things up. My brother bought an item fron England and he told me it took four weeks. Eventually the German postal system posted the tracking info and told me when it was delivered. I send stuff priorityall the time in the US with a delivery confirmation and have never had a problem.
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