Mail Delays

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just bob
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Mail Delays

Post by just bob »

Last week I started to notice changes to the tracking info on eBay packages. For instance, they are putting weather related delay expected - into the tracking on packages going to the west coast. Kaleb, near Cincinnati sent me a package, with tracking 20 days ago and it hasn't made it here yet. The tracking did show that it was in Indianapolis, but they are cleverly changing that. For those of you also experiencing issues in the Midwest, this may be the problem. My understanding is they are offering overtime for postal employees to go there and work on their off hours to try and catch things up.

https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local ... 32bf947ede
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Re: Mail Delays

Post by Railsplitter »

Yep, it has gotten pretty bad. I have come to expect at least 10-14 day transit times if not longer. Doesn’t matter if it’s Ground Advantage or Priority Mail.

I don’t know how to post a link but I watched a video about the Louisville post office. One of the employees was speaking with his voice disguised. He said it was total chaos and that it would be months until they got caught up. Said they still had Christmas packages not delivered yet and at least 50 semi trucks in the parking lot still not unloaded yet.

Some of the weather delays are legitimate but I don’t believe all of them.
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Re: Mail Delays

Post by cody6268 »

I recently had a package coming from western TN. First of all, "weather delay" at the hub in Memphis this past weekend. Then, they sent it from there to Indy, not Charleston (which is the destination hub for my region).
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Re: Mail Delays

Post by bestgear »

My experience is 180-degrees in the opposite direction. Since New Years I have shipped about 20 knife packages via USPS and they have all arrived according to their schedule. I have found that if I add my outbound packages to Informed Delivery and signed up for text updates ( Expected Delivery, Day of Delivery, Package Delivered, Available for Pickup, Delivery Exception, and Package In-Transit) for each outbound package that accountability and reliability is significantly improved. I'm not sure what happens behind the USPS curtain but this has worked for me 100%. YMMV ::handshake::
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Re: Mail Delays

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bestgear wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2025 2:27 pm My experience is 180-degrees in the opposite direction. Since New Years I have shipped about 20 knife packages via USPS and they have all arrived according to their schedule. I have found that if I add my outbound packages to Informed Delivery and signed up for text updates ( Expected Delivery, Day of Delivery, Package Delivered, Available for Pickup, Delivery Exception, and Package In-Transit) for each outbound package that accountability and reliability is significantly improved. I'm not sure what happens behind the USPS curtain but this has worked for me 100%. YMMV ::handshake::
Thanks for sharing that. I have Informed Delivery but I don’t have text messages set up. Will definitely give that a try.
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Re: Mail Delays

Post by Lama »

I've had similar experience shipping as Bestgear with 80+ items shipped and delivered in a timely manner via USPS in December and January. I have had some issues with receiving items shipped from Amazon partners via USPS in a timely manner. One in particular was returned to the point of origin for no apparent reason. USPS seems to excel at handling envelopes and small packages weighing less than a pound.
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Re: Mail Delays

Post by Railsplitter »

bestgear wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2025 2:27 pm My experience is 180-degrees in the opposite direction. Since New Years I have shipped about 20 knife packages via USPS and they have all arrived according to their schedule. I have found that if I add my outbound packages to Informed Delivery and signed up for text updates ( Expected Delivery, Day of Delivery, Package Delivered, Available for Pickup, Delivery Exception, and Package In-Transit) for each outbound package that accountability and reliability is significantly improved. I'm not sure what happens behind the USPS curtain but this has worked for me 100%. YMMV ::handshake::
I turned on text messages. We have 4 packages in transit. I got slammed with texts a few minutes after I turned it on. Then got another text for an item that had a shipping label created. My wife must have ordered something.

Thanks again for the heads up, Tom. ::handshake::
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Re: Mail Delays

Post by bestgear »

Railsplitter wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2025 3:22 pmI got slammed with texts a few minutes after I turned it on
I should have made that disclaimer Rick, the text messages are heavy but if it helps with delivery who cares ::shrug::
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Re: Mail Delays

Post by Railsplitter »

bestgear wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2025 3:48 pm
Railsplitter wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2025 3:22 pmI got slammed with texts a few minutes after I turned it on
I should have made that disclaimer Rick, the text messages are heavy but if it helps with delivery who cares ::shrug::
Agreed. I meant that comment as a positive one. I was impressed that it took hold so quickly. They can text me all day long if it’s going to help with our deliveries. ::tu::
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Re: Mail Delays

Post by just bob »

I wonder if all of this only applies to packages. We are in tax season and many of the forms are being sent by mail. Think we should expect delays in these as well? I'm waiting on 1 or 2. I also noticed I'm getting emails and can go to the web site and print off the tax documents. Always scary when doing this - scammers are so clever. Don't give out any extra information.
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Re: Mail Delays

Post by bestgear »

Railsplitter wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2025 3:54 pmI meant that comment as a positive one. I was impressed that it took hold so quickly
It's also helpful for incoming packages....I've watched the letter carrier scan a package at my mailbox and within 2 seconds I had the text alert saying that the package had been delivered....especially good if you are trying to be the first to an incoming package ::facepalm::
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Re: Mail Delays

Post by bestgear »

just bob wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2025 3:59 pmI wonder if all of this only applies to packages
it works for any piece of domestic mail with a tracking number which means that first class mail and below would not apply.
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Re: Mail Delays

Post by just bob »

I filed a search on the package Kaleb sent. This is the response the PO just sent. Reassuring to know they're on the case, but pretty sure they already know where it is.




Thank you for using USPS.com.
The US Postal Service® received the search request you submitted, and it's being processed. Your package has not yet been recovered, but every effort is being made to locate your item(s).
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Re: Mail Delays

Post by bestgear »

just bob wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2025 4:10 pmI filed a search on the package Kaleb sent
My experience with filing USPS package traces is that 100% of the time the package is found and expedited through the system, almost like on a fast track. I don't pretend that the USPS operates with zero failures but tools like Informed Delivery, Text and Email Updates and Package Traces have helped me with my incoming and outgoing packages. ::handshake:: Lastly, find a Post Office that has a vibe like they have their act together, have them scan the package in front of you and get a paper receipt. Some Post Office facilities like the one near me are contracted out and are far less reliable than a true USPS facility.
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Re: Mail Delays

Post by philco »

My experience with the USPS over the past couple of months has been very disappointing. Several knives that I shipped have taken weeks to get to their destination. The tracking will show that at some point they just stall out and sit for many days, or even a week or three before once again moving toward their destination. It's very frustrating when you're trying to provide good customer service.
A few months ago, I had a knife go missing in the system that has never been found. I refunded the buyer and filed a claim with USPS. I would have been just as well served to have filed the claim with my dog for all the good it did. The postal service came up with one excuse after another to deny my claim. Eventually I did what they wanted me to do and simply gave up, realizing they had no intention of ever honoring the "insurance" coverage they tout when taking your money.
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Re: Mail Delays

Post by edge213 »

I ordered shaving supplies from a place about 100 miles south of me. I'm in Terre Haute IN. I place the order 1/25.
It went to Cincinnati. It left Cincinnati. Went back to Cincinnati. Left Cincinnati
Then nothing. It finally made it to Indy.
Stuck there a couple days. Instead of coming to TH 70 miles west of Indy.
Today it is in Orlando.
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Re: Mail Delays

Post by Railsplitter »

My wife had a package delivered a few minutes ago that has sat in St. Louis for 5 days. I was sitting here in my easy chair when I got the delivery text.

Pulled the curtain back to look out the window and the mailman was just stepping off the porch. Pretty slick!
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Re: Mail Delays

Post by bestgear »

edge213 wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2025 7:38 pmToday it is in Orlando
I’ve been told that a USPS package might go back and forth in tracking updates because of a mis-sorted address, a problem with the barcode on the package causing machine reading errors, an incorrect zip code, a delivery attempt failure, or sometimes due to issues with the sorting facility itself.

I’m not defending the position but after handing an individual box to clerk at the post office, nearly no human contact is made towards that individual box unless something goes wrong with the automation. So if you see your incoming box making erratic way points, it would be wise to get USPS involved because that loop will most likely continue until human intervention is made.

It’s far from a zero tolerance system but given the volume of mail in the system at any point in time, the failure rate is statistically extremely low although at times it may not feel that way.
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Re: Mail Delays

Post by bestgear »

Railsplitter wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2025 7:38 pmPretty slick!
when you witness first hand that technology CAN work, it’s a good thing ::tu::
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Re: Mail Delays

Post by dsutton24 »

USPS package delivery has been slow for me over the past few months. It used to be that when my package hit St. Louis I'd have it the next day almost certainly. These days it can bounce around among three different St. Louis facilities for three or four days, and then it often gets hung up at an intermediated stop that never was a factor before. I've also noticed that New Jersey can be a circus as well.
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Re: Mail Delays

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I thought this problem was restricted to the Indianapolis hub only. Interesting to read problems in other areas. Another local channel ran a story this evening about a couple waiting for a passport and it has been at the Indy Hub since the first part of January and hasn't moved. I'll post the link when they post the story online. They offered to drive there and get it and were told that was against postal regulations. I have posted about 400 packages during the past calendar year and 99% go straight through with no issues. I have been to a post office fewer than 5 times during the last year. I print my own labels because it is cheaper and much less of a hassle than going to the post office, waiting in line, and paying more. All of these labels have electronic receipts, and it is easy to bring one up if there is an issue. I did have one transaction here on AAPK that went south, and the knife was somehow misplaced in Texas. It was very easy to file a claim, and I used a screenshot of the AAPK transaction page as proof of the sale. That was all that was required. I got a check from the post office and made things right with the buyer. I was even reimbursed for the cost of the original postage. Strangely enough a couple of weeks later an empty mailer was delivered to me. Apparently, the knife had been removed by postal authorities, and they went ahead and just returned the empty mailer. I assume they took the knife out and added it to one of those postal auctions - they had already paid me for the knife, so it was theirs.

Here is the link. They posted it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6fSB-JK1k8
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Re: Mail Delays

Post by chickenman62 »

I had a package shipped from Florida to Pa. It disappeared for about three weeks. Turns out it went to P.R. instead of Pa. Another recent one went from Alabama to Indianapolis then to Arizona and finally back to Pa.
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Re: Mail Delays

Post by Lama »

chickenman62 wrote: Tue Feb 04, 2025 2:32 pm I had a package shipped from Florida to Pa. It disappeared for about three weeks. Turns out it went to P.R. instead of Pa. Another recent one went from Alabama to Indianapolis then to Arizona and finally back to Pa.
It was sight seeing!
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Re: Mail Delays

Post by ken98k »

I love tracking, and generally my mail is surprisingly quick.
However, I watch some packages come clear across the continent in a day or two then they hit Seattle. Then it may be a week or a month or even longer before it reaches Fairbanks. I realize it takes time to drive the Alcan but not weeks! I ordered a cheap Bowie from Amazon 2 weeks ago and it seems to have disappeared into a black hole after departing Seattle. I have since placed orders and received them in 3 days!
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Re: Mail Delays

Post by just bob »

This is just for the Indianapolis hub, but they posted an update today. Pretty sure I have 4 packages here. I'm also waiting on tax documents.


https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/lawma ... 586&ei=104
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