firegod44 Loc: Michigan

Anything has to be better than our local post office. Watched them return my package without even attempting to deliver it to me. Had to have it resent-by FedEx, so took ten extra days. Local post office couldn't give me any explaination why they had returned it-no apology either of course.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I sympathize. My PO is known in the area for not being very good, and this has gone on for several generations of post masters. I received a large envelope that was sent to me bu mistake, and I marked it "Return to Sender." It was returned to me with some writing on it. When I went to the PO, the postmaster said that I had to pay postage. I brought it to a neighboring PO, and they took it with no problem.

Years ago, a postmaster opened an envelope of negatives I was sending away to get printed. He took some out because "the envelope was too heavy."

Pepper Loc: Planet Earth Country USA

Agreed!!! Just another case of OMG I waited until the very last minute and it's late but I'm not taking responsibility.

I think it may be area related MT Shooter has better luck with Fed Ex but in my area Fed Ex sucks and UPS is king. Fed Ex is very rarely on time and every package you get looks more like a pillow than a box.

Tom47 Loc: Gettysburg, PA

I have a package that was to be delivered on 2/14 UPS, it is weather delayed. It is scheduled for be delivered today just checked the UPS site for a shipping update. UPS has always given great service.

The US Postal Service where I live about 10 years ago was a big mess, post master was fired 7 carrier routes with major problems. I was told by a postal inspector not to send postal problems to my US senator. He gave me his direct phone number to call if any additional problems occurred with delivery.

BobHartung Loc: Bettendorf, IA

I too had a recent "event" with UPS. Weather delay (1.5" of snow in the city in Iowa) prevented delivery. Then Monday came and went. It turned out that Apple had sent the computer as UPS Home, and UPS does not deliver these items on Monday; only Tuesday thru Saturday.

My $0.02

ebbote Loc: Hockley, Texas

I hate to say it but for me USPS does better service than
both UPS and FEDEX. I have ordered stuff from all over the
U.S. and USPS delivers it within 2 to 3 days most all the time. Ordered something from Fla. on a Saturday last year
and was on my doorstep Monday, regular mail.

WayneL Loc: Baltimore Md

Funny, I quoted that same motto when we got no mail Thursday

ocbeyer Loc: Baltimore

You mean Fed Up with Express. I do a lot of buying and selling on eBay and Amazon. I ordered a camera and it took over two weeks to get to Maryland from California. The tracking number was useless, no updates until the day I received it. Turns out the seller used FedEx "home" deliver, that and ground are slower than can be. And I hear that UPS has the same low level of service at their more reasonable price points.

On the other hand I ship everything United States Parcel Service priority mail and have never had anything to take longer than three business days. Much more reliable, better tracking and cheaper than the private shippers.

AND if you are an Amazon Prime member and you choose that option you get your package in two days or less. Every time.

ocbeyer Loc: Baltimore

:thumbup: :thumbup:

mapster Loc: Wisconsin

This is true, my husband works for USPS, and they get it to the PO after the carriers have left with the mail and packages they have sitting so it sits there an extra day! Poor system by all in my opinion.

Billbobboy42 Loc: Center of Delmarva

Bob, glad you brought this up. UPS & Fedex have catchy names for their USPS contracts. I believe the UPS/USPS arrangement is called "SmartPost". I don't remember the name Fedex uses, but the bottom line for me is slower delivery service. As of now, I have not needed a mail order item so quickly that I feel a need to complain. However, it's interesting to follow package tracking with these arrangements.

As most of you know, Adorama & B&H offer free shipping on quite a few of their products. My recent experiences (past 2 years or so) are with B&H. B&H store is approx 250 miles due north of my home. Low cost and/or light weight items are shipped "SmartPost". With SmartPost, the item travels from NYC to Allentown, Pa, then on to Hagerstown, Md, then to Martinsburg, Wva, and then non-stop to my home town, Salisbury, Md. I have had several packages shipped this way and they are always delivered to the local post office late in the morning - too late to get on the Postal Service delivery truck the same day. Since the above route is always the same, it is not a shipping anomaly. High end items, like lens and camera bodies, are shipped door-to-door by UPS and I get them the day after shipment.

My take on all of this is that it must save UPS/Fedex money by having the Postal Service do the home delivery. There must be times when UPS & Fedex only have a few deliveries to make in a particular neighborhood, thus using more fuel than what the Postal Service would use since the Postal Service is going past every home on the route even if some homes will not be getting mail that day. Of course, the Postal Service must be getting a benefit for this. You would not expect them to do it for free.

mapster Loc: Wisconsin

You have it exactly right! My husbands route is a little over 80 miles and it takes him roughly 8 hours to run it. He goes in at 7 and is out by 9 or 9:30 on the road, so the packages have not been dropped of at the post office yet by these companies. They conract with these companies to deliver and in turn use their plane services and large trucking service to take their ( the post offices) packages oversees, etc.

preciousmetalairracing Loc: Reno, Nv

Ok, I'm in.. Last week I looked out the window just in time to see our usps driver hit and sent the our mail box flying to the ground.. She straightened her rear view mirror, looked around to see if anyone saw the incident and took off... I went to the post office to report it and they said I had to report it to the senior post master at the downtown office. Still haven't heard anything from him or her. So now, the 2nd visit will be coming this week. What a joke....

stephena Loc: Carmel, Indiana

Ease up folks! The eastern one half of the nation has presented real problems to all carriers and shippers since before Christmas, 2013. Somewhere up above in the comments, a figure of 99% on time was used, and generally that is pretty close. But so far this year has been awful for both users and shippers: snow, ice, below zero temps, etc. Give the folks some credit and a little slack. Also above, a comments about calling the company, Amazon, etc., if a promise date is missed. Good advise, and generally, the problems is resolved, except for snow, ice, below zero temps, etc. . . . .Steve

Pine1 Loc: Midland & Lakeway

Interesting. I've been waiting on a battery grip that I ordered on the 8th.On the 10th it was in Dallas and only moved yesterday. UPS claimed weather. It arrived in Midland this morning at 3:32 and will possibly deliver today. The weather in my part of Texas has been great. It's been good in Dallas also. UPS is just consolidating a truckload to travel the 300 miles and using the weather as an excuse. Poor business practice.