home brewer Loc: Fort Wayne, Indiana

We just received a letter on April 1st that was posted on March 9th. It took 23 days to travel a little over 900 miles or about 41 miles per day. I could not walk the distance that fast but; on horse back it would take no more than 14 days.

I wonder why it took so long?

Shellback Loc: North of Cheyenne Bottoms Wetlands - Kansas

What was the weather doing during that time frame?
If I remember, there was some real bad storms moving through during that time frame...

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Any tractor trailers carrying mail in accidents?

home brewer Loc: Fort Wayne, Indiana

Who knows where the delay was. The letter was stamped using a postage meter machine so it could have been stamped and sat in the out box or misplace numerous times during the trip. The letter carried time sensitive information that would have been nice to know 2 weeks ago, so most times I would not even noticed. My guess is that it was transferred at least 4 times; so many places for things to go wrong.

With that said at least it was not on a truck that went up in smoke or picked up by a tornado.

My conclusion is that if I want to make sure a letter gets there on time then spend the extra money to track it. I did so early last month and postal service got the package to the destination overnight.

rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

There's a saying I'm sure you're heard, shit happens, often. If you think about it, the USPS handles millions of parcels every day, and the vast, vast majority get to their destination on time. I was a supervisor at the printing and shipping department of the company I worked at for several years and we mailed anywhere from a few dozen to a few thousand letters and packages daily. We kept a database of what was shipped and what was reported late or not received. I wrote the software we used to label and track each individual shipment so I'm a wee bit familiar with the process. From our data, statistically, our number one carrier was, believe it or not, Greyhound Bus with better than 99 percent on time delivery. The USPS was number two with just under 99 percent successfull deliveries and we shipped a whole lot more via USPS than Greyhound. Actually, our best carrier, statistically, was what we called Pony Express/NPO (next pony out). The company had a 4 wheel drive SUV we referred to as The Pony because it was built by Pontiac and we did "local" delivery to clients and carriers.
Anyway, you did get your package, eventually, which proves the system does work. Maybe not perfect all the time but pretty darn good considering the sheer volume they handle daily.
By the way, it's not uncommon for a letter to get stuck inside a canvas shipping sack. They're more often than not, found and sent on their way. I'm glad you did eventually get your package.

home brewer Loc: Fort Wayne, Indiana

thanks for the explanation. I thought it was funny in a weird way that the only letter that I have received in a year that was way late was one that had an adverse outcome for being late. I needed to respond within a week of the date the letter was posted. It took two days of phone calls and help from other people to get it resolved. I will know if I was successful later next week. I hope an expedited over night package does not get misplaced and delayed.

Laramie Loc: Tempe

I read on the USPS site, some month or two ago that the standard for delivery was changed from 3 days to 5. Then just last week I got a Christmas card returned that was sent before Christmas 2021. I don't know where it was.

roxiemarty Loc: Florida

My brother sent me a certified letter with a check in it from my Mom's estate.........it was to be delivered to my hand with me signing the card and giving it back to the mail carrier. I was watching for the mail.......he put it in my box and drove on. When I got the mail out.......I was so mad. My road is only 2 more blocks long, so I was waiting across the street for him. First he says he didnt deliver it. Then he says , " What am I supposed to do with this card?" My face probably said it all! I was floored! Don't they train these Postal workers?! My Grandfather was a Postmaster for Indianapolis, and was probably turning over in his grave. Our Postal system is going down the tubes. My brother paid almost 8 dollars to mail that certified letter. That mail person was an idiot.

AGO

I ordered a book the first week in October and another one the first week in November. The book mailed in November arrived last week. The one mailed in October arrived yesterday. In the meantime I had contacted the publisher and they resent the two books via FedEx ground. They arrived within a few days. I order from this publisher about once a month and only about 50% of the packages arrive on time when shipped via USPS.

Dannj

Ever go looking around the house for something for days and not find it?
(“I swear I left it on the table!”)
And then one day it just magically appears?
(“How the heck did it get there?!”)
Gremlins? Magic?
Who knows?
The USPS, like the rest of us, is not immune to mystery😳😂

BebuLamar

The speed of the mail is actually fast but it's either take very long rest stop or going back and forth many times.

Fleckjohn65 Loc: Ajax Ontario Canada

DeJoy!!!

JFCoupe Loc: Kent, Washington

Recall from late in 2020 the Louis DeJoy the head of the USPS removed hundreds of very high speed mail sorting machines and returned the USPS to days of hand sorting mail. This may have contributed to part of the delay.

In our residential area I frequently now see the mail delivery person at the mail kiosks at 6:00 and 7:00 PM but in years prior to 2020 mail was always delivered by mid-afternoon.

roxiemarty Loc: Florida

My Father also retired from the Post Office and he hand sorted mail for many years. The delivery time in the U.S. in those days, for a first class letter, was 3 days.

One Rude Dawg Loc: Athol, ID

Don't feel to bad, I spent almost two years trying to collect an insurance claim against the USPS. Finally gave up, don't buy the insurance it's worthless, I'm not the only one, know of many others.