Bad day for UPS...

[carlsbad]

Yesterday I said in another thread, "Tracking numbers should never be mentioned until after a package is late. They cause more confusion than satisfaction. --Jerry" . As I wrote that, I felt a little guilty because I was expecting a couple of actions from PTG and they shipped them via UPS and sent me a link to the tracking. One click told me they were on the truck out for delivery at 0900 yesterday morning. A quick calculation told me that after the required CA 10 day jail sentence, i could pick them up on Dec 26. This was very timely since I'm off the week between Christmas and New Year so I could put the side bolt release and other mods on them while I'm off work....

About noon, they were still out for delivery so I called the FFL to ask when UPS comes and they said usually between noon and 2. So I went back to being patient.

About 1300 the free lance painter showed up to paint a new artistic street number on the curb in front of my house for $20. I had to run an errand (pick up a couple of bolts in the mail that need bushing). Got back and there was a package on my door from UPS. No, not the actions, they have to go to an FFL for 10 days to make sure I'm not going to build a rifle from actions I ordered in August and commit a crime of passion--10 day cooling off period. It was the neighbor's rug she ordered. UPS got it close but missed by 1 house. I took it over and on the way back the painter and his assistant were down on their knees scrubbing my sidewalk and the slate walkway tiles leading up to my front door...turns out the UPS guy in his hurry to deliver the rug to the wrong address jumped out into the wet paint and tracked it all the way to my front door--took the painter 45 minutes to clean up his mess.

So at 430, I called my FFL again and asked if UPS came. They have a good view of the street and said he drove by but didn't stop. My guess is his story is that "They're closed on Saturday". And they really are closed on Monday. So it won't get delivered until Tuesday afternoon at the earliest. Add the 10 days in the penalty box and there goes my Christmas Break.

Tracking status was updated at 652pm from "Out for Delivery Today" to "in Transit"....

Which is proof that I should be living by my own words:

"Tracking numbers should never be mentioned until after a package is late. They cause more confusion than satisfaction. --Jerry"

 

[bsekf]

Off topic for information only.

Got to be careful, Fed Ex and UPS use the USPS for final delivery under some circumstances.

Disclaimer: retired rural carrier POD (USPS), 37 years.

Ordered a scope and didn't realize I entered the wrong Zip, xxx47 instead of xxx27. Scope didn't arrive, checked tracking, scope being returned because of undeliverable address. Called Postmaster with all the info, he made a couple of calls and found the scope. I got it the next day! Mistake was my fault, but Post Office corrected it. The machines sort by bar code....... "garbage in, garbage out"

Moral....... In my 37 years delivering mail, I found that 99% of the errors were user, not USPS.

Bill

 

[carlsbad]

I used to have a coin business. Used zebra bar codes and the machines sorted it flawlessly. 20,000+ domestic packages with no losses. Not so good a record internationally. But it isn't unusual for them to get lost for a while. One $10,000 package shipped overnight express mail took 10 days. Nail biter. "They're closed on Saturday" was a common white lie. --Jerry

 

[rogn]

Recent experience with tracking. Package listed as delivered, since we were at home all ady we inquired and after a few conversations discoverd from the shipper that sometimes UPS-------will sometimes list package as delivered inspite of?. We were rtold it usually shows up the following day. Deliver may be the dump off at the local PO after route people have left.

 

[shoot4fun]

Fedex is getting into the spirit too. My package got delivered to a totally different address in a totally different town (though a neighboring one). It got figured out and I called to see about coming to pick it up there only to find it was returned to Fedex about one hour before. My wife had a package showing out for delivery for three days. It was UPS. I have to send out something Monday USPS and I am really hoping they don't keep the UPS/Fedex losing streak intact!

 

[22DASHER]

Not too long ago a USPS semi truck near me burst into flames. I bet there were some very unhappy customers with that ordeal. Needless to say I would have loved to see what those tracking updates stated.

 

[Snuggie]

Some dealers use UPS that finally goes to USPO. At that point the delivery time is up in the air! After having USPO delay my delivery or saying they tried to deliver but no one was home ( an outright lie !) I will no longer have anything delivered through them. I’ve made three trips to see the post master to no avail. I pay more but I know when I’m gonna get it!! FedX has been great,always right on time.

 

[geraldgee]

FedX has been great,always right on time.

Funny how things work. I've lived at the same address for 20 yrs and have yet to have a successful FedEx delivery. I realize that sounds like an exaggeration but it is true. I have conversations with various sellers on the phone who told me they use FedEx exclusively - I won't order from them. I've had mostly great luck with both UPS and USPS.

 

[Comrade Terry]

I've had excellent service from USPS - even when they deliver something that started with UPS or FedEx. USPS is my first and second choice. Amazon's new delivery system is flat out terrible.

I think it just depends on the area in which you live.

 

[dickn52]

Don't be too sad. UPS built a new state of the art hub in Jacksonville Florida, and this added about 2 days to transit times because they don't have a clue as to how get it out of the building. Most tracks now coming and going from central Florida will change status constantly. But all of them show "Arrived Jacksonville" for 2 days now.

 

[swadiver]

keep in mind it's the holidays, very high volume and USPS and UPS will subcontract out to handle all the extras

 

[Someoldguy]

I work for one of the Class 1 railroads in the US which carries the bulk of the freight UPS sends by rail and I can tell you the volume of that freight has been VERY heavy since Thanksgiving.
It's a wonder that most things get where they are supposed to go, let alone in 2 or 3 days.

 

[chop house]

son ordered a fairly rare long ago out of print book on amazon.... shipped usps and pkg became a no-show. truck caught fire and the damged pallets were taken to a warehouse where an attempt for salvage could have been made. he let amazon cover the bill.

in other stories:

pkgs using usps final delivery from net sellers routinely add 2 or 3 days to transit time. this is the option of choice it seems for the 'free shipping' promos from our favorite suppliers.

had an inbound package from, let's say louisville, go to nashville to muscle shoals to montgomery to birmingham to huntsville. three days before delivery it was a mere 100 miles from it's destination. it couldn't have tried any harder to avoid the direct route.

had outbound certified mail completely miss the mark on a time critical business mailing. was delayed 3 days finding the recipient.

had to run and catch ups driver when a pair of wrong pkgs appeared on the stoop with a quick 'ring and dash'. he luckily was in the truck scratching his head when the tracking system puked or something.

not at all unusual for usps route carrier to not deliver this street until 17:30 or beyond.

i could go on, but i bore you....

 

[SSL]

Having already noted in a recent post my H4350 order's vanishing, reappearing and wandering UPS adventure, it is only fair to mention that a part I ordered on Tuesday was delivered Friday, one to three days ahead of schedule. Luck of the draw!

 

[chop house]

. Luck of the draw!

yes, and i do notice my mounds of junk mail always seem to make it fine!

 

[hogpatrol]

I'm constantly amazed at how Amazon prime packages get to me in two days. USPS delivers their packages on Sunday too.

 

[Milo 2.0]

"Tracking numbers should never be mentioned until after a package is late. They cause more confusion than satisfaction. --Jerry"

I track my packages religiously, UPS, USPS get it right here, Fed Ex confuses my house with one 5 down the street. They are good about bringing them over if it is a mix up. After Sandy Hook when 22 LR was scarce, real scarce, I found at the time a decent score of CCI and Win, knew it was out for delivery and sure as heck, it went down the street. I knew what time Fed ex comes by and was on it, drove down and picked it off their step, felt good.
I suppose doing this at Christmas time a guy may get a visit from local LE, lol

 

[Uthink Uknow]

I track my packages religiously, UPS, USPS get it right here, Fed Ex confuses my house with one 5 down the street.
Does tracking your packages religiously include J.C. where the hell are my G.D. Packages?

 

[Milo 2.0]

I usually don't get to worked up about it. last week UPS showed up at 7:55 pm with a JP lower of mine that was sent in, I monitored that close. Last Oct I had a shipment of 40K 205M & 210M primers that needed a sig and did not get dropped off, they were not going back, I hunted the truck down the next am, maybe I do get worked up.

 

[Uthink Uknow]

I check the tracking on nearly everything we order. I'm retired and have nothing better to do this time of year after the 280 foot driveway is cleaned off. What puzzles me if that Fed-Ex packages go from Indianapolis to Perrysburg, Ohio to Belleville, Michigan to Perrysburg to Belleville back on track to Lake Orion, Michigan and out for delivery to our home near Port Huron and a long way from Lake Orion. All Fed-Ex deliveries in the past couple years have made that circle route to and from Perrysburg and Belleville. I just live with it and don't rock the boat. It could be worse.