Is it me, or is USPS actually doing a good job? Have they turned it around?
 

Maybe it's just me, but for the past year or so, nearly all of my ebay and Amazon purchases have been delivered by USPS. And usually the stuff is delivered one sometimes two days sooner than expected or estimated! I even see them driving around on Sundays! Nothing broken. Nothing stolen. No packages thrown at my house or left in strange places. I remember a time when you avoided sending anything via Postal Service. And it seems not too long ago there were rumblings about them being in BIG trouble financially...potentially cutting Saturday mail delivery.

I still get an occasional delivery from the doods in brown, and those are the ones I have issues with! Late deliveries, broken boxes, etc.

Is it an isolated regional thing or does USPS actually have their act together?

Yes...no issues here.

I had a few experiences with FedEx and UPS where I tracked the package, knew it was in the local warehouse/hub early, and still they wouldn't deliver it until the deadline. Like they just hung onto it. Oh well, I guess if you don't pay for more expedited service, you don't get it...even if they have the goods.

I have noticed strange things with Mail trucks driving on sundays too, very odd.....:confused:

The USPS still has some dopes on the payroll, dealing with the bureaucracy can be a real pain. There are still some with the "I work for the government, screw you" attitude around, but there are fewer and fewer of them as they retire.
As far as delivery service and dealing with younger, low level bureaucrats I have no complaints. We spend between $250k and $300k with the USPS every year. They actually act as if they want our business.

Amazon has contracted the USPS to make deliveries for them. When you see a mail truck on Sunday, it's delivering for Amazon.

I have seen USPS truck delivering well into the evening and was wondering what was up, this must be it.

They do an excellent job in my area. Using Amazon Prime, which guarantees 2 day del, I'm careful not to order on Fri. If I do, they always del on Sunday...with sometimes no other deliveries in the area. I hate to have someone make a special trip out for just me...esp on Sunday.

Thanks Dantilla, I'm now learned.:)

Maybe in Cooterville, but not in Half Moon Bay. If they have a package to deliver and you're not home, they just bring it back to the PO without a note. If you're expecting it, you call. They say you have to come in and pick it up. When you go there, they can't find it. They say to come back tomorrow. They might find it by then.:rolleyes:

I think with the Amazon deliveries they just handle the "last mile." Whatever the arrangement is it seems to be working ok.

We have Amazon trucks here too.

I wish they were better in my area. Every single delivery here they screw up somehow

We still have to pick up a lot of packages at the PO from Amazon (even if they fit in our oversized mailbox) so no, I don't think they are doing any better.

Edit to add, we live out in the country and it is out of our way to go to our home PO since it is the opposite direction of anywhere we go.

They suck. I have a Post Office a few hundred feet from my shop and I can't get my mail on time. 2 day Priority mail, more like 7 day Priority.

I've had a similar experience to the OP. Great service, almost always ahead of time.
I think it has a lot to do with location and staffing.

Our post office is rural, about the size of a small two car garage, but directly off the path of a daily route from a major distribution center. If the package is processed in that distribution center (in another part of the state) and leaves by about 6:00a.m., it will get to our post office (100 miles away), unloaded, immediately tossed onto that day's mail truck, and delivered by 2:30. They work on sundays/ deliver if there has been problems with weather, etc.

On several occasions, I have driven by the post office on the way to work. Seeing the main delivery truck coming from richmond being unloaded, I walked in, and asked if I could get the package on the spot. I could see where that would p$$ them off, but they have been happy to walk over to the pile of boxes, grab mine, let me sign for it, and be on my way (thanking me for not making them drive it to the door)!

I love em' but I think it was luck of the draw. In fact, it's so good I get spoiled, and I'm upset that a package I am watching won't be arriving a day early! poor poor me!! :)

They could teach Comcast a thing or two! SmileWavy

^These. My sister lived in Brooklyn for a few years. She said her postal guy wouldn't show up for days at a time. When he did, he was often drunk. He'd frequently try to shove a week's worth of mail for her apartment building into one or two people's boxes.

Delivery is better... Service a tthe post office and those lines, have not improved one bit...

I rec'd a Sunday delivery last wkend - Amazon Prime.

This^^^
Since UPS has gone to a 'drop and run' program USPS is just as good (or the same) and cost less.

I'm lucky to have three post offices in my town and I have Mondays off so I can usually dodge the lines.

Ironically the two small post offices are usually less crowded that the huge one.

I heard an interview around the holidays with a rural carrier. She was *****ing and moaning about the volume of packages and the negative impact Amazon was having on her life. No recognition whatsoever that it was probably the only thing keeping her employed.......

We have rotten service at home. They often deliver other people's mail to our address. We are lucky if we get a delivery by 5:00 PM. I have all packages delivered to my office. They usually deliver only every other day at work.

UPS likes to drag everything behind the truck for several miles then walk on it several times.

The Amazon prime packages that are light and small come in great via USPS. We have great luck shipping out a package via USPS and priority mail.

Overall I would say USPS is very hit and miss.

Very interesting mix of comments and experiences.

Tell 'em all to just stay off your lawn. :D

Just heard...

USPS just LOST more than $200 million this last holiday season.

They have now lost money for 10 years straight.

Mostly due to pension stuff.

I think USPS is like going to chain store... it all depends on the employees/management, one chain auto parts store will treat you like ca-ca, long lines, clueless about car parts... same store in a different part of the city, courteous hard working intelligent employees.

Our favorite post office in in a section of old town run by the women's assistance league, run by all volunteers!

Don't ask me how that works but everyone is very polite (even people waiting in line).

USPS is doing an excellent job.

They have reported operating losses at $15.9 billion dollars in 2012, $4.8 billion in 2013, and $5.3 billion in 2014. They most recently reported a loss of $1.57 billion for the "three months ending June 2016" and a loss of $586 million for the same period of 2015.

They like to claim that they receive no "public assistance" in the way of taxpayer funds, however a public study shows that although they may not receive direct funding, they certainly do benefit at the expense of taxpayers by receiving loans directly from the US Treasury at 1.2% interest, receiving a tax free status on all business activity, and receiving a legal monopoly on mail delivery.

Well color me stoopid. Looks like I'm eating a turd sandwich with a side of crow.

I would rather UPS or FedEx drop the package at the house than run into town to get it. I would be happy if USPS would but the carrier leaves a note that we weren't home even though my wife has been home at the time. Lazy daughter of a

"Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds."

They do a great job in my area...very happy.

Profitable or not USPS is a bargain with flat rate boxes and basically guaranteed 2 or 3 day shipping w/ Priority mail. You can ship coast to coast in 2-3 days for roughly $15. That same service with UPS or FedEx with a similar sized box will cost you $50-70.

If they need to improve their bottom line they could increase the cost by $10 per package to roughly $25 and still be light years cheaper than the competition.

^^^ agree

i'm not complaining. but i find it strange that i can order motorcycle parts from the Ukraine, which is a war zone, and have them show up sooner than stuff from california.

Timely post.

I need to ship a box full of parts as soon as I can find all of the bits scattered between home and office. I'll use USPS.

Love the flat rate boxes. US Postal has always done right by me.

Private shipping by UPS is exorbitant, I think they ream the public to make up for the cheaper shipping that businesses pay.

FedEx is about half what UPS wanted on the last package I shipped.

New employees aren't unionized.
I wonder if that's why the quality went up.
Nah - coincidence, right...

UPS has left a note to pick up at their hub (about ten miles away) after a few tries to deliver.

USPS office is about 2 miles away from my house.

Is that one of the "alternative facts" that are so popular now?

No. It's taken from the local paper where they are trying to hire at $22 an hour without benefits.

I live in a very small town. We get personalized service. The carriers knows everone in town. There is a lady at the PO that has to be 80 years old. She has been known to open up on Christmas day to to make sure people get their gifts.