USPS down the toilet?

I think it depends on your luck.  I don't like dealing with the staff at some USPS branches, as they are allowed virtually no room to think on their own.  At times, they are sticklers for detail, but I am batting almost 100% throughout the years...virtually no damage/delay!!!  I would speculate this varies by branch, region, country, etc.  The GORILLAS in my area wear BROWN!!!

I took a chance and bought a Lionel Milwaukee road 4-8-4 S3 from the friends of 261 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. That's in the top middle of the USA. I live on the west coast by San Francisco. They shipped the loco USPS and, when it arrived, the box looked like it had been in a commercial clothes dryer in a laundromat. It was torn, tattered, smashed, crushed and generally FUBAR.The corners are crushed and soft. they basically turned the box into a well used bag.

 

The loco survived the shipment, and the box did its job of sacrificing itself to save the loco. But if the loco ever has to be returned for service, it will never survive a second shipment. The box is totally shot.

What's gone wrong is that the USPS is going to go belly-up at some future date and they are getting ready to trim the fat in late spring of this year (or at least try to trim it).  Thus, we are left with a bunch of worried and/or disgruntled postal workers who are already facing an uncertain future.  I suspect that pretty much accounts for their "who cares?" attitude.

Exactly right Allan, but it has to be done to save the business.

 Concerning the shipping of packages, there is a reason why shippers such as UPS and Fed Ex are doing very well as a Company. Their financial condition is outstanding. Others should look to them as how to succeed in shipping. (hint hint USPS)

Well, just my observation.

I've had generally good experiences with shipments over the years, from all carriers. I'm not in business, but I have bought way too many things in the last 20 years; shipped a few.

However, I can state absolutely that when things have been stabbed, jabbed and messed up, it more often than not came out of a BROWN truck. That's a fact, Jack.

The USPS is not going "belly up", unless the Tea Party takes over. A nation without a postal service is no nation (another conversation). I do think that it should become the "Post Office" again, instead of the poster child for what's wrong with "privatization".

If it's not on paper, it's not real. I dare anyone to hack my manila folders.

you want to read how bad it is at the post office read some of these.

 

http://federalsoup.federaldaily.com/forum_topics.asp?FID=21&title=postal-employees

 

it is only going to get worse.

USPS has no aircraft, they use FedEx and UPS to transport their air packages

Although i believe in the privatization of a allot of govt. agency's the Post Office is not one.  Fedx and UPS would skim the most profitable areas of delivery like major cities and the rural areas would suffer from little or no delivery's. The problem with the PO is that the union  has a no layoff clause in their contracts. The PO has to layoff at least 200,000 workers as a start and it has to go up from there. The union has to come to terms with this or there will be no jobs and then it will be privatized. 

Wait a minute here, a government run buisness that has poor service,employees that are "disgruntled," and that have to "cut the fat" or else go belly up...........this is something new?

I wonder how much of the "damage" we all talk about is due to poor packaging.  Assuming that UPS, FedEx or USPS are going to gently handle your package is probably a false assumption.

 

Whenever I send a package I always pack the item with plenty of packing all around and double box, if needed.

 

Packages I receive with damage are usually just placed in the box like you are personally transporting it to Grandma's house in your trunk.

 

Make the assumption that your package is going to fall off a conveyor, the loading dock or be thrown by the carrier at some point.

 

Maybe we shouldn't have to go through all this but it is one of life's hazards.

It would probably be faster to just light a signal fire vs snail mail.

Having seen the way some stuff is packaged I wonder how it crosses town? That said the USPS is the top rated postal service.

 

Gunny

I use USPS Flat Rate Priority Mail Boxes for 95 % of my business. I've never had a problem and I ship stuff out daily. How you package your item has everything to do with it arriving in good condition. I agree with Bob that much of the damage we hear about is due to poor packaging.

I've had much better luck with FedEx than UPS or USPS.

All carriers seem to have damage sometimes, FedEx just adds up to fewer incidents here.

I ship mostly ALL my bridges and structures by USPS and have NEVER had a problem. I beleive in taking special pains in packaging. I dislike packaging the most, however i have found that it is the most importannt aspect of what i do. Some boxes are marked boldly as being FRAGILE or DO NOt CRUSH depending on the type of structure. I have found for the most part that the local USPS emplyees are very good and helpful people.

 

Jim r from www.bridgeboss.com

Bob,

in my case, everything is very professionally packed with great care by my suppliers.

The damage I speak of, is due to extremely bad handling. Just think of what impact would could cause axles on locos and rolling stock to actually bend, and drivers on steamers to actually break. These boxes must have been dropped 30-40 feet to cause this. And, boot prints on boxes? What sort of handling is it that allow workers to jump on or walk on the goods in their care?

Some one pointed out that USPS don't have aircraft and that they use Fedex and UPS, so the main damage is not caused on planes. It usually takes over a week to actually get the goods out of the US, (I use tracking), and I suspect the damage is done in these major sorting centers. CCTV should be used by USPS management to identify the trouble areas with rough handling. If the USPS doesn't clean up it's act, these disgruntled employees, by their poor practices, will only contribute to much larger job losses.

This is pretty much the answer, no matter what shipping service you use. Double box items with a couple of inches buffer space minimum between the inner and outer cartons. I've shipped plenty of stuff and never had a problem. If it's packed poorly, it's a crap shoot! Our local mail carrier, UPS man, and Fedex man are all great guys!

 

Simon

I've shipped about 350 items in the last year, I've had one buyer claim damage.  Truthfully, I think he was just angling for a discount as he wanted to "fix" it, but it wasn't worth arguing about for $10.  I use USPS almost exclusively, and I use UPS for really large stuff that is way more expensive with USPS.  About 90-95% of my stuff goes Priority Mail, the only exceptions are heavier items going to the left coast.

 

Hmmm..... could this have something to do with the damage?

 

I've been lucky with everything I've ever ordered.  USPS usually gets it here on time and intact for me.

As I said I work for the USPS and the truth is they have already "trimmed the fat". There is very little more fat to trim. We used to be the largest employer in the US having over 800,000 employees. Now that distinction goes to Wal-Mart. I don't know the exact number but they have trimmed down over 200,000 people in the last few years. The only way they can get rid of more people is to cut service by either eliminating Saturday delivery or increasing the amount of time it will take for a LETTER not a package to get where it has to go. Everyone I know feels that this will only cause more people to go electronic for mailing letters.

 

How many Wal-Mart employees can support themselves on their Weekly pay? Do they have any benefits? America needs jobs where people can live off their salary.

 

Believe it or not most Postal Workers are good employees who want the USPS to succeed. Unfortunately, we do have more disgruntled workers (proportionately) than the private sector due to management's inability to follow to rules to remove (fire) someone and managements preferred method of managing which is make everyone as miserable as possible in hopes that they might resign. This way the supervisor has no paperwork to fill out.

 

Fact: In 2006 President Bush signed into law the Postal Accountability Act. This requires the USPS to pre-fund it's retirees health benefits to the tune of 5.5 BILLION dollars per year. This is the MAIN reason the USPS is in the financial straights that it is in. No other business has to do this. Yes, the internet is hurting us but I have seen reports that said if we didn't have to pay that 5.5 Billion we would have made a small profit last year. I'm not sure if we made this payment or not in 2011 but if we could have kept the preceding 5 years the USPS would be 27.5 BILLION dollars richer today!

 

Another fact: We are not supposed to be a regular business. We have no stockholders and we are not supposed to make a large profit. We are supposed to almost break even.

 

I am happy to hear the good reviews in the above posts. I usually did get good service from them so I guess I got a little spoiled because up until that recent episode I too had had excellent service from the USPS.

 

I agree our country needs a Postal Service that is affordable to everyone that gives every person good reliable service.

Hudson, thank you for your thoughts. It has been my experience that a small southern Post Office is a very pleasant place to do mailing. Back on the East Coast however, I must say that it is difficult due to the sheer numbers of people 4 deep and something like 20 per line all the way to the doors and that adds to the tension.

 

Walmart does not answer to Uncle Sam so they can simply not give benefits, make employees stay on their feet and other rather "Cost Effective" measures. They are about to build a new one not far away and I wonder how the local businesses will react when the workforce migrate to Walmart for a dollar or two more in wages and slightly less expensive food.

 

To Anzani Racer, there was a train wreck carrying mail and package freight some time ago on a Midwest double mainline. If I am not mistaken, I believe most of the spilled cargo and mail was simply bulldozed and either landfilled or buried right there so that the track can be repaired and trains run asap.

Despite any faults and ongoing financial difficulties, I imagine it's still safe to say that the U.S. has the world's most reliable and least expensive (to customers) postal delivery service.

The US Postal service will be going the way of the telegraph, phonograph, TWX machine, analog TV, Yellow Pages and the model T. Its an obsolete service that is no longer needed. Today everything can be done online. Advertising, banking , creditcard, telephone and utility statements can all can be transmitted and transacted online. The future of magazines, periodicals and newspapers is also online and yes I still subscribe to OGR magazine but I will adjust to reading it online too. Nothing is forever and one has to adjust to the things that constantly change.

Yep, I can just see FAXing my packages to the recipients...

Yes, it certainly can, and with absolutely NO security whatsoever. 

You did pickup on the fact that was a FedEx delivery, right?

I've had good luck with insured Priority mail. It seems that stuff that has a tracking number associated with it doesn't get mistreated in transit.

Still more secure then physical statements, it would take someone roughly 5 seconds to grab everything out of your mailbox

Don't be so sure, I'll bet Obama has a postal bailout planned in the near future as a political move. What's another billion?

Matt, everything I got shipped was Priority with tracking, it didn't stop the damage I had, despite the good packing standards by my suppliers. I had good experiences for years with USPS, so I just don't know why so much got destroyed in the past few months.

I know a little about how good the USPS really is. I spend about $300,000 per year with the post office, in a company that has relied on the postal service as its primary tool for 60 years.

 

Phil's comments are pretty much on the mark. The USPS has to PRE FUND its pension obligation years in advance. No other company is required to do that. They expect first class volume in 2020 to be a fraction of what was in 2005, like 25%. But expect standard class volume to actually increase by about 10% in the same timeframe. There was a report out in 2010 that showed the USPS OVERfunded its pension obligation by $30 billion dollars over a 40 year period. I'm still waiting for the GAO to give it back (fat chance). The postal service made a huge investment in technology beginning in the 1980's to aggressively automate the mailstream, Phil ought to know, he works on the stuff. What I find amazing is the top managment did not see the writing on the wall years ago with the iminent decline of first class volume.

 

The USPS is not in danger of dissolution in the least. In 2005 there were close to 600 major distribution facilities across the U.S. They hope to whittle that down to about 270 if all the consolodation plans are approved. It is currently at about 470. I expect it will be somewhere in the middle.

 

I'm a little surprised at Dennis' view on the USPS' demise, seeing his business is similar to mine. But if one expects the public to repsond to a electronically delivered promotion the same way as one that lands in your hands, they are in for a sad surprise.

 

As with any shipping company, preparation of your package is the best insurance against damage, whether Brown, Orange-Purple or Uncle Sam.

If you believe that, you're only living in denial.  "Internet security" is an oxymoron.  If someone really wants to hit you badly enough, they will succeed in doing so.

We do have people who clean out mailboxes on the street. But that is what PO Boxes are for.

 

Since most Government payouts these days require a direct deposit, there is very little left for the wanderers to grab.

We wouldn't miss no Saturday delivery if it would save the USPS, but I don't think it would save it for long. 

Gunrunnerjohn..You got it right.

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