USPS "Informed Delivery" -- Whew!!!

Carl

normally the tracking system works quite well. For some reason this week it seemed to have glitches where it looked like packages were "lost" if you will. I had one for a package Wednesday that referenced an item I received two days earlier. There were two items that day and I saw carrier scans for those deliveries. The carrier most likely scanned the the third delivery but the USPS system did not report it. First time I have seen these abnormalities.  

I have only accessed the USPS tracking system for packages shipped to me and I was not impressed! Their system is not even close to the efficiency of the UPS system. 

Plus, you get a picture of all of your mail emailed to you daily

Tinplate Art posted:

 

.... Our tax dollars at work?

TA, an important feature of UPS ID for me is FREE package pick-up; I can't do that with My UPS account.

LIRR, my local post office told me they have never had such high volumes of packages this early; and, I too have seen some weird happenings--but, all have worked out without serious consequences; i.e., I get a couple of packages a day later than expected or a pick-up isn't made until a day later.

Think the glitches last week were weather-related.  "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds", but delivery of a Priority Mail package I sent was delayed two days because the carrier could not get through the snow to the recipient's front porch in Reading.  At least the carrier was diligent enough to update the tracking status after each day's delay.

Tinplate Art posted:

I have only accessed the USPS tracking system for packages shipped to me and I was not impressed! Their system is not even close to the efficiency of the UPS system. Our tax dollars at work?

What tax dollars? Again, the USPS is a quasi government agency that supports itself by the rates it charges to ship packages. The is NO government funding for the Postal Service. Only Government fleecing of the Postal Service.

Matt Makens posted:

Plus, you get a picture of all of your mail emailed to you daily

Only if you apply at USPS.gov  for that free service.

Tinplate Art posted:

I have only accessed the USPS tracking system for packages shipped to me and I was not impressed! Their system is not even close to the efficiency of the UPS system. Our tax dollars at work?

This isn't our tax dollars at work. The USPS is funded solely by payments for its services like package delivery and stamps. The organization, while subject to congressional oversight, receives no money from tax payers. That said there are still a number of tax subsidies the USPS has access too that reduce their operating expense burden such as being exempt from paying property tax at local and state levels and being immune from parking tickets and there is no vehicle registration fee for USPS vehicles. I believe the USPS is also immune from paying tolls on toll roads but I may very well be wrong there.

Its been my experience that the USPS tracking system from the week of black Friday until the middle of December is less play by play action in the tracking system and more start stop. You'll see when it left, and it will update when it arrives. If I had to guess, I'd say the volume of scans is just so immense that the servers that handle all the tracking data cant deal with all the pings and update calls. Sometimes you see nothing for the tracking and then magically several days worth of tracking gets filled in. That leads me to believe they have the capacity to cache all information as it updates but getting it all pushed to the forward facing server we see just takes more processing power than they have available.

The rest of the year it's typically on par with Fedex and UPS. If I were to guess, UPS and Fedex have much more flexibility in both spending and selection as to the hardware they can use for their tracking systems. The USPS being a government mandated entity probably suffers from being required to use the lowest bidder for the field equipment (like handheld scanners) and backbone systems (the servers that handle all the handheld data) and also having to go to extreme lengths of security validation that its system are considered safe enough to handle government grade information. I'd wager the IT boys at Fedex and UPS are much more likely to have access too and roll out the fastest and newest systems.

At any rate its something we can be thankful for, especially considering the day it is, that gone are the days of dropping something off and having only hope. Now we can see the movement on the whole process (most of the time). Its truly an amazing time to be alive!

Nothings free!!!

For mail coming in USPS now has it where you can sign up for a preview of your incoming mail via e-mail with pictures of mail and tracking numbers of packages. 

Tinplate Art posted:

I have only accessed the USPS tracking system for packages shipped to me and I was not impressed! Their system is not even close to the efficiency of the UPS system. Our tax dollars at work?

Not at all. This a common myth that I have heard over and over again. The USPS is NOT,  I repeat NOT, run by yours or anyone else’s tax dollars. Our income comes from the sales of stamps, delivering packages, and delivering mass mailings as well as 2nd class mailings like magazines. I am a 25 year employee. A little tidbit, although not perfect by any means our country’s postal system is more safer for your mail and less expensive than any other country. 

I have had Informed Delivery for some time. It has been almost perfect for me. The one time it wasn’t was when I saw in the morning that my York badge along with one other letter was coming in. This was a Saturday (April York ‘18) and I was excited to get the badge. When I got home it wasn’t in my mail box. I waited a few days and then I talked to the local Supervisor at the Post Office. He said, “Oh that happens sometimes. Just give it a few more days.” Well, to this day it hasn’t shown up. There is no way of knowing where the letters went after they were scanned (we have scanners that take the pictures you see in Informed Delivery—these scanners take pictures while the mail is moving at a very high rate of speed) so I don’t know if the letters got lost in the machine or got lost by the Letter Carrier or the worst case were thrown out by the Letter Carrier. This is very rare but has happened on occasion. Overall, I am happy with the Informed Delivery. 

I haven't used informed delivery.  The local post office near me is terrible to be blunt.  Poor customer service at best, long lines and staffed inadequately.  I don't remember the last time I received anything in the mail that I really wanted.

John

PHOENIXX101, I noticed your post after I posted mine. To answer your question about tolls: the answer is Yes and No. I drive a repair van. On rare occasions I have driven on the Garden State Parkway and did not pay a toll. On the other hand there were times when I used a government vehicle to go places and the USPS gave me an EZPass with the vehicle to pay any tolls. So it depends on the situation which fits perfectly with being a quasi government organization. 

Pingman posted:

Until this evening when I received both telling me the package was at a distribution center in Pittsburgh.  One more day and the painter should have the package.

I really like "Informed Delivery" for the great convenience it usually is, but there are the occasional hiccups that induce anxiety.  Check it out if you haven't already.

Of course, this isn't the fault of Informed Delivery, but rather the overall postal service simply not scanning the package.  I've occasionally shipped stuff back to people to have it disappear into the ether for days.  It's always a bit of anxiety until it shows up somewhere along the line.  The real bummer is if they don't scan it at the first stop, there's no record of the post office having the shipment!  If it gets lost somewhere along the way, they can just claim you didn't ship it.

As for Informed Delivery, I've been using it for years, since they first introduced it.  I like knowing what's in the mailbox, let's me know if I should go out in the snowstorm to get the mail or just let it wait.

USPS service ranges from great to something below poor. 

When you ship a package always ask for a origination scan......while you stand there if possible. Otherwise tracking is spotty at best. 

My issue is a package I am tracking right now. It looks like USPS gave it to a wandering pack mule. I often get west coast packages in 3 days tops. This package has been to multiple states and is still a week away after being on the road for 10 days so far.......no excuse for this.

Hudson J1e posted:

PHOENIXX101, I noticed your post after I posted mine. To answer your question about tolls: the answer is Yes and No. I drive a repair van. On rare occasions I have driven on the Garden State Parkway and did not pay a toll. On the other hand there were times when I used a government vehicle to go places and the USPS gave me an EZPass with the vehicle to pay any tolls. So it depends on the situation which fits perfectly with being a quasi government organization. 

It's interesting to see that USPS vehicles such as repair vehicles, llv and van delivery vehicles do not have license plates yet the focus cars do? I wonder why that is?

Some Postal vehicles are leased and (probably) the car is registered to and licensed by the leasor.

AMCDave posted:

USPS service ranges from great to something below poor. 

When you ship a package always ask for a origination scan......while you stand there if possible. Otherwise tracking is spotty at best.  Dave, I've stood next to my carrier and seen him (a pparently) do such a scan at my request and that scan never shows up; not always mind you, but more than a couple of times.

My issue is a package I am tracking right now. It looks like USPS gave it to a wandering pack mule. I often get west coast packages in 3 days tops. This package has been to multiple states and is still a week away after being on the road for 10 days so far.......no excuse for this.  I recently had a package destined for VA that went to MA, then NJ, and finally reached its destination.  And that's not the only example.  **it happens.  On balance, I'm very pleased with the scope of Informed Delivery's features. 

Good news, the package that disappeared for four days was delivered this a.m. 

FYI: Deleted my erroneous tax comment! THANKS, all, for the correction!  ☺

I will say, in spite of tracking issues, my USPS train related deliveries arrived unscathed!  ☺

AMC Dave I had bought a train from a guy in N.C. it was sent toGreensboro, NC then to Atlanta ( mind you I live in S.C. ) which is sometimes normal as some of our mail get sent thru there but normally when it gets to Greensborro It is sent to Columbia but not this time. anyway from Atlanta it went to CA. The seller went to his P.O. and was given a BS story that won't end, that, that's the route it goes to get to Columbia, S.C. 

I prefer UPS, but will occasionally use USPS Priority package delivery in the future!

The lack of scanning does tick me off. The scanner is hanging on the guy's belt, but it's too much trouble for him to scan my package when he grabs it off my front porch when I schedule a pick-up? FedEx and UPS do it. Buyers on eBay and others like to see it.

I've seen others complain about this on the internet, and they've said that their local postmaster told them ….. that since we are printing/paying postage at home, these packages are not "revenue producing items" for the local post office, so they have no obligation to scan them. If true …. pretty crapping business attitude.

I don't know what the USPS's future is. Amazon packages are a big part of their business, but I'm now getting about half of my Amazon stuff via their own courier. Jeff Bezos wants to make delivery all through Amazon owned transportation

Jim

EBT Jim posted:

I've seen others complain about this on the internet, and they've said that their local postmaster told them ….. that since we are printing/paying postage at home, these packages are not "revenue producing items" for the local post office, so they have no obligation to scan them. If true …. pretty crapping business attitude.

That's total baloney!  They don't work on commission, and since the postage was paid, it's just like any other mail.  That's just some local postal employee's excuse for not doing his job.  It's certainly not true, and I'll bet any amount of money it's not USPS policy.  I suspect the real reason behind that comment is they're worried if too many people discover on-line postage, the counter people will be out of a job.

Pingman posted:

USPS offers a comprehensive list of services under the overall title of "Informed Delivery" -- Track packages, buy and print shipping labels, get postal supplies delivered, schedule pick-ups at your residence or place of business, etc.  Similar to UPS' "My UPS."

I find it extremely helpful, especially at this time of the year when sending packages:  box the item up; weigh it on an inexpensive digital scale; print the shipping label; schedule a pick-up; and, track the package as it makes its way to its destination.

The last bit can be a cause of anxiety as it was for me these past several days after shipping a custom paint project to the painter in PA.  Instead of the normal tracking info showing the package p/u; receipt at my local post office and so on, NOTHING was tracking from the time I handed it to my carrier on the 18th--NOTHING.  And I always use a tracking feature of Inormed Delivery by which the shipper (me) receives texts and emails for each change in the path through the USPS system--I wasn't getting any texts or emails on this, for me, important package.

Until this evening when I received both telling me the package was at a distribution center in Pittsburgh.  One more day and the painter should have the package.

I really like "Informed Delivery" for the great convenience it usually is, but there are the occasional hiccups that induce anxiety.  Check it out if you haven't already.

Meanwhile, I'll let you know about the paint project soon, I hope.

 

I use the USPS "Informed Delivery" service but be advised that it only applies to INCOMING mail and packages.  The other services mentioned such as buying postage and scheduling pickups for outgoing packages, which I also use, are very useful but are not part of the Informed Delivery service.  I believe most of the comments in this thread are directed towards these other USPS services.

Bill

I suppose I lumped all of the various USPS services together and referred to them collectively under the label of "Informed Delivery" because all of them stemmed from creating a personal account at USPS.gov and all are displayed on the page when I log in.  My apologies to anyone who may have been inconvenienced.

My son-in-law, who once worked for the postal service, told me that the postal service is very profitable. The problem they have is all the end of year profits get gobbled up by other branches of government. So package rates and stamps just keep go up. This has been forcing them to keep carriers just under 40 hours, in a part time class, to keep them away from benefits. It's also been keeping them from replacing their worn out delivery vehicles. His was on the back of a tow truck several times. Operating on the edge of bankruptcy gives the employees an attitude of "I don't care because I will be moving on". So you may be noticing the quality and performance of the postal service going down hill. As soon as they could land a job with benefits, they move on. If they could keep their profits they could keep their employees longer and happier, and pull ahead of the competition. The price of a stamp wouldn't be getting so crazy either. As for my son-in-law, he moved on and is now a signal maintainer for NS in Altoona and loves it.

When selling of eBay I always take the package to one of my local post offices (here in urban north Jersey that are about 3 within two miles of each other) and the clerk always scans it and gives me a receipt. Worth the peace of mind to know its in the system.

Scotie posted:

When selling of eBay I always take the package to one of my local post offices (here in urban north Jersey that are about 3 within two miles of each other) and the clerk always scans it and gives me a receipt. Worth the peace of mind to know its in the system.

I usually ship my e bay via USPS and Fed Ex depending on the size and weight and I always have them scan the parcels in and print me a receipt. Insurance is not covered until it's scanned. 

Last night I had a package and my mail delivered at 7pm, I told the poor guy that they were crazy having him deliver in the dark. He used to be our regular mailman and told me that when he returned to the annex they told him he had to do my street. We had a different sub every day so our regular mailman must have been on vacation.