Unbelievable!!!

[WR Moore]

I live in a rural area. Sometime back, the twice a day collections of mail stopped. Now, the truck that delivers the morning mail is it. I overheard discussions between employees, that there may be changes in package handling. No one was thrilled.

About wandering mail: the USPS uses optical scanners to "read" the addresses. Sometimes, our hand writing doesn't agree with the programming or the abilities of the scanner. Other times, there's issues with the equipment.

Equipment issues usually get denied, unless you can produce evidence of the problem. Which, if your mail is going to some other address can get interesting. I went through a period where the USPS (actually one of their mail sorting machines, decided I moved, and without either them OR some of the folks who send me bills verifying it, sent some of my mail elsewhere. I only got it fixed after finally getting my hands on a piece of mail with a USPS change of address label attached. Apparently they could track the machine that way.

 

[Retired W4]

Drm50, In see where your package went through the Palmetto distribution center in Georgia. It's a miracle it only took three days to get out of there and was not lost forever.

 

[Doug M.]

My local office is staffed with great folks who do a good job. I see the carriers out and about trying to keep up, even on Sundays, and they have had to rent a fleet of vehicles to have enough. I have not gotten home delivery in decades for safety reasons, and we just check the PO Box when we feel like it.

Mistakes do get made, but compared to the volume of mail nationally, they are pretty rare.

 

[Retired W4]

Palmetto was so bad that both of our illustrious US Senators had to pay the place a visit. Actually, since those two don't do anything anyway they needed to get away from the DC cocktail parties.

 

[fiasconva]

Other than putting my mail or my neighbors' mail in each others' boxes my postal carriers aren't too bad. That's pretty good considering the main hub that our mail goes to in Richmond, VA was declared the worst in the US in the last evaluation a couple of months ago.

 

[pasound]

Optical scanners are bad. I have the P.O. Box in Charleston that Drm50 had to ship two holsters to twice. Just today, I had to turn back an official document delivered to my box number, but the wrong zip code, much like his first attempt to get a package to me. The mail I returned today had my zip on the scan, but it was not the zip in the address.

Years ago, when I was between jobs, the Post Office was holding a job fair. I went to apply, the recruiter looked at my resume, and said I was "overqualified - too educated" for the positions.

 

[Grayfox]

The Memphis hub is a mess. Packages just sit for a week or more without moving. Sometimes they disappear all together. But worse is that they very often get misdirected to a completely different city in the wrong direction. I've found that Atlanta is no better.

My youngest son went to work for USPS as a carrier. The hiring process was all done on-line. He never actually met a real person or had a chance to ask questions until the first day of training. It was only then that he was told that all new hires are part-time. You only get to work when there's a slot that needs filling. That's when regulars take vacations, sick days, no shows etc. Further, if you're called to work, you must come right now. No excuses. That makes having a 2nd job very difficult.
Basically, the only chance you have to become a regular is if somebody retires or dies.
After several months of only working 1 or 2 days a week, he had no choice but to quit.

I've posted my opinions of Mr. DeJoy, USPS's current situation and the current administration before. That got my hand slapped and my post deleted.