an open letter for USPS

rider · #1 22-07-2011, 07:39 AM

Dear USPS

This year I have made 2 purchases from the Gud'old US of A (hail to the chief for the exchange rate).
Both these have involved USPS.
The first averaged 36.4 KPH for the trip, and the second one has not arrived yet, but will not hit these heady speeds, as it is already down to 33KPH.

I have one question and one suggestion for USPS.

Question: How do you keep your aircraft in the air at that speed? I can only suspect that you send freight on the Hindenburg.

Suggestion: You used to sponsor Lance Armstrong, He can average 59.4 KPH on his time-trial bike, Why don't you get him back and use him as your premium service?

fondest regards,
your fan,
rider

jeff65 (Jeff) · #2 22-07-2011, 08:30 AM

Received a USPS "Express" Mail package yesterday. According to the tracking the trip from NY to Australia averaged 120kph. A USPS "Priority" Mail package received in June averaged 100kph. Faster than Lance, but still too slow to keep a large plane in the air. Maybe they use ultralights now?

multiweb (Marc) · #3 22-07-2011, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rider

I have one question and one suggestion for USPS.

Question: How do you keep your aircraft in the air at that speed?

That's a corker. Strong head wind?

Agreed my only experience with USPS was terrible. It got there eventually but I had forgotten I ordered it by then.

adman (Adam) · #4 22-07-2011, 08:39 AM

In contrast, I have had a package from Hong Kong via their EMS service which reached me in about 48 hours from the time of ordering. I am still wondering how they did that!

troypiggo (Troy) · #5 22-07-2011, 11:13 AM

That's a very good way of looking at it, Rider. I think the packages I've ordered and had to be sent via USPS averaged around the same speed. Now, if they give a choice of USPS or courier (UPS usually), I pay a little extra and get the courier. Gets here is rocket time.

DavidU (Dave) · #6 22-07-2011, 11:39 AM

It's Pete Wards fault, he's flying it.

renormalised (Carl) · #7 22-07-2011, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidU

It's Pete Wards fault, he's flying it.

Yep, he's got those big Trent 900 engines in idle all the way!!

Waxing_Gibbous (Peter) · #8 22-07-2011, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by renormalised

Yep, he's got those big Trent 900 engines in idle all the way!!

That Jet A-1's 'spensive!!

I don't know about others but the poor performance of USPS seems a relatively recent phenomenon.
I would have orders shipped by them as the cost was half FedEx or UPS and the wait about the same. I was a big fan.
About 18 months ago I ordered some stuff from OPT on a Friday (theirs) and it was here in 4 days!

About 5 months later, 10 days, and in February my order took 11 days.
They were all the same size and weight (to within 5%) and sent "International Express".
Maybe they've been gutted by lay-offs or something. Whatever the reason. Its a real shame.

Jules76 (Julian) · #9 23-07-2011, 04:31 PM

The USPS is all over shop lately. I've been buying items from the US I'm collecting fairly regulary over the past 3 or 4 months, and delivery times using First Class International vary wildly. Last one I received a couple of weeks ago took a little over a week. While I have another which was sent before the last one into it's 4th week. It's not the first time this has happened.

And as a comparison, I've received about a half a dozen items from the UK using standard Royal Mail and it consistently arrives within a week or so. Now THAT'S service.

While on the topic, one thing I was told by a US seller was the only difference between Express, Priority and First Class was the level of service/speed within the US. Once it leaves the US, they are all essentially the same. In other words, if you brought from a retailer in California for example, your probably not going to see much of a difference in delivery times for the various services due to the less distance required to travel before leaving the US. Where as if you purchased from the other side of the US, there is likely to be more US travel time so you will see a difference.

I think it pays to check where the item is coming from in the US before deciding which service to choose. Sometimes Express and Priority just aren't worth the extra cost.

OICURMT · #10 23-07-2011, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jules76

While on the topic, one thing I was told by a US seller was the only difference between Express, Priority and First Class was the level of service/speed within the US. Once it leaves the US, they are all essentially the same.

This is true. The USPS delivers all items to the entry point of the receiving country, at which point the local postal services take over.

Since flights across the Pacific are limited, all packages regardless of Class are on the same plane.

The only services which are arguably faster are those who have their own fleet of aircraft and delivery service in the receiving country (FedEx, DHL, UPS for example).

OIC!

Late Edit: BTW, the USPS contracts out airlines for serves, this is why you don't see any aircraft with the USPS logo...

el_draco (Rom) · #11 23-07-2011, 05:19 PM

California to Tassie in 40 days.... and counting.....

Maybe this is a Yankee tactic designed to make sure their economy stays screwed...

acropolite (Phil) · #12 23-07-2011, 07:12 PM

I had a package shipped USPS priority, arrived in around 7 days, I really couldn't complain about that. From the tracking information most of the time was taken in getting to the international despatch point and from Customs in Australia to here in Tassie. I have to agree about the Honkers experience, I've ordered on ebay and paid on a Tuesday and had the item by Friday morning.

wasyoungonce (Brendan) · #13 24-07-2011, 11:43 AM

I'm waiting for USPS shipment ....it waited from 09 Jul to 22nd at USA clearance, arrived in Aust 22nd ...in Aust post 22nd Jul.

Funny, I thought USPS delivery was separate to Aust post system, well they used to be...maybe I'm confused?

This is really slow lately and compared to past orders. Ordered bicycle parts from Europe and paid DHL delivery...got them in 3 days to my door and could track it no problems!

Sent a small parcel from Melbourne to QLD (registered)...took a week and couldn't track its progress at all!

Steffen · #14 24-07-2011, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adman

In contrast, I have had a package from Hong Kong via their EMS service which reached me in about 48 hours from the time of ordering. I am still wondering how they did that!

Those HK dealers are dodgy. You trust your goods come directly from China but in reality they slip you local Australian stock…

Cheers
Steffen.

wasyoungonce (Brendan) · #15 25-07-2011, 12:00 PM

Finally package from USPS is here. Less than 3 days since arriving in Aust to my door but 14 days from NY to Aust.

FlashDrive (Poppy) · #16 26-07-2011, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wasyoungonce

Sent a small parcel from Melbourne to QLD (registered)...took a week and couldn't track its progress at all!

Aust' Post is not what it used to be .... that's for sure ..... and their prices now are on the up and up.
Just woeful at times .... a week to get a part from SA to Qld.

This is what happens when you privatize things .... service and price go out the window

I try and avoid them as much as possible ..... if I can.

Flash.

snowyskiesau · #17 26-07-2011, 12:39 PM

My experience with USPS has generally been good. I regularly buy tools from a US supplier and the price via courier is much higher, not to mention the extra 'fees' some of the couriers hit you with when the good arrive.
Now I've moved to Tassie, I'll be interested in seeing how long packages take to arrive.

I'm awaiting a package from Hong Kong (CNC router). It left HK on the 20th and was in Sydney on the 21st. If I'd still been in Sydney, that would have been great but the package was then sent via road to Melbourne where is still is, I suspect that the courier doesn't send a truck across on the ferry every day so hopefully sometime this week.

TrevorW · #18 26-07-2011, 01:50 PM

All parcel post goes by road (except next day service) within OZ so a lot of delay occurs once an item arrives here all items i've ordered and delivered by usps/ap take around 2 weeks

Jules76 (Julian) · #19 27-07-2011, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wasyoungonce

Finally package from USPS is here. Less than 3 days since arriving in Aust to my door but 14 days from NY to Aust.

Lucky you! My parcel I'm still waiting on is about to hit exactly 4 weeks since it was sent. That's the longest I've ever had to wait for a parcel so far. Sent by First Class International so this is the most info I'm going to get:

Detailed Results:
Processed through Sort Facility, June 28, 2011, 5:54 pm, TOPEKA, KS 66675
Shipment Accepted, June 28, 2011, 3:10 pm, MANHATTAN, KS 66502
Electronic Shipping Info Received, June 28, 2011

I think the Wicked Witch of the East has something to do with it's disappearance (note the 666 in the Topeka, Kansas Zip code).

GrahamL · #20 28-07-2011, 07:56 AM

I had a similar experiance Julian , my package was processed and transfered quickly in the US and took off from JFK, I gave up checking the tracking and looking for info on lost aircraft after 3+ weeks, and then found it on my doorstep.

It actually moved through customs and was delivered very quickly once it arrived , so quick the tracking info didn't appear until after i got it

In years past I've oredered monday and recieved thursday from the US ,maybe with the high dollar the volume of inbound freight is
well outside the capacity of the service provided and its sitting on a tarmac somewhere with a sea of other containers.