How's the mail delivery in your area?

Paul D G · 01-23-2007, 04:43 AM

We moved to a Chicago suburb about two years ago and we are getting really frustrated at the mail delivery in our neighborhood, and the fact that we can't get anyone to care at the post office (which, maybe, shouldn't be a surprise).

Essentially: while most mail is delivered in a timely manner (ie 2-3 days after mailing) some items take much much longer. My wife and I will both get mailed a letter from our corporate office on the same day. One will arrive in two days, the other a week later. Ad flyers sometimes arrive AFTER the sale. etc.

I've complained to the USPS who simply forwarded my complaint to the local office. They then called me and very curtly told me they are required to deliver the mail when it arrives at their office. My suggestions that the problem lay elsewhere were pretty much ignored.

I thought I had them when a package was sent to me on 12/30, first class*, and it didn't arrive until 01/18. I took the package in, which had a delivery confirmation label on it, and asked them if they could track the package. Even the clerk raised her eyebrows when I showed her the sent/arrive dates. But all she did was go on the website and type in the code which I could do at home. All it showed was the package was mailed on the 30th, arrived at the local office on the 18th and was delivered that same day. It had to have been sitting SOMEWHERE for three weeks!

Right now I still have two packages missing - one mailed mid november, one just after xmas, and one is fairly large

We've asked some neighbors and they are all having the same problem, but they all seem to shrug it off. I've moved around the country a few times and I've never experienced mail service this bad. I'm wondering if this is normal and I've just gotten lucky in the past.

-paul
*first class is 1-3 days delivery according to usps.com

Scott Merryfield · 01-23-2007, 07:59 AM

My parents had mail delivery issues in rural northern Michigan several years ago. After complaints to the local branch did nothing to improve the situation, they filed a complaint with the Post Master General's office in Washington. Service improved after that.

Paul D G · 01-23-2007, 11:13 AM

BTW - I just called to find out where my Superman mailer was. It was mailed on Dec 22nd and I'm still waiting for it. So that makes three things I know were mailed in at least the last month that I have yet to receive.

I'm going to call to bitch to someone and hopefully I'll get somewhere.

Scott: Unfortunately I don't believe the problem is with the local office; most likely a hub (most likely chicago, however, most of the stuff that goes missing is from California)

-paul

Patrick_S · 01-23-2007, 11:40 AM

It really doesn't sound like it's your local office. Scott's post has the best suggestion in that you should contact the Post Master General's office in DC with your complaint.

MichaelBA · 01-23-2007, 11:53 AM

My USPS service is fantastic. When I deal with Amazon or Netflix or any places with receipt or shipping centers within a tri-state area (I'm in Long Island, NY), the service from USPS is practically one day on a consistent basis.

**HTF Ads**

Scott L · 01-23-2007, 04:33 PM

When I lived out in the burbs having houses with big lawns, big streets, and easy to find addresses, our mail service was great.

Since moving further north and closer to DC I've noticed Netflix arriving a day later than normal (3 dy turnaround instead of 2), and sometimes it takes over a week.

Adam Lenhardt · 01-23-2007, 06:26 PM

I went to my favorite post office down by Copley Square today. It's now apparently a pile of rubble, judging by the... well, pile of rubble.

Linda Thompson · 01-23-2007, 09:52 PM

My worst mail horror story:

Back in 1989, we were experiencing SEVERE mail delivery issues here in Darlington (ZIP 29532). Complaints finally reached the point of triggering an investigation by a very highly-respected local TV news journalist, Cecil Chandler. Long story short, he found out that mail was being dumped into regular trash dumpsters by Post Office personnel, so that they wouldn't have to deliver it. We're talking HUGE volumes of mail, and not just junk mail or bulk mail. We're talking ALL KINDS of mail.

The journalist, Cecil Chandler, won some sort of very prestigious Associated Press award for investigative journalism, which he very much deserved.

Needless to say, the situation has been much better since then. Not perfect (still far from it)...but definitely much better.

Here's Cecil's page at MySpace, with a mention of the incident and the award:

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm...ndID=129540140

Jay Taylor · 01-24-2007, 11:37 AM

The mail in our neighborhood is frequently delivered to the wrong residence. When I drive home after work I check the mailbox but never drive into the garage because about once every two weeks I'll get someone else's mail.

When I receive my next door neighbors mail I'll deliver it to them. When it's across town I'll write "Address is correct but delivered to wrong residence" on the letter and place it back in my mail box for the mailman to pick up the next day. This should be quick feedback to the mailman that he screwed up.

When most of my neighbors receive my mail by mistake they make sure that I get it. Unfortunately some don't....

Stephen L · 01-24-2007, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay Taylor

When I receive my next door neighbors mail I'll deliver it to them. When it's across town I'll write "Address is correct but delivered to wrong residence" on the letter and place it back in my mail box for the mailman to pick up the next day. This should be quick feedback to the mailman that he screwed up.

More likely the person receiving the letter will blame their letter carrier that is delivering the letter correctly