Save the US Postal Service

[Volkonski]

Just got an Amazon delivery of one box which included two separate orders of mine and one of my wife's made on three different days. Total of 7 items.

[Slim Cognito]

The one-day delivery thing, is that possible because Amazon has warehouses all over God's green earth? I mean, sure, it's great but I don't really need one or two day delivery. A week will usually suffice. And some things do take a week, even though I'm a Prime member. I wondered if items were coming from different warehouses.

May I also add, these Amazon anti-union, non-stop internet commercials, telling me how great Amazon is, the employees are the best paid and otherwise compensated employees on the planet, that they're so happy they're dancing up and down the aisles, are about to make me puke.

[AndyinPA]

[Lani]

USPS was fine. The only problem was the ridiculous requirement for full funding the retirement system - which was intended to hurt USPS and has. The attempt to move it to the "free market" continues.

[Volkonski]

Andrew Solender
@AndrewSolender
INBOX: Biden sends his three nominations for the USPS Board of Governors to the Senate.

[Slim Cognito]

Great news! Now what happens? Are they blocked by the Asshole Caucus? Is this a 50+1 vote situation or can they filibuster the noms?

[AndyinPA]

I placed an order with a company on March 4. It's for two of the same thing, large enough that each would come in its own box. One arrived more than a week ago. They were both shipped on March 6. The other one is out in the ether somewhere. I don't want one. I want two. The item is sold out.

[AndyinPA]

https://www.govexec.com/management/2021 ... rd/172769/

A group of 50 Democratic lawmakers is pressuring President Biden to remove all existing members of the U.S. Postal Service’s Board of Governors and replace them with his own nominees.

Such a move would likely allow the board to fire Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, who has faced significant criticism for his reform strategies since taking office last year. All six current board members were appointed by President Trump, though two of them—including Chairman Ron Bloom—are Democrats. Still, the lawmakers said the entire board in its current makeup has failed, citing ongoing mail delays and operational changes in the run up to last year’s election.

“Under the tenure of this [board], the Postal Service was blatantly misused by President Trump in an unsuccessful gambit to influence a presidential election, the Postal Service is currently failing to meet its own service standards with historically low rates of on-time delivery, and conflicts of interest appear to be a requirement for service,” said a letter spearheaded by Reps. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., and Bill Pascrell, D-N.J., who lead House subcommittees on government operations, trade and oversight, respectively. “It is time to remove all governors and start over with a board vested with the expertise and acumen this nation needs in its Postal Service leadership.”

[keith]

I can see 6 houses from the window by my computer. 4 of them got deliveries yesterday. 4 different trucks, 4 different drivers. I had never noticed it before, but it looks like something they need to get a handle on. Don't know why it bugs me so much, either.

I just reread my previous novel like reply to you post and it sound really snarky.

That was untended and I appologize.

I only meant to suggest that they probably dispatch a truck when its full, and if they have more packages for that route then they need another truck.

Every thing else was the beer talking I guess.

[sugar magnolia]

I can see 6 houses from the window by my computer. 4 of them got deliveries yesterday. 4 different trucks, 4 different drivers. I had never noticed it before, but it looks like something they need to get a handle on. Don't know why it bugs me so much, either.

I just reread my previous novel like reply to you post and it sound really snarky.

That was untended and I appologize.

I only meant to suggest that they probably dispatch a truck when its full, and if they have more packages for that route then they need another truck.

Every thing else was the beer talking I guess.

Oh honey, that ain't shit in the annals of snark. I didn't even take it as snark, to be honest. I may have rolled my eyes a bit, but that's all. If I had all the answers to the post office clusterfucks I'd be in charge of running it, but I don't so I'm not.

p.s. You gotta do waaaay better than that to snark at me, but just be warned, if you do come at me with snark, be prepared. I can do good snark, with a side of passive aggressive bitch and a soupcon of bless your heart.

(p.p.s. I do appreciate the apology, although unnecessary.)

[Frater I*I]

One of the issues with with the Post Office seems to be the recent team up with "shipping partners". I ordered some key rings [rings only] on 10MAR21, and USPS showed a tracking label made the same day, the shipping partner didn't pick it up until 12MAR21. Then they transport it from Miami to Queens NY to the Post Office distribution center there, what was wrong with dropping it off at the Miami one, who the [expletive deleted] knows, [*cough* kickbacks *cough*]? Yesterday it made it's way to the middle GA processing location and by tonight to my local post office.

I understand that corruption is in any human endeavor but hell this is beyond the limits of good taste...

[sugar magnolia]

I got a "your order has shipped" notice Monday, Mar 15, shipped 2 day through USPS. The tracking now says delivery expected by Mar 20. If they can't even count to two, I'm not surprised at anything they do.

[Lani]

I have abandoned Amazon for Target. Most items I need are available in the stores on neighbor islands and usually the same or lower price than Amazon. Especially my dog's special food and favorite pill pockets. I get those boxes in 2-3 days. Items from the mainland usually take 5 to 7 days from placing the order.

[neonzx]

I have abandoned Amazon for Target. Most items I need are available in the stores on neighbor islands and usually the same or lower price than Amazon. Especially my dog's special food and favorite pill pockets. I get those boxes in 2-3 days. Items from the mainland usually take 5 to 7 days from placing the order.

Target has always been my go-to for physical products. And they adjusted to this pandemic well. (pre-order and touchless loading the car with stuff). As well, a %slice of my purchases goes donated back to my high school. Target is "Minnesota nice", unlike MyPillow.

[pipistrelle]

This article sets off some of my bs detectors.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business ... ould-know/

[AndyinPA]

This article sets off some of my bs detectors.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business ... ould-know/

I read it yesterday, and had the same reaction.

[MN-Skeptic]

I have abandoned Amazon for Target. Most items I need are available in the stores on neighbor islands and usually the same or lower price than Amazon. Especially my dog's special food and favorite pill pockets. I get those boxes in 2-3 days. Items from the mainland usually take 5 to 7 days from placing the order.

Target has always been my go-to for physical products. And they adjusted to this pandemic well. (pre-order and touchless loading the car with stuff). As well, a %slice of my purchases goes donated back to my high school. Target is "Minnesota nice", unlike MyPillow.

Living in the home town of Target - you can't throw a rock without hitting a Target - that's always been my go-to place for everyday things. In fact, I was there just this afternoon.

My husband and I invested our retirement funds mostly in index funds, but we did buy some individual stocks of local companies that we liked. I just looked it up... I bought 100 shares of Target in May of 2009. The stock market was awfully low then and I paid $43/share for Target. Target closed at $179.61 today. Another reason to like the company!

[pipistrelle]

This article sets off some of my bs detectors.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business ... ould-know/

I read it yesterday, and had the same reaction.

So did this guy.

Problem is, it's inaccurate and not factual; Just a couple things that are distorted and lacking (below, from a prior comment);

This is an opinion piece, not "analysis", plan and simple.

DeJoy delivered absentee ballots on time because he got caught and was under pressure to prove he (& the president) were not trying to defame mail-in ballots. Seems like that point was just ignored? I'm not going to go back and point out every mis-rating but they are 'judgement calls', not fact based ratings.

Basically, the author decided which rating and then inserted 'except for' statements so he could fudge when he actually should have used a 'partially true' or 'partially false'.

Examples;
* "FALSE: DeJoy removed sorting machines and mailboxes to make it harder to vote"

The the author inserted, "...though that program accelerated under DeJoy, according to an inspector general report." Seems like that would turn the statement into a "Partially True", unless the author has more information than the inspector general?

* "FALSE: Republicans want to privatize USPS "

Then the author inserted, "To be clear, most Republicans don’t want to privatize the Postal Service, but some do." Again, seems like that would turn the statement into a "Partially True".

* "TRUE: Biden can’t fire DeJoy"

No, Biden can't fire him directly, but he has nominated replacements that will provide the needed votes to get him out. So again, "Partially True".

Do we really not know what facts are any more? Or what "True", "False" mean?

Come on WaPo! This is not up to the standard I expect from my subscription!

[keith]

This is an example of a USPS tracking log for a package I assume will arrive at my door on Monday (it is late Friday afternoon and it isn't here yet).

My interpretation (guesses pulled out of my backside) of what the events are are shown in red.

I really can't see anything too awful to complain about except for the almost 4 days it took to get from Rockwell Texas to Coppell Texas, and then the 18 hours it sat around in Coppell - but that was shortly after the end of the storm and I have no way to know how close to back to normal Rockwell or Coppell areas were or how backed up Coppell was before it could get scanned.

AND, it has already taken that long to get from Sydney to Melbourne! I expect Coppell was by train but maybe by road - either way 20 hours seems reasonable.

I am quite sure that Chicago International is really busy, but sitting around for 26 hours before its sorted and sent on its way seems a bit much. Do they not scan it when its security checked or sanitized or moved through customs?

Then sitting on the tarmac (I know in a warehouse not the tarmac) for 13 hours while the plane fills up is frustrating. The almost 3 day wait for an outbound international plane seems much more reasonable.

Now for the real slow coach in the saga: it will take forever to get from Sydney to Melbourne.

===========================
Read from bottom to top.
===========================
March 15, 2021, 2:30 pm
Departed
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
Your item departed a transfer airport in KINGSFORD SMITH, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA on March 15, 2021 at 2:30 pm. The item is currently in transit to the destination.


==> Scan for Arrival in Australia: 20 hours, 31 minutes (flight, unload, process)
==> end of USPS tracking
==> Total End to End for USPS: 13 days, 5 hours, 45 minutes


March 13, 2021, 10:59 pm (5:59pm March 14 Melbourne Time)
Departed
SAN FRANCISCO, UNITED STATES


==> Scan for Plane Transfer 2 days, 17 hours, 49 minutes


March 11, 2021, 7:10 am (12:10am March 12 Melbourne Time)
Departed
CHICAGO, UNITED STATES


==> Scan for Plane Load: 13 hours, 11 minutes



March 10, 2021, 5:59 pm (10:59am March 11 Melbourne Time)
Arrived
CHICAGO, UNITED STATES


==> Scan for Plane Staging : 2 days, 4 hours, 26 minutes


March 9, 2021, 8:33 pm (1:33pm March 9 Melbourne Time)
Processed Through Regional Facility
CHICAGO IL INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION CENTER
March 9, 2021
In Transit to Next Facility


==> Transport to Airport: 2hrs 2 minutes


March 8, 2021, 6:29 am (11:29am March 9 Melbourne Time)
Departed USPS Regional Facility
CHICAGO IL INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION CENTER


==> Sort to 'West Coast' center: 1 minute


March 8, 2021, 6:28 am (11:28am March 9 Melbourne Time)
Arrived at Regional Facility
CHICAGO IL INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION CENTER


==> Scan for sort: 1 day 2 hrs 2 minutes


March 7, 2021, 2:26 am (9:26am March 8 Melbourne Time)
Arrived at USPS Regional Facility
CHICAGO IL INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION CENTER


==> Transport and receive: 20 hrs 57 min


March 6, 2021, 6:29 am ( 11:29am March 7 Melbourne Time)
Departed USPS Regional Facility
COPPELL TX DISTRIBUTION CENTER


==> Transport and receive: 18 hrs 57 minutes


March 5, 2021, 11:19 am (4:19am March 6 Melbourne Time)
Arrived at USPS Regional Facility
COPPELL TX DISTRIBUTION CENTER


==> Transport and receive: 3 days 16 hrs 50 minutes


March 1, 2021, 6:29 pm (11:29am March 2 Melbourne Time)
Departed Post Office
ROCKWALL, TX 75087


==> Transport and receive: 1 hr 54 min


March 1, 2021, 4:35 pm (9:35am March 2 Melbourne Time)
USPS picked up item
ROCKWALL, TX 75087


==> Wait: 50 Minutes


March 1, 2021, 3:45 pm (8:45am March 2 Melbourne Time)
Shipping Label Created, USPS Awaiting Item
ROCKWALL, TX 75087

[johnpcapitalist]

This is an example of a USPS tracking log for a package I assume will arrive at my door on Monday (it is late Friday afternoon and it isn't here yet).

My interpretation (guesses pulled out of my backside) of what the events are are shown in red.

I really can't see anything too awful to complain about except for the almost 4 days it took to get from Rockwell Texas to Coppell Texas, and then the 18 hours it sat around in Coppell - but that was shortly after the end of the storm and I have no way to know how close to back to normal Rockwell or Coppell areas were or how backed up Coppell was before it could get scanned.

AND, it has already taken that long to get from Sydney to Melbourne! I expect Coppell was by train but maybe by road - either way 20 hours seems reasonable.

I am quite sure that Chicago International is really busy, but sitting around for 26 hours before its sorted and sent on its way seems a bit much. Do they not scan it when its security checked or sanitized or moved through customs?

Then sitting on the tarmac (I know in a warehouse not the tarmac) for 13 hours while the plane fills up is frustrating. The almost 3 day wait for an outbound international plane seems much more reasonable.

The leg from Rockwall to Coppell would have been by truck, as both are suburbs of Dallas, Texas. It's less than 100km. Rail freight in the US is long-haul only, not cross-town. The delay could easily have been an aftermath of the storm. Coppell is near the immense DFW airport, one of the busiest in the world, and it's probably the regional air freight forwarding hub for the USPS to get stuff on planes.

Especially in the COVID era, the mantra for freight space allocation is to keep the planes 100% full. They use software that matches both weight and cubic footage for packages to available cargo space. This maximizes revenue and overall efficiency of the system, which is especially critical now that the number of flights are down and because airlines need to maximize revenue from every cubic inch of belly cargo. In the past, USPS freight was a nice way for airlines to get incremental revenue from belly cargo space that would have been empty otherwise. But now they're trying to get higher value cargos that are willing to pay spot market prices (higher than USPS long-term contract rates) such as electronics products, aircraft spare parts, etc.

The drive to fill everything efficiently leads to some strange routing decisions, such as to fly the package from Dallas to Chicago (2,000 km northeast) then to Los Angeles (3,000 km southwest) before putting it on the plane to Australia. It would have been faster to put the package on the plane directly from Dallas to LA, a heavily traveled route, but space for lower-priority USPS packages likely wasn't available.

You're actually fortunate in that 2 weeks door-to-door for 12,000 km of freight is pretty good. Last summer, I ordered six bicycle tires from a shop in the tiny European country of Andorra, the only place I could find that stocked them (these particular tires are extremely specialized). They sat on a runway apron at Schiphol Airport outside Amsterdam for six weeks before they got space on a plane to Chicago -- they're high cube but low weight (package was about 80 x 80 x 20 cm but only weighed 3 or 4 kg). High cube/low weight is the lowest priority package, particularly when sent by post rather than by UPS, DHL, FedEx, etc.

[zekeb]

I have one coming from Miami. It sat in Miami for three days, then went to Opa Locka. Now it shows as in transit, arriving on time. I remember the one last Christmas when I had one supposedly arriving on time, until it went two days past its expected delivery date. It arrived two weeks later.

[Volkonski]

I have one coming from Miami. It sat in Miami for three days, then went to Opa Locka. Now it shows as in transit, arriving on time. I remember the one last Christmas when I had one supposedly arriving on time, until it went two days past its expected delivery date. It arrived two weeks later.

Yes. Santa left a few IOUs under our tree this past Christmas. Arrived eventually.

[keith]

The leg from Rockwall to Coppell would have been by truck, as both are suburbs of Dallas, Texas. It's less than 100km. Rail freight in the US is long-haul only, not cross-town. The delay could easily have been an aftermath of the storm. Coppell is near the immense DFW airport, one of the busiest in the world, and it's probably the regional air freight forwarding hub for the USPS to get stuff on planes.

Yeah, I figured Coppell was close to DFW, but I didn't think to lookup where Rockwall was.

The basic point of that whole rant was that the time frame is really quite understandable when you examine it. True I don't know exactly what is going on when its checked in somewhere and then checked through some other point which seems to be in the same building 3 days later, but I can imagine huge mountains of every package shape known to man all trying to be loaded into containers that are all trying to find a plane. I'm not fussed at all.

And by the way, I have programmed some of those 'efficient' packaging programs in the past - I have a reasonable understanding of the problems they need to solve (my issues were not nearly so diverse - e.g. I didn't have to worry about weight). My stuff worked pretty well for the standards of the day, but cannot begin to match today's algorithms (speed mostly) or technology. I was just scheduling parts bins for a automotive assembly line and getting stuff to the right place 'just in time'.

[Volkonski]

U.S. Postal Service proposes revamp plan that would slow some mail

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa- ... ce=twitter

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) on Tuesday outlined a proposed 10-year strategic plan that would slow current first-class delivery standards and raise some prices to stem $160 billion in forecasted red ink over the next decade.

The plan would revise existing service standards for first-class mail letters from the current one to three days to one to five days. USPS said 61% of current first-class mail volume would stay at its current standard. It would shift more deliveries to trucks rather than airplanes, consolidate mail processing and cut hours at some retail locations.

USPS Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, a supporter of former President Donald Trump who was named last year to head USPS, said without changes the Postal Service would need a “government bailout” -- something it does not want to seek.

USPS needs significant financial relief from Congress and the Biden administration from pre-funding obligations and other changes that could address $58 billion in anticipated losses.

[sugar magnolia]

I don't even know how they could slow it down any more than they already have. My package that was shipped 2 day delivery last Monday has been sitting in the local distribution center (about 8 miles from my house) since 5:00 Saturday morning. Not only was it not delivered in 2 days, it didn't even get to the distribution center in 2 days, and it's been sitting there for longer than 2 days once it got here.