The Shocking Incompetence Of The USPS

"SteveLehto" (stevelehto) 06/20/2015 at 09:00 • Filed to: None

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People often joke about how bad the US Postal Service is. Remember Newman? Well, I’ve had a couple recent examples that are mind boggling. I believe that they must be TRYING to be horrible.

I was waiting for a release from a photographer which would allow me to publish photographs in an upcoming book (on Charger Daytonas and Superbirds). The envelope arrived yesterday, empty.

The envelope had been opened, the release removed, and then the envelope was placed in a plastic bag with a note apologizing for the “damage” they had done to the envelope.

They admit I have “every right” to expect my mail to be delivered in “good condition” and they apologized. They do not explain why they had to remove the contents of my envelope. But at least they do “CARE.” (About what?!)

Yes, that is helpful. The amazing thing is that this is not the finest personal example I can give you of their incompetence. This is the second finest .

Several years ago, I was wrapping up a book tour and had a case of books left over. I could have carried them onto a plane or checked them but the box was quite heavy and would have been a pain to drag around through airports and so on. So, I took it to the post office and mailed it home. I used Media Mail because I had shipped dozens of cases of books that way and the cost was under $20 per box.

The case was sealed in the exact way it had come from the publisher. When I put it on the counter at the post office the postal worker told me it was wrapped fine. When I got home, I found this:

What’s so special about that box - other than it being covered with cryptic red ink? I am holding it at arm’s length and I am not strong enough to hold one of these boxes at arm’s length when they are full of books. This box is EMPTY.

According to the stamps on the box and what I was told by the counter person at the post office, postal employees often open packages marked “Media Mail” to make sure patrons aren’t shipping non-media marked as media mail. The thinking is that someone might want to scam the post office out of a couple of bucks by mis-marking the box. AND, sometimes, they will root around and empty the package to see if the media on top is being used to mask non-media below.

I kid you not: They removed my books from the box (retail value $400) and, once they confirmed that the box had contained nothing but media, they sealed it back up and sent it on its way. It didn’t occur to them to put the books back in the box.

When it got to my local post office, they stamped it RECEIVED WITHOUT CONTENTS. After all, that is what you do when you are a government drone, working for an organization that is so horribly incompetent that you don’t see the irony of emptying boxes and then shipping the boxes to their destinations as if that is an appropriate way to do your job.

Life is a learning experience and we are all learning why the Postal Service is rushing toward irrelevance. In the meantime, please check out my latest podcast. Knowing people listen is one of the few things which distract me from dwelling on the incompetence of the Postal Service.

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Coty > SteveLehto 06/20/2015 at 09:03

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They could shit in your box and launch it into orbit and be nowhere near as bad as Australia Post.

SteveLehto > Coty 06/20/2015 at 09:06

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I believe that is a service they are going to offer next year. But there is no guarantee they won’t accidentally remove the shit and fire the empty box into your neighbor’s house.

LongbowMkII > SteveLehto 06/20/2015 at 09:08

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meh, private post has similar faults. Complaining to Fedex did nothing, only telling Amazon that we would cancel our subscription did anything finally change.

pip bip - choose Corrour > Coty 06/20/2015 at 09:10

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sadly i can give only one star for this post!

pip bip - choose Corrour > Coty 06/20/2015 at 09:11

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allow me to correct myself.

YOU WIN THE INTERNET!!!!!!!!

SteveLehto > LongbowMkII 06/20/2015 at 09:11

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I have yet to see Fedex or UPS screw something up this badly. I’m sure it’s possible but for now, that is my experience.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > SteveLehto 06/20/2015 at 09:12

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I’ve never had an issue with the USPS. Sure, things sometimes arrive a day late, but it’s understandable due to living on an island.

I think the real takeaway here is HOLY CRAP YOU MADE A POST THAT DIDN’T IMMEDIATELY GET PUT ON THE FRONT PAGE!

beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard > Coty 06/20/2015 at 09:15

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28 years of shipping with auspost, not one single issue. (except one cunt of a delivery driver who would ninja ‘sorry we missed you’ cards into the letter box without ringing the doorbell)

SteveLehto > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 06/20/2015 at 09:16

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Oh, weekends are different. My weekend stuff is never front paged.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > SteveLehto 06/20/2015 at 09:23

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Usually weekends are when you see the most stuff from Oppo there because they don’t produce as much of their own content so they need articles to pad out the site

Slave2anMG > SteveLehto 06/20/2015 at 09:23

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Sorry but my local posties here are actually pretty good. I get a lot of stuff from them and from UPS - the UPS boxes tend to be more trashed than the USPS boxes. I’ve watched the Fedex guy FLING packages onto my porch rather than be arsed to climb 5 steps...after sprinting across my front lawn.

Here’s two pix of what we consigned to a major freight carrier for delivery from our plant in Wisconsin. Note the ‘do not stack’ admonition’. What’s inside the box weighs about 800 lbs with its stainless castings and 100 hp motor attached, value about $11,000. First is before, inside our plant...the item is lag bolted to the 2x6 pallet planking AND banded down. Second is what my customer received...and the carrier is claiming no responsibility. The item showed evidence of having been dragged or shoved across the floor - flat spots were worn on its 1/2 inch o.d. cast lift rings. The gorillas caved in another casting on it. It took some real effort to yank out large lag bolts and snap the interior banding.

My point is that shipping is going to be an enormous crap shoot no matter what you do.

Coty > beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard 06/20/2015 at 09:27

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Trying to decide if I want to type out my entire, mind numbingly painful experience with Aussie Post. It took like 7 months to go through, and would probably take like half an hour to type out.

SteveLehto > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 06/20/2015 at 09:27

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That might be true but the personnel is different too. I haven’t counted but I have had maybe a hundred pieces on the front page since I started writing here. Maybe ten went up on the weekends? And those were all a while ago. I gave up trying.

SteveLehto > Slave2anMG 06/20/2015 at 09:29

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I guess my beef here is that some person took it upon themselves to empty the box. And then decided to not re-load the box.

That was an actual thought process.

Blunion05 drives a pink S2000 (USER WAS BANNED FOR THIS POST) > SteveLehto 06/20/2015 at 09:32

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Not as bad as your experiences, but, my Dad ordered some things for his job at a wholesale retailer of convenience store merchandise.

It’s a big box, weighing about 30-40 pounds. Never had a problem the first few times he ordered whatever he purchased.

He specifically instructs the delivery to be placed at the door step and signature confirmation. My mom is a stay at home mom, and the day the delivery is set for, she’s going to be home to see it.

Weeks go by and nothing. My dad calls up FedEx and they say it was delivered. Except one problem...no signature confirmation! So they have to pick up the cost of getting another whatever he ordered and delivering it. A few days later, that big ole package got home...

Honestly can’t imagine what the hell goes through delivery and packaging employees minds!!!

Brickman > SteveLehto 06/20/2015 at 09:32

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They probably know you are a lawyer and resent you :)

LongbowMkII > SteveLehto 06/20/2015 at 09:33

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did they find your books or reimburse you in any way? I hope the USPS makes it right for you(not holding my breath)

Some cosmetically damaged goods and the hassle of hauling a heavy box across a busy street (how do you confuse a 2 and a 9? the label was correct) isn’t too awful all thngs considered, but after the 3rd time of being ignored by fedex really struck me as a customer. 99% of mail is trouble free, but that 1% is what we all remember. I think the mailer’s responses in both of our cases is the real problem.

Slave2anMG > SteveLehto 06/20/2015 at 09:34

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As was creating that steaming pile of “repacked” fail that was dropped off on my customer’s loading dock and trying to pass it off as how we consigned it to the shipper :)

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > SteveLehto 06/20/2015 at 09:34

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I’e made the FP probably 7-8 times now and I think all but one were weekend posts.

E92M3 > SteveLehto 06/20/2015 at 09:56

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I mail hundreds of items thru USPS every month. Most items cost less than it would to ship them with tracking capability. Somewhere between 5-10% never make it to their destination. Usually it’s the ones in a greeting card sized envelope that go missing. I’ll let you for your own opinion on what happens to those.

SteveLehto > E92M3 06/20/2015 at 09:59

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Oh, I KNOW what happens to them.

I actually have a LOT more stories of wacky things the USPS has done. I just wrote about these two because of the common theme (the outside makes it there but the insides don’t).

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > SteveLehto 06/20/2015 at 09:59

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Reading that makes me feel much less bad about ordering a 60lb weight vest off Amazon and thinking about the USPS delivery personnel struggling with it to cram into one of our communal mailboxes.

Richtofen, Baron von Pickup > SteveLehto 06/20/2015 at 10:08

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I worked for a firearms importer and distributor which dealt in fine German guns. We shipped a barrel, worth about $1400, to a customer across the country (we’re in Texas), and when they shipment didn’t arrive on time, we tracked it and found that something wasn’t right. The parcel had stopped at a warehouse for about five days, then was moved to the next location, and on the day we tracked it it was out for delivery. A few hours later, we got a call from the customer, indignant over the quality of the item.

“Is this some kind of a joke?”
“A joke..? What’s the issue with the barrel?” I asked.
“This isn’t a barrel.”

He sent it back to us, and we replaced the barrel. What returned to us was a hunk of steel, basically a bar that had been turned down, in the white, with a 3” long band of splines near one end. We assumed it was an axle. UPS didn’t do anything about it, and we hadn’t insured it.

The axle ended up in my possession, and I believe it’s still out in the garage somewhere. The office still jokes about the “barrel” at times when I join them for a job or an event.

V8VespaStoppie > SteveLehto 06/20/2015 at 10:10

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Bought a PS3 online awhile back online, I put signature confirmation, but they dropped it off knocked and walked away. The box looked like it was dropped many times plus it was opened already when I saw it on my stoop. It was missing a HDMI cable and controllers. Complained and complained till they replaced everything.

Birddog > SteveLehto 06/20/2015 at 10:20

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The empty box is funny. I’m sorry.

USPS tracking is serious fun, it’s like playing the Lottery. Will it show up on time? Will it show up at all? Will it be damaged? Who knows! You have to play to win!!

As of today I’ve had a 2-day Priority package sitting in Ft.Kearney, NJ for 3 days according to the USPS tracking system. I’m betting it shows up today.

SteveLehto > Birddog 06/20/2015 at 10:22

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I agree with you as well. The incompetence is so severe it is funny.

I have also had things show as “Will be delivered on [date]” and the date is in the past.

Wrap your head around that.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > SteveLehto 06/20/2015 at 10:45

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Canada Post isn’t any better. Apparently the person delivering my mail has trouble reading street names and numbers. I often get mail from people a couple of streets over.

It would be interesting to have some tracking devices installed to see where the stuff gets ‘lost’ to... and maybe then be able to pin it on some specific employees.

Tohru > SteveLehto 06/20/2015 at 11:02

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When I worked at a salvage yard we shipped a GM 4T65E on a heavy oak pallet via UPS freight. The trans was held to the pallet by six 1/2” steel banding straps.

The transmission came back to us in several large pieces. The pallet also came back in several large pieces, two days later. No explanation was ever given, UPS just cut a check to cover it (so we wouldn’t pull our business account).

mad.anthony > SteveLehto 06/20/2015 at 11:31

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As an eBayer seller, I have to admit that while I like to grumble about the post office, I haven’t had any major problems with them. OTOH, I’ve had multiple items destroyed or lost by UPS, and trying to get them to pay a claim is like trying to herd cats, only the cats are equipped with lasers and firearms.

And while they obviously should have put your books back, I understand why they check media mail. I once had a buyer get indignant that I wouldn’t ship him a modem (yes, this was a while ago) media mail, because “it comes with an instruction manual and that counts as media”. Umm, no.

SteveLehto > mad.anthony 06/20/2015 at 11:33

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The box of books was packed perfectly. If they had simply opened the top they would have seen it was tightly packed, books all the way down.

I’d like to think that they stole the books because they looked so fascinating but I suspect these people can’t actually read.

mad.anthony > Birddog 06/20/2015 at 11:34

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USPS tracking isn’t really tracking. They call it “delivery confirmation” and basically only promise that it will show the item was delivered. It may get scanned along the way and give you additional info, but they don’t promise it.

Birddog > mad.anthony 06/20/2015 at 11:47

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That’s a funny way to spell “Delivery Confirmation”.

ranwhenparked > SteveLehto 06/20/2015 at 13:36

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While I don’t believe they’re a paragon of quality and customer service and could clearly use some reform, I have to say that I’ve never had anywhere near that level of problems with the postal service. Or UPS, for that matter. FedEx, on the other hand.

RacinBob > SteveLehto 06/20/2015 at 14:11

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My express mail, 2 day promised from LaCrosse Wi to LeClaire Iowa.

Ok, on day 3, no delivery, I pull the trace and its in Atlanta. It arrives on day 5.

It could have floated down the Mississippi 200 miles faster.....

SteveLehto > ranwhenparked 06/20/2015 at 15:00

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I just think these two examples are remarkable because they appear to be the result of some really idiotic thought process.

SteveLehto > RacinBob 06/20/2015 at 15:01

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I have had problems with UPS also but I understand that mistakes can happen. These two examples of mine are just so far beyond normal run-of-the-mill mistakes.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > SteveLehto 06/20/2015 at 22:22

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I’ve had good luck with Fed Ex and US post office. UPS and DHL not so much. UPS seems to have a great habit of throwing boxes out of their trucks as they drive by DHL the fe times I got stuck using them had the habit of routing my stuff from one dist center 45 min to another 3hours away.

Krieger (@FSKrieger22) > SteveLehto 06/22/2015 at 07:42

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And to think that the only means of shipping something I’m interested in purchasing on eBay is the USPS... and will be shipped locally by Pos Malaysia, namely the lot who got in the news a while ago following the discovery that some mailmen had been disposing of mail in a secluded ravine instead of delivering it.

And then it has to pass through the Royal Malaysian Customs first, which are not known for competence. This is going to be enjoyable, isn't it?

kalabaddon > SteveLehto 06/23/2015 at 12:21

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When I finished tech school I had a large collection of DVD’s that I built up while there and decided to just ship them from the on base Postal.

They arrived late, 2 of the 3 boxes did not even arrive and the one that did was obviously tampered with (torn open in a way that looks like they where checking what was inside), they never got back to me on my insurance claim (I did insure them). Almost a year later after I PCS’d to Japan I received mail with a piece of one of the undelivered boxes and an apology letter. Went to claim the insurance again and was again ignored.... Never got any response at all. I have used the post office 2 times in the last 9 years since then and that is 2 times to many. Now it is only a place to get a money order.

On a positive note I loved DHL when I was stationed in SC, the guy called me and I explained I could not make it home in time to sign for the delivery, he said he would meet me at a place right out side the main gate near the end of the day once he was driving back to the hub (closest hub was an hour away). from that point on every time I got something delivered by DHL the guy remembered and would call me and set a time to meet. I was so disappointed when DHL stopped normal shipping services.

fedex and ups would always just give me 3 notices and make me drive 30 mins to an hour away to pick it up at a facility that was not open on weekends....

Sir Halffast > SteveLehto 06/23/2015 at 13:07

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Again, not as bad as these, but it reminds me of the time my wife sent something by Priority Mail to the World Bank. It took two weeks and three states to get there. She sent it from the post office literally NEXT DOOR to the Bank.

TheRealBicycleBuck > SteveLehto 06/23/2015 at 13:33

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USPS aren’t the only ones. A friend of mine was working the graveyard shift at a truck repair facility adjacent to a UPS distribution center. One night he was walking out to retrieve a truck from the lot when he heard a commotion by the fence. He quietly observed a UPS employee tossing a box over the front fence. After the guy in brown headed back to the warehouse, he went to through the nearest gate and retrieved the box. The box was from Dell.

I’d like to say he did the right thing and turned it in the next day, but he didn’t say....

Justin Hughes > SteveLehto 06/23/2015 at 13:51

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I can’t even get packages where I live. I’ve been home all day on days packages have arrived. They don’t even ring the bell - they leave the delivery attempt notice and run away. I’ve missed certified mail from the government because of this. Worse, my work hours keep me away from the post office anytime it’s open for me to go get mail in person.

So I get everything shipped to work instead. At least it’s a business, with a person I know and trust receiving it. It was just a bit tricky getting that huge box with a Jeep Liberty trailer hitch into the back of my BRZ - but it (barely) fit!

rockingthe2 > SteveLehto 06/23/2015 at 13:54

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This may not apply to commercial buisnesses, but for me when I sell anything online, I take a picture of the box, right before and after sealing IN THE POST OFFICE, then send the pictures, then the box with whatever inside, insured. Haven’t had a problem but I’m fairly paranoid so it works for me.

Tapas > SteveLehto 06/23/2015 at 15:09

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Sent my tax return via USPS - twice !

Once through over-night express and then via registered mail. Still didnt reach the IRS. All I have to say is duck those motherduckers.

Sent it through a private company this time. But every time I send something, I have to wait 4-6 weeks to even see if the IRS has recvd the mail. So duck these people too.

sadfasdf > SteveLehto 06/25/2015 at 11:53

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I’ve had a total of one problem with USPS ever, and it was probably my fault (inadequate packaging for a box of books).

I’ve had shit like your experiences happen a few times with UPS and Fedex.

SteveLehto > sadfasdf 06/25/2015 at 12:47

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It’s more fun to bitch about Federal employees though.

William > SteveLehto 09/21/2017 at 10:43

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Uh...did you actually account for where the books were/ended up? Because the way you write this, this sounds like a clean-cut case of postal theft to me. :/ Same with the missing slide. Sounds like a lawsuit in the wings, you ask me. (BTW, I stumbled on this article because I’m supposed to get a package today. Instead of being marked as ‘Out for Delivery’ from my local office or marked with the arrival stamp of the last p.o. that handled it, it’s marked ‘In Transit to Destination.’ Teh hell?! I’ve NEVER seen this marking before? O_o;; I know I probably won’t get it today though. Or ever, for that matter, LOL)

SteveLehto > William 09/21/2017 at 14:09

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Suing the government is rarely worth the effort. Especially over a $400 claim. Chalk it up to experience.

Good luck with your delivery!

Elohssa > SteveLehto 03/25/2019 at 19:40

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Recently, I ordered something from this company in Florida that was supposed to be delivered to me today. I live in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Council Bluffs, Iowa, as you know, is west of Florida, right? After not getting it today, I went online to track the package. It seems that the USPS Bozos thought it would be a good idea to first send my package to PUERTO FUCKIN’ RICO!!! The last time I checked, Puerto Rico is EAST of Florida!!!  J ust how in the world is it quicker and more efficient to send the package to Puerto Rico, which is EAST of Florida, prior to shipping it to me who lives in Council Bluffs, Iowa, which is WEST of Florida !? It’s shit like this that makes me hope that the USPS just rolls over and dies!!!

desertsoldier22 > SteveLehto 03/02/2020 at 14:51

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Rural Post Office...never had problems. Urban post office...morons. Must be the fact that in a town of 2,000...someone who is incompetent has to answer to their neighbors.

denise > SteveLehto 03/16/2020 at 03:35

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I sent my brother a Christmas cake from Wollongong Australia - he lives in Georgia Atlanta - it cost a bomb to sent (almost $80) and in the parcel was the cake and a family treasure (very small and no value but belonged to our nan) ...so we waited and waited, parcel was posted in early Dec 2019, my brother kept checking... I kept trying to find out where it was at via the ‘tracking number’ eventually I escalated it and then finally in Feb this year was told that the cake arrived in Atlanta and then the tracking number disappeared. I was so upset...the time, effort and love that went with the cake. I was then told that they were sorry and had no explanation for the loss. I told them they employ thieving lying, incompetent fools. What a joke. Some dishonest thief was paid a good wage to steal and eat my brothers cake. Cant express how i feel about this pathetic organisation

Gadbous > SteveLehto 08/23/2020 at 15:01

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Can’t tell you the last time I used the USPS........