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View Full Version : Can we revive the Pony Express?



Ken Fitzgerald
12-11-2015, 6:27 PM
My wife and I desire little. So when she told me to order an automatic dust level sensor kit from Oneida for my 3 HP Super Gorilla as a Christmas present I jumped on it.

They shipped it on November 30, 2015....3-Day Priority Express via USPS. Earlier this week I contacted Oneida and they provided a tracking number.

According to the research I could find, the Pony Express operated 18 months in 1860-1861. It reduced the delivery time for small packages, letters and newspapers to about 10 days coast to coast.

Tracking my kit, it took 9 days to get to Aurora, CO from Syracuse, NY.

It arrived and departed today from near Seattle. I hope to have it by Christmas......:confused:

David Helm
12-11-2015, 6:33 PM
Wow! That seems like an overly long time. My experience with priority package mail is an average of three days.

Ken Fitzgerald
12-11-2015, 6:41 PM
We normally have pretty good luck with Priority Mail too. But earlier this year, I had another package via Priority Express do the same thing.

Larry Frank
12-11-2015, 7:40 PM
That is a shame having to wait for it. I have had good luck with priority mail. I really like my mailman and make certain he gets a nice cash Christmas present....it really help getting my packages and not having them left in the weeds.

Matt Day
12-11-2015, 7:45 PM
I've had a dozen or so packages get delayed over the years through USPS. Many times it gets stuck (lost I think) at a sorting facility for days or even weeks until they find it. It's frustrating that you cant do anything about it and recieve no sort of compensation for their delay and errors.

But with every package I seem to forget about it once it's finally in my hands! Human nature I think.

10 days coast to coast on horseback? That's impressive.

Howard Garner
12-11-2015, 9:27 PM
10 days coast to coast on horseback? That's impressive.

I believe that was the Missouri river to Sacramento at the start. And the distance got shorter the further the railroads built (UP & CP)

Greg R Bradley
12-11-2015, 9:53 PM
Missouri River to Sacramento in 10 days on horseback sounds pretty wimpy. In the Race Across America, they do the actual Pacific Ocean (or very close) to the Atlantic Ocean (or very close) on a bicycle in 8-9 days. Typically about 3,000 miles. That is total elapsed time including any stops.

Ken Fitzgerald
12-11-2015, 10:01 PM
Greg.....I am not sure they are Federal employees.

Greg R Bradley
12-11-2015, 10:47 PM
Its just amazing. The best of the four mailmen that deliver to one of my businesses is unbelievably lazy but at least delivers the mail to the correct business and is friendly. He goofs off about one third of the day and keeps going back to the businesses that have attractive receptionists. He wastes close to an hour a day at just one nearby business. And that is the best of them.

In the last year I have had to struggle over and over just to get mail delivered correctly to a business that has been at the same location for 36 years. Just last month the mail person returned all mail addressed to one business as "not at this address" for most of a month. Same location, same business for 36 years. We even added labels to the mailboxes with each person's name and the business name a few years ago. Imagine a business that has to endure all legitimate business mail including statements, invoices, and checks all returned to the sender for about 3 weeks. Many thousand of dollars wasted sending people to physically retrieving checks addressed to us and improperly returned to sender. Hours wasted getting vendors to fax us invoices that were improperly returned.

We have to watch for the mailman each day because we have to try to prevent them from hiding important mail in the wrong places. They will leave mail in boxes that have no tenants and then nobody can get it as they are locked. Employees have to drop what the are doing when the mail person is in the area to try to keep them from destroying that business through their incompetence. I have four different buildings in that business complex but have all mail delivered to one address. The other boxes have Post Office official "do not deliver to this address" cards inside. We have to regularly check those other three boxes because the will leave mail in them several time per month.

One day a few months ago, I recognized the labeling on a box that we were expecting when the mailman parked in between my front door and the next business. She went to the next business. I stopped her before she finished opening the door and said "that is mine". She argued with me, looked at the address on the box, which was my business name and my address. She then looked at the door in front of her that had a different business name and their address and insisted on delivering it to them. They signed for it and handed it to me. It was a critical item and fortunately they are my customer so I was able to retrieve my property.

UPS and Fedex have their problems but we just don't dare use USPS for anything worth much and would have to make sure that is replaceable.

Its just incredible. The pleasant one that actually gets the mail to the correct places is about to retire............ It's going to get worse.

Curt Harms
12-12-2015, 8:12 AM
SWMBO bought something on Ebay from a seller in Oklahoma. We live in S.E. PA. The package had a nice stay in Puerto Rico for a few days enroute :rolleyes:. Another package from Texas took 2 weeks+ to arrive. It spent several days in a Dallas sort facility - had to go to some sort of address correction unit. When we finally received it - seemingly with the original Ebay/Pitney Bowes generated label - the address looked 100% correct. In fairness USPS handles a LOT of packages and deliver the vast majority without incident. Those few exceptions sure do make for LOLs though. If I ship something where I need to be sure of the delivery schedule I use FedEX or UPS.

Rick Moyer
12-12-2015, 9:42 AM
I sometimes order cigars (in-state, 2 hrs. away) and they ship UPS, I get them the next day. This time I also ordered a "grab bag" of four lighters along with my cigars. Well apparently these grab bag lighters may or may not contain some fuel so they have to ship USPS. I ordered Saturday (one week) and they apparently are on some post office loading dock somewhere yet, tracking only shows initial "pre-shipment info sent to USPS". I was told they can take up to three weeks! Have to be hand-sorted by PO.
I don't care when the lighters get here, but I don't appreciate my fine cigars sitting somewhere for over a week (so far) under who-knows-what conditions. I mostly blame the shipper for sending this in one shipment, knowing the situation. I had no idea these lighter "might" contain fuel or I would have placed two separate orders. We'll see how the cigars are when they get here. Bottom line: if you want something quickly you're better off specifying the carrier.

Mike Henderson
12-12-2015, 10:31 AM
I've gotten a lot of stuff through USPS and never had a problem. Priority mail packages (sent and received) seem to get to the destination in the proper amount of time. Don't know how it will be for the holidays, however. I avoid shipping at this time of year.

Mike

Dennis Peacock
12-12-2015, 12:49 PM
General Reminder:
This is not a thread to bash delivery services. I'm sure that none of us would want to get out there and handle accurately and without mistake millions of packages at this time of year. Let's try and give a little grace and understanding to people. Please?

Matt Day
12-12-2015, 1:45 PM
Greg.....I am not sure they are Federal employees.

Good point! Lol

Jim Koepke
12-12-2015, 1:49 PM
One day a few months ago, I recognized the labeling on a box that we were expecting when the mailman parked in between my front door and the next business. She went to the next business. I stopped her before she finished opening the door and said "that is mine". She argued with me, looked at the address on the box, which was my business name and my address. She then looked at the door in front of her that had a different business name and their address and insisted on delivering it to them. They signed for it and handed it to me. It was a critical item and fortunately they are my customer so I was able to retrieve my property.

If this happened to me, I would start the journey up the chain of command at the USPS.

It is against federal law to intentionally or knowingly divert mail. Maybe a criminal investigation by postal inspectors would tick off your carrier, but then again, it might get them disciplined or eliminated from the union of carriers.

There are too many people looking for jobs for letter carriers to be this disrespectful of postal customers.

jtk

Brian Elfert
12-12-2015, 3:33 PM
I have pretty good luck with the USPS. Many times packages sent first class arrive earlier than the tracking estimates. I did have a priority mail package this week arrive a day later than estimated, but it was parts for my riding mower that I don't need until spring. I found a really good price for the parts on Ebay (50% off) and no guarantee of that price in the spring.

Mark Blatter
12-12-2015, 4:47 PM
We lived in Laural, MT for many years. Laural is a small town of about 9000 or so and we built a house in a subdivision that had been there for ten years or so, but only had a single house in it. I was amazed over the years how we would receive letters/packages that had missing parts of the address, or simply wrong info in the address. One time we received a letter that only had our last name, along with the city & state. No street, no house number or zip code. We still received it. Our carrier and the local PO were great at getting stuff to us.

I complain about service as much as the next guy, but there are times when I am amazed at the service we do receive.

Mike Null
12-13-2015, 7:44 AM
For part of my business it is necessary to ship to residential addresses. USPS is not only faster than UPS in most cases but much less expensive. I am using USPS more and more and find them to be quite competent.

Gary Yoder
12-13-2015, 12:40 PM
I have to agree about having better luck with USPS than other companies. If you are having a problem with a USPS delivery person, go up the chain and nicely let someone know what is going on. I've been very impressed with the management in our local offices. They WANT to know when there is a problem with deliveries and do well in correcting things. I can't say that about UPS....... I once had a fedex lady sign my name for a (signature required) package and leave it in my neighbors mechanical garage.??

Ken Fitzgerald
12-13-2015, 2:27 PM
The package finally arrived last night. They delivered it to our backdoor on the carport. The person delivering didn't ring the doorbell to let me know it had arrived.

My point for all of this is that it was a 3 Day Priority package. I paid for that and it took 13 days. The longest delay was between Syracuse, NY and Aurora, CO. I can understand how regular mail or packages regular delivery, non-Priority, can get lost or delayed. It would seem that packages that can be tracked would be handled differently. I guess, however, accidents do happen. I am just glad it arrived!

Personally I have better luck with FedEx.

Jim Koepke
12-13-2015, 2:30 PM
It would seem that packages that can be tracked would be handled differently.

The tracking may only be for the customer. Maybe some wizard will come along and show the powers that be how to set up a program to sound an alarm when a package is "off track."

jtk

Travis Porter
12-13-2015, 4:11 PM
And shipping was $40?

Kev Williams
12-13-2015, 4:31 PM
I have equal luck with any of them. The USPS does funny stuff at times tho... Like a week ago last Monday, I shipped 2 nearly identical (small weight differences) "medium flatrate" boxes from here (Utah) to a place in Texas. Both boxes tracking showed they left my house, my post office, and my state at the same time. After that...? One box arrived on Wednesday, the other on Friday. They were NEEDED on Thursday... This customer was one of MY customer's customer (3rd party engraving)- So my customer gives me the "you should use UPS for time-sensitive deliveries!" - well, point #1: UPS wouldn't have delivered until Thursday afternoon, which was too late. Point #2, last monday a customer in Denver needed an ID plate in his hands for a plane ride to Illinois bright & early Thursday, and was willing to pay for overnight service just to be sure. So I sent it UPS regular overnight. FRIDAY morning, my customer, with a later flight, can't locate the plate. So I punch in the tracking number, which IS in their system, but tracking says "no information on this tracking number available at this time"... ??!! $58 to send a padded envelope overnight. and they don't know anything about it, 4 days later? Next step was to make a new plate and ship it overnight to Illinois. About an hour later my customer calls and says the UPS driver just dropped off the plate. At least he got the thing...

I rarely use Fedex, so no current boo-boos from them. There are reasons I rarely use them, but I digress... ;)

Bottom line, they're all businesses with human beings as bosses and employees. They're all going to screw up once in awhile... :)

Robert Delhommer Sr
12-13-2015, 5:49 PM
IMHO the USPS is incapable of doing a good job. Their service is lousy.

Brian Elfert
12-13-2015, 6:37 PM
I sure hope UPS is refunding your money for an overnight delivery taking three or four days. USPS Express mail is somewhat worthless if you really need something there overnight. There are large areas of the USA where Express mail is two days.

Larry Frank
12-13-2015, 7:19 PM
Well,earlier in the thread I said nice things about USPS, now it is different. I got notified that two packages were delivered today...but.....guess what....no packages. Was not my regular postman and who kn o as where they are or if I will see them. It was from Amazon..so they will replace them. Not happy......grrrrr

Howard Garner
12-14-2015, 7:28 AM
My big problem is with the economy shipping services and how some vendors will not accept certain addresses.
UPS/FedEx/DHL all offer a service where they move it most of the way and then drop it off to the USPS for final delivery.
The vendor will NOT take a PO Box for an address and I have never in 20+ years had a street mail box, always a box at the local PO.
This at least delays delivery by a day, and is some cases, the return of the item to the vendor as "Undeliverable".
I try to sneak the PO Box in as a second line, but some vendors do not allow even that.
ARG!!!

Howard Garner

Curt Harms
12-14-2015, 8:22 AM
My big problem is with the economy shipping services and how some vendors will not accept certain addresses.
UPS/FedEx/DHL all offer a service where they move it most of the way and then drop it off to the USPS for final delivery.
The vendor will NOT take a PO Box for an address and I have never in 20+ years had a street mail box, always a box at the local PO.
This at least delays delivery by a day, and is some cases, the return of the item to the vendor as "Undeliverable".
I try to sneak the PO Box in as a second line, but some vendors do not allow even that.
ARG!!!

Howard Garner

That sure is a pain. Do you have an independent mailboxes parcel shipping place? If so, could you use their physical address without costing too much? I can understand why a service designed to deliver to a front door has problems. Where is the P.O. Box's front door?

Ian Moone
12-14-2015, 10:15 AM
Dunno how lucky you are!

Estimated delivery Thursday, Dec 10, 2015 - Thursday, Dec 17, 2015

✓ Postage info received
✓ In transit
Delivered





Time and date

Place

Message



Monday, Dec 7, 2015 6:53 PM

LOS ANGELES , CA

DEPART USPS SORT FACILITY



Sunday, Dec 6, 2015 9:42 PM

LOS ANGELES , CA

PROCESSED THROUGH USPS SORT FACILITY



Sunday, Dec 6, 2015 9:42 AM

ISC LOS ANGELES CA (USPS)

ARRIVED AT INTERNATIONAL SERVICE CENTER



Wednesday, Dec 2, 2015 4:15 AM

SPOKANE , WA

Departed USPS Facility



Tuesday, Dec 1, 2015 8:20 PM

SPOKANE , WA

PROCESSED THROUGH USPS SORT FACILITY



Tuesday, Dec 1, 2015 7:05 PM

SPOKANE , WA

ORIGIN ACCEPTANCE



Tuesday, Dec 1, 2015 2:14 PM

SPOKANE , WA

PRE-SHIPMENT INFO SENT TO USPS



Tuesday, Dec 1, 2015 8:32 AM

SPOKANE , WA

Shipping Label Created



Tuesday, Dec 1, 2015 12:00 AM




Well it's the late evening of the 14 December... almost the 15th and no sign of it yet!.

Hasn't even made it to this nation yet if you believed the tracking info!

Then it has to go thru customs... and then to a delivery contractor... unlikely to be here before Xmas I reckon - will get buried in Christmas parcel mail this end most likely!

Part was a rubber gas tank fill hose.. for the wifes old toyota camry shopping trolley, all of a whopping US$17.86! Can't buy it in Oz - Toyota don't carry them & a leaking gas tank (if you make the mistake of filling it) is a bit of a safety issue so have to have one (even if it is all the way from USA)!

US$35 postage! yeah twice the cost of the rubber part!

Thats not the bad news.



$17.86 USD

1

$17.86 USD





https://securepics.ebaystatic.com/aw/pics/logos/paypal/logo_ebay_62x26.gif




Shipping and handling

$35.00 USD



Insurance - not offered

----



Total

$52.86 USD



Payment

$52.86 USD



Payment sent to northwestautosalvage@gmail.com




From amount

$75.18 AUD



To amount

$52.86 USD



Exchange rate: 1 Australian Dollar = 0.703176 US Dollars








Yep = over $75 bucks for a $17 dollar part (worth half a bowl of rice in China where it was probably made)!

But don't sweat it - we signed a free trade agreement with the USA, to encourage bilateral trade!

The fact USPS (and UPS etc) turned that into a defacto trade tariff with "excessive postage rates" should not concern anyone.

So ahh - just how is that $18trillion deficit workin' out for ya'll?

Can't figure why you can't trade your way outta trouble? :confused:

Sorry, I have no idea!

Mike Henderson
12-14-2015, 12:15 PM
Well,earlier in the thread I said nice things about USPS, now it is different. I got notified that two packages were delivered today...but.....guess what....no packages. Was not my regular postman and who kn o as where they are or if I will see them. It was from Amazon..so they will replace them. Not happy......grrrrr
Most likely they were delivered, then someone came along and picked them up. Had that happen to me one time.

Mike

Pat Barry
12-14-2015, 1:06 PM
Well,earlier in the thread I said nice things about USPS, now it is different. I got notified that two packages were delivered today...but.....guess what....no packages. Was not my regular postman and who kn o as where they are or if I will see them. It was from Amazon..so they will replace them. Not happy......grrrrr
Lots of package theft going on these days....

Pat Barry
12-14-2015, 1:08 PM
Dunno how lucky you are!

Estimated delivery Thursday, Dec 10, 2015 - Thursday, Dec 17, 2015

✓ Postage info received
✓ In transit
Delivered





Time and date
Place
Message


Monday, Dec 7, 2015 6:53 PM
LOS ANGELES , CA
DEPART USPS SORT FACILITY


Sunday, Dec 6, 2015 9:42 PM
LOS ANGELES , CA
PROCESSED THROUGH USPS SORT FACILITY


Sunday, Dec 6, 2015 9:42 AM
ISC LOS ANGELES CA (USPS)
ARRIVED AT INTERNATIONAL SERVICE CENTER


Wednesday, Dec 2, 2015 4:15 AM
SPOKANE , WA
Departed USPS Facility


Tuesday, Dec 1, 2015 8:20 PM
SPOKANE , WA
PROCESSED THROUGH USPS SORT FACILITY


Tuesday, Dec 1, 2015 7:05 PM
SPOKANE , WA
ORIGIN ACCEPTANCE


Tuesday, Dec 1, 2015 2:14 PM
SPOKANE , WA
PRE-SHIPMENT INFO SENT TO USPS


Tuesday, Dec 1, 2015 8:32 AM
SPOKANE , WA
Shipping Label Created


Tuesday, Dec 1, 2015 12:00 AM



Well it's the late evening of the 14 December... almost the 15th and no sign of it yet!.

Hasn't even made it to this nation yet if you believed the tracking info!

Then it has to go thru customs... and then to a delivery contractor... unlikely to be here before Xmas I reckon - will get buried in Christmas parcel mail this end most likely!

Part was a rubber gas tank fill hose.. for the wifes old toyota camry shopping trolley, all of a whopping US$17.86! Can't buy it in Oz - Toyota don't carry them & a leaking gas tank (if you make the mistake of filling it) is a bit of a safety issue so have to have one (even if it is all the way from USA)!

US$35 postage! yeah twice the cost of the rubber part!

Thats not the bad news.



$17.86 USD
1
$17.86 USD




https://securepics.ebaystatic.com/aw/pics/logos/paypal/logo_ebay_62x26.gif


Shipping and handling
$35.00 USD


Insurance - not offered
----


Total
$52.86 USD


Payment
$52.86 USD


Payment sent to northwestautosalvage@gmail.com



From amount
$75.18 AUD


To amount
$52.86 USD


Exchange rate: 1 Australian Dollar = 0.703176 US Dollars







Yep = over $75 bucks for a $17 dollar part (worth half a bowl of rice in China where it was probably made)!

But don't sweat it - we signed a free trade agreement with the USA, to encourage bilateral trade!

The fact USPS (and UPS etc) turned that into a defacto trade tariff with "excessive postage rates" should not concern anyone.

So ahh - just how is that $18trillion deficit workin' out for ya'll?

Can't figure why you can't trade your way outta trouble? :confused:

Sorry, I have no idea!
The package should be getting unloaded of the steam ship in Perth any time now. I bet you get it on-time!

Edit - I meant Sydney, Perth would be far too close to you.

Ian Moone
12-14-2015, 9:25 PM
Of course Skidknee is where it will go.. then there is the 3000 mile trip across the nation by camel train! :D

You know I once bought a new custom shop Gibson Guitar from the USA, for my 2nd lads 21st Bday... 3 days tops, via FEDEX!

They sent it from one of the mid west states to Alaska, then to Hong Kong, Singapore & Perth!.

Due to international date lines - it almost got here before it was posted!

BUT UPS go the other way around... and it takes WEEKS!

Gotta make you wonder!

Gary Yoder
12-14-2015, 9:36 PM
Just had UPS stop in with a package he was supposed to drop off at the post office. He was coming by anyway and gave it directly to me, a day early. I'm not complaining!

John A langley
12-15-2015, 8:08 AM
I routinely get my United parcel packages at 4 o'clock in the afternoon however living in a rural community if the driver sees me parked somewhere in town he puts it in the back of my truck. However USPS has taken over 14 days to deliver a Chuck That was mailed 3 1/2 miles from our house our local post office and rual courier are HUA.

Ian Moone
12-15-2015, 8:33 AM
Is it any wonder that Amazon etc are messing with remote drone delivery's!

Bill Hubbard
12-16-2015, 12:34 PM
My wife was home with our younger child sick yesterday. Waiting for a box of wine being delivered by Fedex that requires in person signature. Since it was warm out, she left the inner door wide open, and a sign on the storm door saying(In big red letters)"FEDEX: Please knock loudly. I am home and available to sign for package. Thank you". Contacted Fedex a couple of times over the course of the afternoon and was told it's out for delivery. Then she checked again at around 6:30, and got "Undeliverable. Recipient not available to sign." We checked and there was no door tag either. So she asked if they could find out from the driver what was going on, and was told that Fedex has no way to contact their drivers to see what the issue is. Since this is a direct from Vinyard in PA that she likes, and she had delivery problems on her last shipment as well, she is going to tell the vinyard that if there isn't a different carrier available they won't be getting anymore orders from her. I'll take the USPS any day over FedUps.

-Bill

Myk Rian
12-16-2015, 3:24 PM
I'll take the USPS any day over FedUps.

-Bill
That won't do any good. USPS will just hand it off to FedEx. You do know they deliver for each other, right?

Steve Peterson
12-16-2015, 7:15 PM
I wonder what the delivery charges were for the original 10 day coast to coast pony express? They must have burned through a lot of horses and riders in those 10 days.

I have had 1 day USPS service from a college about 100 miles away. I called about 9:00 AM to request a catalog. It was waiting for me that night when I got home around 5:00 PM.

I have also had 6 month delivery time for a post card from Mexico to get to my house. Sometimes things go smoothly and other times strange things happen.

Steve

Ian Moone
12-16-2015, 7:57 PM
Estimated delivery Thursday, Dec 10, 2015 - Thursday, Dec 17, 2015

✓ Postage info received
✓ In transit
Delivered





Time and date
Place
Message


Monday, Dec 7, 2015 6:53 PM
LOS ANGELES , CA
Departed USPS Facility


Sunday, Dec 6, 2015 9:42 PM
LOS ANGELES , CA
Arrived at USPS Facility


Sunday, Dec 6, 2015 9:42 AM
ISC LOS ANGELES CA (USPS)
Arrived at Sort Facility


Wednesday, Dec 2, 2015 4:15 AM
SPOKANE , WA
Departed USPS Facility


Tuesday, Dec 1, 2015 8:20 PM

SPOKANE , WA
Arrived at USPS Facility


Tuesday, Dec 1, 2015 7:05 PM

SPOKANE , WA
Accepted at USPS Origin Sort Facility



Tuesday, Dec 1, 2015 8:32 AM

SPOKANE , WA
Shipping Label Created



Tuesday, Dec 1, 2015 12:00 AM

N/A
Pre-Shipment Info Sent to USPS









Well, it's the 17th Dec, and the parcel's a no show!.
Not even shown as scanned into the darn country yet!

Sure gotta love USPS! :rolleyes:

Left LA 10 days ago!

10 days!

It takes what to fly to Oz.. a day at best?

So the other 9 days?

I have had parcels ex USA take over 3 months to arrive.

But don't worry - ya'll will trade outta that $18 Trillion deficit in no time at all! :D