USPS Tracking Question

[Jim Koepke]

Informed Delivery from the USPS is one of my favorite services of the USPS. UPS also has a package tracking service.

It often saves me a walk out to the mailbox before the mail is delivered. Of course this only happens when a tracked package is on the day's route.

Looking for today one package is on schedule to arrive today. This got me wondering about something ordered a few days earlier. Imagine my surprise seeing the travel history of my package:

USPS Tracking.png

Hopefully this doesn't end up in a black hole somewhere.

jtk

[mike stenson]

I have a package being shipped to me from a store locally (it was a pre-order item, and they just shipped it instead of holding it there for me, normally not an issue).. that went to LA, then to DC, then to North Carolina, Denver, now it's in Phoenix.

I think they want our packages to have the holidays we don't.

[Jim Koepke]

I think they want our packages to have the holidays we don't.

LOL!

If only we had ordered cameras and a window seat…

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

It seems they cannot make up their mind:

USPS Tracking II.png

Maybe it was put on a fast jet and parachuted into my local P.O.

jtk

[mike stenson]

Nice! Mine's been sitting in Phoenix for a few days now. It seems now that things normally go from Phoenix to LA. I wonder where my package will go next!

The only down side to all of this is, my package.. can warp.

[Wes Billups]

This is funny and scary as I sold a table saw arbor this summer to someone in Virginia. The package spent a week in Puerto Rico just like yours. They eventually got it right and it went to the appropriate address.

Makes me wonder how many packages go to Puerto Rico.

[Kev Williams]

All depends on what planes are going/leaving where and when. Seems that thru PR was the fastest way, but they were hedging their bets with the 'might be late' caveat...

[mike stenson]

All depends on what planes are going/leaving where and when. Seems that thru PR was the fastest way, but they were hedging their bets with the 'might be late' caveat...

This becoming a pretty regular issue is all new behavior within the last 5 months. I ship quite a bit.


Things like this used to happen to me, about once a year. It's been about 3 times in the last two months now. Then again, things going from Tucson to Phoenix, then to LA, then to Tucson.. that's consistent and new (and just wasteful).

[Jim Becker]

Looks like it got inadvertently put on a plane...

[mike stenson]

No wonder usps is loosing money.

That's the thing though, they're not.

[Brian Elfert]

That's the thing though, they're not.

Huh, they lost $8.8 billion in 2019. The USPS has not paid the $5 billion to the retiree healthcare fund since 2012 so losses can't be blamed on the prefunding requirement.

[Jim Koepke]

Well, one package did arrive today but not the one that took a side trip to Puerto Rico.

One thing folks do not realize is the U.S. Post Office was never set up to be a source of revenue. It was set up to be a service of the U.S. Government.

Some with their own agendas have pushed the idea it should be a profit making endeavor. Our founding fathers felt the ability to communicate throughout our nation was important enough to use tax dollars to subsidize its operations.

UPS, FedEx and other carriers do have to make a profit to stay in business. That is why their rates are higher.

The founders of our nation did not foresee the creation of electronic communications eating into the use of the USPS system of delivery.

jtk

[Jim Becker]

Huh, they lost $8.8 billion in 2019. The USPS has not paid the $5 billion to the retiree healthcare fund since 2012 so losses can't be blamed on the prefunding requirement.

They have made a $2.9B profit on operations since 2012. The unfunded stuff, unfortunately, gets amortized which makes them show as a loss. In business accounting, not paying an obligation still affects profitability on paper. Your figure for 2019 is also incorrect.

https://about.usps.com/newsroom/nati...19-results.htm

[Bruce Wrenn]

Got a package today that tracking shows it hasn't hit the PO from original seller on Amazon yet. AMAZING, I got it, and it hasn't even been shipped yet. Our rural postal carrier brought it to the house, rather than leaving it beside mail box as FedEx had done with another package earlier today. About a month ago, UPS left a package leaning against a tree near the road, on day on which rain was predicted. Just happen to find it just before rain set in for the day. I can't say enough good things about our carrier, but the letter sorters are a different story. In past month, wife has had two CC statement returned to sender. Maybe it's because we are new here. Oct 31st, we will have been here 40 years.

[Brian Elfert]

They have made a $2.9B profit on operations since 2012. The unfunded stuff, unfortunately, gets amortized which makes them show as a loss. In business accounting, not paying an obligation still affects profitability on paper. Your figure for 2019 is also incorrect.

https://about.usps.com/newsroom/nati...19-results.htm

The article you cited has a sentence as follows: "The net loss for the year was $8.8 billion, an increase in net loss of $4.9 billion compared to 2018."