[Boatanchors] USPS Info

[Rob Atkinson]

I have had good service with USPS; my only problem with them is that
they don't track packages.  You get a number that some may refer to as
a "tracking number," but it is really for confirming shipping and
receipt at the far end.

Until a few weeks ago I was a big fan of FedEx.  Then I had a 75A3
shipped to me with a requirement that I sign for it upon delivery.  I
came home from work one day to find a FedEx delivery attempt slip
stuck to my door.  I called and told them I don't care if they just
leave it for me to find when I get home.  They refused to do that, and
not only that, but a neighbor's signature would not do, nor would my
signing their delivery slip and leaving that for them the next day.
No, I had to physically be there right when the truck got there to
leave the box and sign for it on the spot.   So I arranged for
delivery the following Saturday between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.  I had an
appointment for 1 p.m. and figured I'd be back in time and waiting
around would be okay; plenty to do around the house while I waited.  I
walked out the door to go to my appointment at 12:30 and there was
another FedEx attempt slip.  They had come early and they must have
tapped on my door with a pencil eraser because I never heard anything.
  I called them up after my appointment to learn that I had been
mislead earlier by one of the other customer service reps and that
they do not commit to a time frame for delivery, the truck would not
be back that day, and their drivers are told to knock lightly so as to
not wake anyone up (not making that up).

I finally got the 75A3 a few days later but I had to take a day off
from work and wait around for it.    They would not bend on the
signature requirement and I was told the shipper could waive it, but
that would delay delivery even more.

Wait, it gets better.  I had a couple of radio items to ship out to a
guy about a week later, and I started out going to UPS but the office
I planned to go to had closed.  So I'm driving around on my  lunch
hour and there's a FedEx office so I grudgingly go there and ship out
the package.  But, I in no uncertain terms, check the box that says
Signature Not Required, and off it goes.  That evening I look at the
progress of it with the tracking number.  I find to my amazement that
FedEx changed delivery to signature required.  Nothing was said to me,
my consent was not asked for, nothing.   I immediately contact the
addressee and apologize,  telling him it was not my idea to put him
through what I went through with these people the week before.

Later I google FedEx Signature Requirement and find a lot of other
people are just as annoyed as I with the inconvenience this causes.
Apparently, this is a recent FedEx policy change.   They will still
leave minor items worth less than around $100 but anything they think
is worth more than that they will change to signature receipt required
whether you like it or not.  It would be okay if I lived in a high
crime area or was getting a $10,000 item, but I don't, and have never
had anything stolen that was left at my front door.   I've had it with
FedEx; It's UPS for me from now on as I am told they will leave
packages if you want them to.   About the "United Parcel Shakers"
thing, I have had two packages damaged by UPS and in both cases, it
was because the shippers had no idea how to pack them.   Things like
that are not UPS's fault.

73

Rob
K5UJ