Community Forums

drjenk · 04-10-2021, 03:49 PM

In the last year since we sold our house in 3/2020, we've had lost mail twice. Just poof, gone, doesn't arrive. We filed with the post office last summer, they opened a case, using the tracking number. We know it made the trek from Livingston Texas to the USPS Houston processing facility, but that is where the trail ends. It never made it to Blaine, WA. After about a month they sent me a message that basically said we're out of luck, they can't find it.

Right now, we are over a week past due on our tabs, mail initiated 3/2, because it didn't arrive in Bend, where we forwarded them. This time I do not have a tracking number, my mistake, I did not specifically request priority mail. So there is no visibility to this one, but nevertheless, we don't have our tabs and have initiated yet another mailing to our mail forwarding address on 3/25. I do have mail scanning enabled, and our replacement tabs still have not arrived.

Anybody else having trouble with US mail? Or are we just having extremely bad luck? I feel like I may actually need to drive to South Dakota to get them in person at this point.

Cat320 · 04-10-2021, 03:53 PM

Agonizingly slow. Had a priority envelope mailed 2/8 from the east coast, received it mid March in the middle of the country. The Pony Express would have been faster.

Griffin379 · 04-10-2021, 04:02 PM

Use FedEx 2 day. Costs a little more but I always get the mail.

Bobby F · 04-10-2021, 04:04 PM

I don't send anything of any importance via USPS. To me, it's a racket - I have to maintain an address with them for official governmental notifications, and this allows the government to make money by charging to deliver junk mail. I get at least 200 pieces of junk mail for every piece of mail that matters.

wildtoad · 04-10-2021, 04:07 PM

Ha! We have trouble with our local PO with vacation hold mail service. Sometimes they fail to hold it, sometimes the fail to deliver it when the time expires. Not sure I’d attempt I use them for mail forwarding.

Winterbagoal · 04-10-2021, 04:49 PM

May have to declare a "post office pandemic".

Canada Post is just as bad up here.

AudiDudi · 04-10-2021, 05:01 PM

Before we leave for the Winter, I pre-pay for about a dozen Priority envelopes. Twice a month, our local post master sends the mail to us.

Twice we have had the mail get into a loop where it just travels back and forth between Phoenix, AZ and Billings, MT. The most recent was this week. Phoenix seems to be unable to forward it to the correct destination. The 1st time it took 17 days to get it and this last time it was 16 days. Both times I have had to call and get human intervention or fill out a PO form to get their attention.

PS56 · 04-10-2021, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drjenk

In the last year since we sold our house in 3/2020, we've had lost mail twice. Just poof, gone, doesn't arrive. We filed with the post office last summer, they opened a case, using the tracking number. We know it made the trek from Livingston Texas to the USPS Houston processing facility, but that is where the trail ends. It never made it to Blaine, WA. After about a month they sent me a message that basically said we're out of luck, they can't find it.

Right now, we are over a week past due on our tabs, mail initiated 3/2, because it didn't arrive in Bend, where we forwarded them. This time I do not have a tracking number, my mistake, I did not specifically request priority mail. So there is no visibility to this one, but nevertheless, we don't have our tabs and have initiated yet another mailing to our mail forwarding address on 3/25. I do have mail scanning enabled, and our replacement tabs still have not arrived.

Anybody else having trouble with US mail? Or are we just having extremely bad luck? I feel like I may actually need to drive to South Dakota to get them in person at this point.

Get a UPS box - send all your mail there. You get a good discount with AAA.

When on the road have the store send you the mail.

I wouldn't reply upon the USPS to get your forwarding correct.

Or, have a friend collect and forward your mail to you.

I get very little physical mail; mostly Gov't related - Registration, tax into, occasional new credit card.

RRR · 04-10-2021, 06:07 PM

The DeJoys of the USPS.

I can honestly say that AFAIK I/we have only had two times with problems with the Post Office.

Considering the volume of what is handled, not too bad.

atreis · 04-10-2021, 06:34 PM

Outside of Covid, I've had no issues with USPS service, lost items, or time estimate accuracy. Hopefully with Covid apparently coming to an end (hopefully!) it will return to normal again.

Dr Obbins · 04-10-2021, 07:17 PM

Between COVID, cutbacks, and politics, USPS has has issues with on time deliveries. Back in Feb, Congress was ready to launch an investigation to find the real cause. This story is from earlier this year

Solo_RV_Guy · 04-10-2021, 07:59 PM

I'm pleased with my local USPS retail services and my letter carriers. I've had a couple of Amazon things vanish at the hand off between the fulfillment center and the carrier, but only 1 has been to the USPS. After 3 days of no tracking movement Amazon declares them lost and issues a refund to my account.

My mail at home shows up at the same time, give or take about 15 minutes, every day.

**NLOVNIT** · 04-10-2021, 09:45 PM

I've had all sorts of USPS issues for years. From missing mail, to hold mail not held, to something that had to only go 10 miles across town take nearly a month to get to its destination. I've learned that if it's really important & arrival sensitive & I want to still go USPS, to send it Priority so I can track it.

Dutch Star Don · 04-10-2021, 10:51 PM

Only had USPS issues since November 2020. Two months ago, I sent my passport, via Registered Mail, for renewal. About 4 weeks later, I checked to see if the passport office got it. It had just arrived 26 days after I sent it. It came back to me in under two weeks.

We use the USPS Informed Delivery, which tells us what should be delivered to our mailbox everyday, via an email. Last month we saw a letter, from our insurance carrier, being shown that day for delivery. Two weeks later, it finally arrived, it was a dividend check.

Two months ago I read the USPS was now only 30% accurate on their deliveries. It's one of the worse run businesses in the country. I rarely go into our local office and there will be a line out the door at lunch time. I'll ask, why don't you have more people working....the response....they're at lunch. Really, you send your people to lunch when the public is coming in on their lunch breaks. Maybe a smart employer/manager would schedule lunches around the height of business. That's like a fast food joint sending their employees to lunch at noon.