I used to like UPS

[kyleb]

The RV-6 has been down for its annual (err, condition) inspection. I thought I had it timed pretty well to allow me to take our son to Dallas, Tx to drop him off for a week of fishing with his grandfather.

Well, the pMag ignition didn't come through the inspection trouble free, so early last week, I ordered a replacement coil for ~$120 and paid for UPS delivery on Thursday. Which was subsequently postponed to Friday by UPS. At which point, between unfriendly weather forecasts and not wanting to rush maintenance, we decided to drive him to Texas.

We left Atlanta Friday afternoon, dropped him off on Saturday, and drove back today. It hadn't been top of mind, but I saw a note in my inbox from UPS today and lo and behold, the coil is now scheduled for delivery on Tuesday. WTF? It slipped from Thursday to Friday to Tuesday? Now, instead of putting the plane back together tomorrow, the return to flight schedule is getting compressed again... Aargh. And I need to rescue a 9 year old from Texas next weekend.

Gee, thanks, UPS.

Note: If you're doing X/C drives, one thing you'll find is all of the fast food drive-throughs are slammed. We're talking cars wrapped around the building at many places all day long. Oh, and between Atlanta and Dallas, there were convenience stores where everyone (including customers) was wearing a mask, and there were places where the three of us were the only ones...

 

[frfly172]

I have a plane in the shop waiting on a prop overhaul. So now I’m renting for a month. I feel your pain.

 

[smv]

I ordered something week before last with Next Day Air shipping. It proceded to go from Seattle to Louisville. Then obviously got put on a truck as it took 10 hours to get from there to Fargo. I might get it on Tuesday.

Next Day Air, indeed.

 

[Brad W]

Not UPS, but in a similar way....I used to use amazon for everything. The 2-day thing has really fallen apart these days, and I've discovered I can order stuff from other places with free shipping and get it quicker. I think this thing might cause a shift in things and could hurt amazon just a tiny bit....

 

[Brad W]

oh, on the topic of the thread.... this goes back a long time now, but I had much better service in general when amazon used to use UPS for almost everything. Now that they are doing their own deliveries I think quality has dropped a bit

 

[jallen0]

I cannot get UPS to deliver to my door. They just put everything in or near my mailbox. On the ground. They used to deliver to the door but now...nada. If I could select a delivery option I would not ever choose UPS.

 

[RJM62]

Not UPS, but in a similar way....I used to use amazon for everything. The 2-day thing has really fallen apart these days, and I've discovered I can order stuff from other places with free shipping and get it quicker. I think this thing might cause a shift in things and could hurt amazon just a tiny bit....

I think they'd be well-advised to extend all Prime memberships by three months (or more, if need be) at no charge. I think many customers will non-renew it otherwise.

As for UPS, I haven't had any problems so far.

No problems with FedEx Ground, either.

FedEx SmartPost has actually been better than usual, probably because of their habit of not sending a truck from New Jersey to Sparrow Fart unless it's full enough to justify it. More volume reduces that time.

USPS has been okay until the package gets to the local Post Office, where it depends on who's on duty and how paranoid they are about the virus. It varies from normal to a day after the package arrives before it's ready for pickup, depending on who's on duty.

Rich

 

[Ted]

It’s interesting to watch how the different delivery services handle different locations better or worse and how each of the major delivery services has adapted to the current world situation.

FedEx has always been my preferred shipper. We use Amazon Prime a lot too. Some things get shipped UPS inevitably, and usually didn’t arrive on time. Meanwhile a friend of mine who lives in the sticks (more so than me; a couple hours drive from a city) says FedEx has always taken 3 days to do overnight shipping, UPS is the only way for him.

These days, UPS seems to be doing better and is more reliable for us than normal. FedEx has been having issues, lots of packages showing up late or the system otherwise incorrectly predicting delivery dates, etc. Amazon is not getting many things to us in the normal 2-day Prime period, but for the most part they’ve been beating their promises. For a while we were having 5 different delivery drivers show up at our house a day (sometimes 2-3 Amazon ones). Obviously we were ordering a lot of stuff then, which has trailed off a bit now as we’ve caught up with some of the projects we were working on.

 

[KSCessnaDriver]

I cannot get UPS to deliver to my door. They just put everything in or near my mailbox. On the ground. They used to deliver to the door but now...nada. If I could select a delivery option I would not ever choose UPS.

I get FedEx to throw packages into my hay field. Where I live, I'd take USPS delivery over everything, they do a great job. I live in the sticks, and it surprises that USPS is so good for us. UPS is a close second and I'd avoid buying anything I know has to come FedEx, because you never know if/when it's going to show up.

Something to point out, a UPS package comes on a UPS truck (air, ground, it's all the same truck). FedEx has 2 sets of trucks (which are usually operated by contractors), one each for ground and air.

 

[RyanShort1]

I get FedEx to throw packages into my hay field. Where I live, I'd take USPS delivery over everything, they do a great job. I live in the sticks, and it surprises that USPS is so good for us. UPS is a close second and I'd avoid buying anything I know has to come FedEx, because you never know if/when it's going to show up.

Something to point out, a UPS package comes on a UPS truck (air, ground, it's all the same truck). FedEx has 2 sets of trucks (which are usually operated by contractors), one each for ground and air.

It comes down to the individuals running your route and managing your local operation. I despise my local USPS for what it’s worth, but other places they serve well. Same for all the other carriers.

 

[rtk11]

FedEx has been most consistent for me. But some sellers/shippers take forever too. It's been a month and I'm still waiting on 2 tires from a set of tires I ordered for a project car my son and I are working on.

USPS has sent a package from a town 20 miles away to Kentucky, then Texas, to New Jersey, then California where it sat for several days before finally reaching me two weeks later. And yes, this was an order from Aircraft Spruce I was waiting for.

 

[Groundpounder]

I get FedEx to throw packages into my hay field. Where I live, I'd take USPS delivery over everything, they do a great job. I live in the sticks, and it surprises that USPS is so good for us. UPS is a close second and I'd avoid buying anything I know has to come FedEx, because you never know if/when it's going to show up.

Something to point out, a UPS package comes on a UPS truck (air, ground, it's all the same truck). FedEx has 2 sets of trucks (which are usually operated by contractors), one each for ground and air.

FedEx Express is owned and operated by FedEx. FedEx Ground is operated by contractors.

 

[wilkersk]

... Where I live, I'd take USPS delivery over everything, they do a great job. ...

I gotta agree with you. USPS, overall, is more consistent and reliable. Fedex and UPS are both less consistent and have had more 'incidents', I've had a big wooden box, custom made to protect the fragile antique contents inside, arrive with a big hole in the side and the contents smashed. I've had a box of goodies that never arrived and UPS claimed it was lost. I even caught a UPS driver THROWING an expensive box (clearly marked as fragile electronics) from the bottom of my steps to the front door. When I called to complain, I asked to speak to the supervisor, I was told that "that was him in the truck".

I have to tolerate UPS and Fedex. But, I don't trust them.

 

[Zeldman]

When UPS went on strike in 1997, I had over $3000.00 in merchandise in transit. Not any of it made it to their designated destinations. I filed with UPS and was told they are not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged shipments that went through the Chicago area during the strike.

I have not used UPS since. I will not order from a business that uses UPS. When I order something I will ask how it is shipped, and if the answer is ''I don't know'' or ''UPS'' I will cancel the order.

USPS is my favorite, but the post office does not deliver to my house so I have to use a P.O. Box, then drive to town. And some places won't deliver t a PO Box.

FedEx does a great job getting deliveries to my house. I am not that far out in the sticks but everyone else seems to have trouble finding me.

UPS....never again.

 

[cowman]

The ‘rona has everything messed up. I had something that should haven delivered on Sat, was in fact at the facility where they load the deliver truck, but for whatever reason they didn’t load it up so I’m now at Tues.

I’m guessing some UPS employees got Memorial Day weekend off.

 

[AKBill]

FedEx does a great job getting deliveries to my house. I am not that far out in the sticks but everyone else seems to have trouble finding me.

They are a little expensive. I was supersized at the cost to next day air the Halibut to you. Glad you all enjoyed it.

For most things coming to Juneau, I use USPS priority mail. If they will not ship that way I find another place to buy the product and use them. On occasion I use UPS.

 

[Dave Theisen]

FedEx Express is owned and operated by FedEx. FedEx Ground is operated by contractors.

That explains why the package I got yesterday was delivered in a UHaul van.

 

[bbchien]

USPS priority mail (48 hrs) took 8 days to get a recent package to Queens. They suck.
I use FedEx...experience HAS BEEN GOOD.

 

[wrbix]

The UP Man gives my dogs treats

 

[KSCessnaDriver]

FedEx Express is owned and operated by FedEx. FedEx Ground is operated by contractors.

Thanks, I've never been up close with a FedEx operation. I flew feed for UPS and DHL, never did FedEx, I knew it was something like that.

 

[KSCessnaDriver]

I gotta agree with you. USPS, overall, is more consistent and reliable. Fedex and UPS are both less consistent and have had more 'incidents', I've had a big wooden box, custom made to protect the fragile antique contents inside, arrive with a big hole in the side and the contents smashed. I've had a box of goodies that never arrived and UPS claimed it was lost. I even caught a UPS driver THROWING an expensive box (clearly marked as fragile electronics) from the bottom of my steps to the front door. When I called to complain, I asked to speak to the supervisor, I was told that "that was him in the truck".

I have to tolerate UPS and Fedex. But, I don't trust them.

When I flew UPS freight, the words "fragile" on a box, was code for the rampers to throw/kick/move the box harder than they would a normal box.

 

[retpd2001]

Big story here in Tucson, the UPS facility has had 36 employees infected, they are bringing in workers from other states and fear they will go back infected. The union is calling UPS to shut down the facility but so far they have not.

 

[wilkersk]

When I flew UPS freight, the words "fragile" on a box, was code for the rampers to throw/kick/move the box harder than they would a normal box.

Not the first time I've heard that. I've had an 'OOPS' guy tell me that it was the shipper's sole responsibility to make sure that items are packed securely enough to survive anything their crew can do to it. That's ********, I'd never except that kind of attitude from my employees.

 

[kyleb]

When I flew UPS freight, the words "fragile" on a box, was code for the rampers to throw/kick/move the box harder than they would a normal box.

A friend of mine worked for the USPS. Same story.

 

[Sluggo63]

FedEx Express is owned and operated by FedEx. FedEx Ground is operated by contractors.

Sorta. FedEx Express and FedEx Ground are both companies under the FedEx umbrella. You are right that FedEx Ground drivers are contractors, and Express drivers are employees. Up until very recently, FedEx did not intermingle Express and Ground packages. That changed several months ago and now the packages can move between the two systems.

 

[RJM62]

When UPS went on strike in 1997, I had over $3000.00 in merchandise in transit. Not any of it made it to their designated destinations. I filed with UPS and was told they are not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged shipments that went through the Chicago area during the strike.

I have not used UPS since. I will not order from a business that uses UPS. When I order something I will ask how it is shipped, and if the answer is ''I don't know'' or ''UPS'' I will cancel the order.

USPS is my favorite, but the post office does not deliver to my house so I have to use a P.O. Box, then drive to town. And some places won't deliver t a PO Box.

FedEx does a great job getting deliveries to my house. I am not that far out in the sticks but everyone else seems to have trouble finding me.

UPS....never again.

I've found using the four-line name and address format with the PO box number (without the "PO") as the third line almost always works.

The big problem is when a shipper uses UPS or FedEx, but uses the Postal Service AVS system. It corrects the street address to the PO box, which causes UPS and FedEx to either barf or downgrade the package to SurePost or SmartPost, respectively, depending on what kind of mood the computer is in. More and more companies are providing a way to override AVS, however. NewEgg was one of the most recent to do that.

Rich

 

[kontiki]

If you use USPS you have both FedEx and UPS hauling a lot of your freight most of the way, except maybe for the last mile. They both have contracts with the mail system.

 

[Lindberg]

When UPS went on strike in 1997, I had over $3000.00 in merchandise in transit. Not any of it made it to their designated destinations. I filed with UPS and was told they are not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged shipments that went through the Chicago area during the strike.

I have not used UPS since. I will not order from a business that uses UPS. When I order something I will ask how it is shipped, and if the answer is ''I don't know'' or ''UPS'' I will cancel the order.

Did you complain to the Teamsters?

 

[jordane93]

Never had any issues with any carrier. One of my roommates apparently has issues all the time with UPS somehow not able to find our house

 

[Busflyer]

I like that our UPS guy is always the same guy, unless he’s on vacation. He knows where to put our packages so they’re out of sight and the weather. The dogs like that he brings treats
The other guys leave stuff in various places and it’s always someone different. Also no dog treats. Boo.

 

[3393RP]

In the past three months, I've had delivery anomalies with USPS, UPS, FedEx, and Amazon.

I just shrug my shoulders and say "Eh".

You all may have noticed there's a minor ongoing external problem affecting just about every aspect of life right now. Suck it up.

 

[Hacker]

If you're going to shun any package transportation or delivery service that has an irregularity, you're quickly going to fun out of services to use.

 

[Hacker]

If you use USPS you have both FedEx and UPS hauling a lot of your freight most of the way, except maybe for the last mile. They both have contracts with the mail system.

As do many of the passenger airlines. When they're actually flying, that is.

 

[Hacker]

USPS is my favorite, but the post office does not deliver to my house so I have to use a P.O. Box, then drive to town. And some places won't deliver t a PO Box.

FedEx does a great job getting deliveries to my house. I am not that far out in the sticks but everyone else seems to have trouble finding me.

UPS....never again.

As was mentioned earlier...who do you think it is that transports USPS packages around, since you don't see any of these around anymore:

 

[smv]

USPS is my favorite, but the post office does not deliver to my house so I have to use a P.O. Box, then drive to town. And some places won't deliver t a PO Box.

One workaround, if the locals are agreeable, is to use the street address of the local USPS address with your box number tacked on to the end of the street address.

Joseph Bleaux
223 Main Street #442
Yourtown, MD 12345

 

[Unkljohn]

UPS is far superior fo FEDEX at least for my location. I like that it’s almost always the same guy. I had a fedex truck drive into a flower bed and get stuck a few months ago, not sure wtf was up but she drove straight into the wife’s flower. Bed then turned the wheel hard trying to turn around, truck wouldn’t move. They had to send a tow truck out.

 

[kyleb]

If you're going to shun any package transportation or delivery service that has an irregularity, you're quickly going to fun out of services to use.

Good point. This is the first time something like this has bitten me in the posterior.

 

[Bacho]

UPS is far superior fo FEDEX at least for my location. I like that it’s almost always the same guy. I had a fedex truck drive into a flower bed and get stuck a few months ago, not sure wtf was up but she drove straight into the wife’s flower. Bed then turned the wheel hard trying to turn around, truck wouldn’t move. They had to send a tow truck out.

Amazon decided to go off roading in the yard yesterday. With a tremendous amount of rain as of late, it was a very poor idea.

 

[RJM62]

It helps to do a little research as to how different packages actually get routed; and if you have a choice, choose the carrier accordingly.

For example, if something is being shipped from near where I live, UPS or USPS is usually a better bet because FedEx will route it through Memphis even if it's being shipped from next door. Then if it's SmartPost, it will sit on a loading dock in New Jersey until they have enough packages to this region to fill a truck. (That doesn't apply to Ground or Express.)

With Amazon, using the PO box used to be a better choice because Amazon used their own truck to deliver packages to the Post Office, usually around 6:00 a.m.; and the package would be ready for pickup shortly after 8:00 a.m. Right now, however, they're not running their own truck here, so the packages usually arrive with the afternoon USPS parcel truck. Depending on who's on duty and how ridiculous they are with the infection precautions, I may not get the package until the afternoon on the day after the local Post Office receives it.

UPS around here seems relatively unaffected, so I'm trying to nudge deliveries that way. They also deliver right to the house, so I don't have to go to the Post Office. Usually I don't mind. Recently, however, some of the staff there have been going overboard with infection precautions. One day it took me almost an hour from when I showed up at the Post Office to pick up a package -- and there was only one customer ahead of me. So the fewer packages shipped there, the better I like it, for the time being.

From what I'm told, part of the problem is that they're not using the parcel lockers because they have to be disinfected between uses, which I think is ridiculous. There's cautious, and then there's absurd.

Rich

 

[kyleb]

Amazon decided to go off roading in the yard yesterday. With a tremendous amount of rain as of late, it was a very poor idea.

As much as your yard slopes, I'm not surprised.