USPS

[lindaj]

Do I actually trust the US Postal Service to deliver express packages this week at the time they claim? Or is that unrealistic?

FedEx is notably more expensive, though maybe also notably more reliable. UPS has never, in my experience, been particularly reliable, and they're not particularly cheap, either.

I have something that needs to arrive somewhere by Friday, for not at all the reason that everyone else needs that this week. While 2-day shipments are cheaper for all of the carriers, I'm tempted to pay the extra for 1-day, just so that they have an extra day to correct any mistakes. Is that realistically or unrealistically paranoid?

I'm all in a rush on this because someone missed his flight on Monday and had to stay an extra day...but I wouldn't have traded that for the world.

Thoughts?

Comments

[tytso.livejournal.com]

I would definitely second the Fedex recommendation. One of the big advantages over USPS and UPS is (a) they are reliable, and (b) you can use on-line tracking to where the package is, because they scan all packages whenever they go one or off a truck/plane/whenever.

I don't know about now, but I still refuse to use UPS after a driver just slapped a "we've tried 3 times, you didn't answer the doorbell, pick up at office" sticker on my door without ringing the doorbell (I know this because I was at home working and heard the UPS truck drive up and drive off. and I couldn't get to the door in time), and when I showed up at the Watertown office the following day, the staff had absolutely no clue where my package had gone to. Turns out the lazy UPS driver had left my package on the truck and not returned it to the office like he said he was going to do. I finally got the package days later. As a result, I no longer patronize UPS whenever I have the option.

I like Fedex because the main Fedex office for the Boston area is within walking distance of my house in Medford. Also, I can leave a signature permission on file that will by default allow packages to be left on my front porch without my needing to be present (unless the sender explicitly requires a signature). Finally, when I have had to pick up packages at the Fedex office, they've never lost a package. Their Internet tracking system seems to be very reliable at telling me precisely where the package is at any point in time --- unlike UPS which doesn't seem to keep as close track about where their packages are when they are lost inside their shipping network....

[lindalee.livejournal.com]

One of the big advantages over USPS and UPS is (a) they are reliable,

Are they reliable enough that you'd trust them to deliver a 2-day package in 2 days, this week? Or would you still ship it 1-day, just to be safe?

I like Fedex because the main Fedex office for the Boston area is within walking distance of my house in Medford.

Then perhaps I'll phone you later and ask you where that is, exactly.

[tytso.livejournal.com]

Are they reliable enough that you'd trust them to deliver a 2-day package in 2 days, this week? Or would you still ship it 1-day, just to be safe?

Normally, I'd be confident that they could do a 2-day package in 2 days. This week? And if you absolutely, positively want to make sure it gets there by the target date? I suppose there's a chance something might get screwed up --- weather problems in Boston or some thing else that grounds one of their planes, etc. Is it worth paying an extra $18 dollars ($36 vs $18 for a one pound package) just to make sure? Eh, I suppose it depends.

Dropping the package directly at their shipping office for the Northern suburbs in Medford (25 Sycamore, off Riverside Ave, close to where Ames used to be) would certainly help reduce a large number of the places where there might be potential screwups.