USPS should be abolished and everyone who works there needs to be fired.

[MaverickNH]

I met the USPS truck today to hand over two small packages for outgoing mail. The driver says to me "Where am I supposed to put those? Sure, it's someone's great idea we take those, but where do I put them?"

I was at a loss for word... He then said "Just give them to me, I'll put them up here" as he dropped them on top of a pile of mail he was delivering. "Five more years" he muttered as he drove away.

There's a guy who could be retired early...

 

[Amputee Marksman]

Tracking for an order from Champions Choice.

Springfield -> Shrewsbury -> Leominster -> Springfield

Ridiculous. Enough said.



Processing at Destination

Arrived at USPS Regional Destination Facility

SPRINGFIELD MA DISTRIBUTION CENTER

January 21, 2025, 7:54 pm

Processing at USPS Facility

LEOMINSTER, MA 01453

January 21, 2025, 5:32 am

Processing at USPS Facility

LEOMINSTER, MA 01453

January 20, 2025, 10:17 am
Arrived at USPS Regional Destination Facility

SHREWSBURY MA DISTRIBUTION CENTER

January 19, 2025, 10:44 am
Arrived at USPS Regional Facility

SPRINGFIELD MA DISTRIBUTION CENTER

January 18, 2025, 8:55 am
In Transit to Next Facility

January 17, 2025, 8:10 pm

 

[waehrik]

When someone advocates for nationalized healthcare, I always point them to the govt’s operation of USPS. Think about the govt running healthcare the way they run USPS. Good grief. Private sector has its problems, but govt does just about everything worse.

Unlike healthcare, postal service is a constitutionally directed service. And as a service it isn't expected to make money. Neither is the military. Nobody seems to complain that the military operates at a much more substantial loss every year.

 

[free]

Unlike healthcare, postal service is a constitutionally directed service. And as a service it isn't expected to make money. Neither is the military. Nobody seems to complain that the military operates at a much more substantial loss every year.

No.

 

[LittleCalm]

Unlike healthcare, postal service is a constitutionally directed service. And as a service it isn't expected to make money. Neither is the military. Nobody seems to complain that the military operates at a much more substantial loss every year.

USPS is not a needed service in the modern world. Military is a national security issue. Very different. And unlike the military, if the private sector carrier services can operate at a substantial profit, there is no reason why USPS cannot at least break even. Hence, mismanagement is the only explanation.

 

[Amputee Marksman]

USPS is not a needed service in the modern world. Military is a national security issue. Very different. And unlike the military, if the private sector carrier services can operate at a substantial profit, there is no reason why USPS cannot at least break even. Hence, mismanagement is the only explanation.

That is what I've been saying for years. USPS should be a $0 sum/gain situation. If USPS can't do that then it should be discontinued.

 

[Golddiggie]

USPS is not a needed service in the modern world. Military is a national security issue. Very different. And unlike the military, if the private sector carrier services can operate at a substantial profit, there is no reason why USPS cannot at least break even. Hence, mismanagement is the only explanation.

IMO, they should crank up the cost to companies sending out junk mail. That could be a double gain. One gain would be more $$ to the USPS coffers. The other would be to reduce the amount of paper that immediately gets tossed (either recycle bins, or trash) by people.

At the worst, USPS should be at a zero loss, overall. At best, operate at a small profit. I could see more urban areas being more positive income level while more rural would be at a slight loss.

Also, the military isn't a public service org. It's to defend the country from foreign powers. Or at least that's what it's supposed to do. Of course, we can't seem to keep our noses out of other country's business (IIRC, the longest we've not been in a war since the country was born is 11 years).

 

[FisherTech]

I have issues with the morons that USPS has hired. Last spring we were awaiting a shipment of 30 day old chicks. The USPS is "Supposed" to send them the most direct route, but NO!!! they sent them the regular mail route, which takes another two days. The whole shipment arrived "DEAD". The Hatchery covered this, but this put our growing and slaughtering schedule behind by a month.

 

[richc]

I ordered a Breek charging handle for an upper I bought with No BCG or CH. USPS ground. Says its going to be delivered yesterday.

USPS Tracking says its in Minnesota still 7 days after the order.

Somehow, I don't think Im getting it yesterday.

I ordered a pair of hiking shoes for my son in VA. The company is about a 45 minute drive from his apartment.

So far it's been through 6 states, 4 Fed-ex facilities, and seems to be lost in the Maryland area. That's over 3 weeks.

Company was gracious and provided a quick refund. And the customer service rep said don't be surprised if the package shows up in the next few weeks or month. She sees stuff like this all the time.

ETA:

I've had the same UPS driver for decades. He's like family now.

He delivered a box the other day with something of value, but there's a tear in the box. He suggests we open it while he's there to make sure the contents are intact.

He said some of their warehouse people have been caught cutting small slits in boxes and reaching in with a coat hanger trying to pull stuff out.

My contents were double wrapped inside the box in a large, plastic shipping envelope. So that technique would not have worked.

What a world!

 

[Golddiggie]

@richc There's plenty of scum out there working all over the place. Not at all surprised by what your UPS driver told you about the warehouse people. You would hope that they would get caught often/fast enough to dissuade people from doing this. Sadly, I suspect that is not the case. I also wouldn't be at all surprised if this happens MORE at the USPS. I would suspect Amazon drivers more than their warehouse people at this point. Especially with what's come to light for those people. Like some 'stressed out' driver dumping a load of packages into the woods. I mean, come on people, you KNEW what the job involved when you took it. Unless you've had every delivery, for several days (at least) where people were pissed off at you, it's not a high stress job. Chances are you can almost turn your brain off while doing it. I actually think that some of the drivers completely remove their brains when stepping into the vehicles.

 

[40 Creedmoor fan]

Unlike healthcare, postal service is a constitutionally directed service. And as a service it isn't expected to make money. Neither is the military. Nobody seems to complain that the military operates at a much more substantial loss every year.

No offense but when a $500 rifle is being bought for $4000 meanwhile veterans struggle to get appointments from VA healthcare system, I have very little empathy for DOD.
When MEPRO sells battle optics to IDF for $300 and meanwhile DOD a rifle optic for $1500 at much larger volume than IDF: no, I have no love for the corrupt bureaucrats in DOD who line their pockets with kickbacks and board appointments.

 

[SS1]

 

[HARRYM]

The Postal Act of 2006 assured us that USPS would begin to turn a profit. The reality is the losses are running into the Billions per year.

 

[waehrik]

No.

Awesome sources. Good job.

Article I, Section 8, Clause 7 specifically gives Congress the power to:

• Establish post offices
• Establish post roads
• Designate mail routes
• Construct or designate post offices
• Carry, deliver, and regulate the mail

• Designate certain materials as non-mailable

• Pass statutes criminalizing abuses of the postal system

Which, you know, is the post office. Without a public option, we'll be at the mercy of increasingly enshittified private companies trying to maximize profit with no regard for service or price. We're already only down to two private competitors and neither of them take normal mail for anywhere close to $0.73. Go ahead and look up what it would be to send a letter via UPS or Fedex.

 

[waehrik]

No offense but when a $500 rifle is being bought for $4000 meanwhile veterans struggle to get appointments from VA healthcare system, I have very little empathy for DOD.
When MEPRO sells battle optics to IDF for $300 and meanwhile DOD a rifle optic for $1500 at much larger volume than IDF: no, I have no love for the corrupt bureaucrats in DOD who line their pockets with kickbacks and board appointments.

I don't either. My point was only that the USPS is a public good and is constitutionally directed. It should be more efficient but handing it off to private industry to gut and wring out for a profit and turn it into a shell of its former self isn't the answer. The first to go will be rural routes which are insanely unprofitable.

 

[waehrik]

USPS is not a needed service in the modern world. Military is a national security issue. Very different. And unlike the military, if the private sector carrier services can operate at a substantial profit, there is no reason why USPS cannot at least break even. Hence, mismanagement is the only explanation.

Go check the price to mail a letter via a private carrier. $7.80 vs $0.73. Are you okay with that price to send out a Christmas card to family? There's a reason private industry operates at a substantial profit - they don't offer the services that the USPS does.

 

[Golddiggie]

Go check the price to mail a letter via a private carrier. $7.80 vs $0.73. Are you okay with that price to send out a Christmas card to family? There's a reason private industry operates at a substantial profit - they don't offer the services that the USPS does.

They should stick to mail and stop with packages. It's bad enough that getting a letter sent reliability is almost impossible. Their handling of packages is all over the place. Send the same size, weight, etc package to either the same address, or same distance either the same day or following and chances are HIGH that they'll take a very different amount of time to be delivered.

 

[HARRYM]

USPS employees show piles of packages, 'total chaos' inside Louisville facility

Inside the United States Postal Services' regional facility on Gardiner Lane in Louisville, packages and mail — many long past due to their destination — fill bins as workers try

www.wdrb.com

 

[kevin9]

Further evidence of the USPS's "competence". I sent a certified letter from ME to MA. It got there initially in a reasonable timeframe (2 days), but no one was there to sign for it. When someone went to get it the next day the local PO couldn't find it. USPS didn't attempt redelivery for 3 days. Now 1 of those days was Sunday, so we'll call it 2 days. Here's what happened:

USPS was supposed to hold it for pickup. Instead the PO sent the letter to Boston, then back to Shrewsbury, then back to the local PO. WTF???

 

[Dennis in MA]

Funny USPS story. My brother sent me a book for my birthday a few weeks ago. He sent it on the 10th. HE figured, he wrapped the book in craft paper and went to the PO for postage. Maybe the following Monday I'd have it.

The following FRIDAY, he texts me, "Hey, I sent you a BD gift - it's running late. Sitting in Providence." (Note: Providence is the bottleneck these days. I'd fire the lot of them and hire and backfill. They lose stuff consistently. It's bad!

Anyhow, monday rolls around. I've forgotten about it. Nada. On FRIDAY (now it's 2 weeks from S-NH to mASS) he texts me, "IT's arriving today!" I found that odd. How big was thsi package? (I didn't know it was a book.)

When I get home, there is the mail. It's one of those "oops, we F'd up" plastic bags with what's left of the kraft paper outsides - NO FREAKING BOOK. How do you destroy a tightly wrapped book packaging???? Did some idiot think it was stacks of 100's wrapped tightly???

Best was the standard USPS note. "We received your package and it was empty." No. You have the ELECTRONIC STAMP RIGHT THERE! You got it JUST FINE and then YOU screwed it up. At least admit that. Sheesh!

 

[pupchow]

NOW HIRING POSTAL INSPECTORS – United States Postal Inspection Service

www.uspis.gov

 

[Golddiggie]

Funny USPS story. My brother sent me a book for my birthday a few weeks ago. He sent it on the 10th. HE figured, he wrapped the book in craft paper and went to the PO for postage. Maybe the following Monday I'd have it.

The following FRIDAY, he texts me, "Hey, I sent you a BD gift - it's running late. Sitting in Providence." (Note: Providence is the bottleneck these days. I'd fire the lot of them and hire and backfill. They lose stuff consistently. It's bad!

Anyhow, monday rolls around. I've forgotten about it. Nada. On FRIDAY (now it's 2 weeks from S-NH to mASS) he texts me, "IT's arriving today!" I found that odd. How big was thsi package? (I didn't know it was a book.)

When I get home, there is the mail. It's one of those "oops, we F'd up" plastic bags with what's left of the kraft paper outsides - NO FREAKING BOOK. How do you destroy a tightly wrapped book packaging???? Did some idiot think it was stacks of 100's wrapped tightly???

Best was the standard USPS note. "We received your package and it was empty." No. You have the ELECTRONIC STAMP RIGHT THERE! You got it JUST FINE and then YOU screwed it up. At least admit that. Sheesh!

You want the USPS to admit they screwed up with something?? GFL with that. I hope he got the gift was covered by the default insurance for items (IIRC, it's a $50 value before they rape you on anything higher). Of course, he has very little chance of ever getting the item value from them due to their screw up in handling it.

I always advise people to NOT ship anything important by USPS. Unless the other shippers are going to be a stupid amount (at least three times what USPS wants) use one of the others.

If the item could be had via Amazon, your brother probably would have been better off getting it shipped directly to you with a gift receipt. Not sure if you can get it wrapped when it's not coming up on xmas.

 

[HARRYM]

Everybody wants cuts, nobody wants cuts.....the more things change the more they remain the same.