Delivery Updates

Here is an update on the FedEx and USPS issues. First, FedEx: Question: How long does it take FedEx to deliver a package that is shipped from an hour away and supposed to get to me overnight? Answer: 4 days and 2 states. I called the shipper today (as I have the past few days) and she spent several hours dealing with FedEx. They gave all sorts of excuses: the weather one day, it was left at the facility the next and then today it was left off the truck because there was no more room. The shipper made the head manager personally bring it to me and he just left. Of course the shipper will get her money back, but I get nothing except 4 days of frustration - I had to be home to sign for it.

Now for the USPS: My mail was picked up and packages delivered a day late. I was told by the USPS automatic e-mail that someone would get back to me within 2 business days. As of today (4 business days later) no one had responded. When I picked up my mail today I found an unofficial, threatening letter from my mail carrier in my mailbox. I decided to call the local Post Office and make them do someone and a woman there (who told me she was the Postmaster when in reality she is only training to be the Postmaster.) She said she was going to e-mail me a response tonight - which is what they all say when you question their tardiness. I told her about the threatening letter and she did not care. She is also clearly friends with the mail carrier and defended her through and through. She was more concerned with helping the customers waiting in the Post Office than resolving my issue and I told her so. I saw I wasn't getting anywhere with her and so asked for the name and number of her supervisor. She gave me his name, but didn't want to give me his number until I made her. I called her supervisor and told him everything that had happened. He told me that the woman was not the Postmaster, but was training to be the Postmaster. I told him that this incident should go into her file and be taken into consideration when a decision to hire her is made. I also told him about the threatening letter and told him the same thing that I had told the "Postmaster:" if I ever received another threatening letter I would call the police and hold the mail carrier, the "Postmaster" and the supervisor responsible as they had been warned. In the end I told him that I expected him to apologize. He said he was sorry I was upset. I told him that he should be sorry that the mail carrier didn't deliver or pick up the mail and then lied about it when she was caught, that the mail carrier sent me a threatening letter and that the "Postmaster" was not able to handle the situation. He then said he was sorry for all that (it was really heart-warming.) I also told him I expected him to address all these issues with the "Postmaster" and the mail carrier and then to personally follow-up to make sure something like this never happens again. I live in a small town and go to Post Office (23 minutes away in the next town) a lot - to mail packages to my dad in Afghanistan - and will see the "Postmaster" often. I am not worried. I will simply be overly polite and when I say "Thank You" often I will be saying another phrase in my head (that also ends in You.) As for the mail carrier: I am going to place the threatening letter - which I have made a copy of - back in the mailbox tomorrow with the words "Return to Sender" on it. If she doesn't pick it up I will go to the Post Office on Monday and return it there. I am not one to back down when others threaten me and do not plan to now. If the mail carrier was smart she would accept defeat and start delivering and picking up my mail with no more issues and this will simply go away, but if she wants to do more than I will be ready. I have no problem going up the "food chain" of the USPS until someone gets things right. With all the issues and problems this week I sometimes wish the world had ended today since then I wouldn't have to deal with idiots like the USPS or FedEX again. Just so you know: I have never had an issue with the UPS guy who comes (he came yesterday and today) and is very nice.