the USPS

[lp-op]

When replying to another thread, and it happened to remotely reference the USPS. A few weeks ago, sent a $50.00 gift card to wife's son for b'day. Drove around that Saturday to a few PO's and WTF? no stamp machines anymore, and I generally am not able to get to the PO during business hours. Go to a couple of grocery stores (some around here USED to sell stamps) to buy one stamp, no more single stamps anywhere, got to buy a book. The little I use the PO anymore (all online), a whole book is a luxury, not a necessity. So, finally got one stamp when told a lady at the grocery store we couldn't find one anywhere, and she gave us one of hers, wouldn't take any money for it, at that point, I would've paid a couple of bucks for one just to get it done.

Sent the card off a week before his b'day, should be plenty of time, took 3 weeks to get from TX to MO. Wife even called the PO questioning this. And the PO complains about having trouble, it is no wonder, next time it will be worth a couple of buck just to send it fedex and make sure it gets there.

[Schultz]

The little shipping/mailing stores and most grocery stores around here sell stamps now.

[okie shooter]

I believe that most post offices still have vending machines. That if they are working, I know a lot of stores will sell stamps but in books or such.

On the USPS, I have a little kicker here, guess they seem to be very quiet of theft from employees. I kept wondering if the better half was sending in rebates, seems to be that our neighborhood carrier was investigated for takeing mail and such. I asked the post master and all they could do is refer me to the postal inspectors office 150 miles away, I guess I am happy my dog bit this guy, my dog must be a better judge of people than the post office.

[HKILLER]

i hate the po but sometimes you can beat there prices to ship stuff. just little things lilke that make me not want to go, im in a big city in tx and it the same here.

[jdowney]

I like the PO, but then I live in a small town. No mailbox stores out here, and UPS will ding you for an extra $5 to deliver rurally.

Did they lose the letter? Last time I had to send fedex it cost about $20 :eek: but that was overnight.

People complain about the PO, and they are a huge clunky bureaucracy, but living in a rural area, I think they do a hell of a job. UPS is pretty good out here, but takes 5 days instead of 3, and fedex is a joke. And neither of them handles the volume that the PO does. The PO contracts a lot of their flat rate priority shipping to UPS, but handles the final delivery - best of both worlds, but then a priority envelope can't compete with 1st class in price.

Come to think of it, lp-op, just buy the smallest book of "forever" stamps and be done with it. You'll only have to go into the lobby once every other year to do it. Or you can even mail order them, couldn't be easier.

[cfish]

We have two small PO's where I live and both go out of their way to help out. Both have stamp machines in their walk in after hours lobbies!!

[Planning]

I like the PO, but then I live in a small town. No mailbox stores out here, and UPS will ding you for an extra $5 to deliver rurally.

Did they lose the letter? Last time I had to send fedex it cost about $20 :eek: but that was overnight.

People complain about the PO, and they are a huge clunky bureaucracy, but living in a rural area, I think they do a hell of a job. UPS is pretty good out here, but takes 5 days instead of 3, and fedex is a joke. And neither of them handles the volume that the PO does. The PO contracts a lot of their flat rate priority shipping to UPS, but handles the final delivery - best of both worlds, but then a priority envelope can't compete with 1st class in price.

Come to think of it, lp-op, just buy the smallest book of "forever" stamps and be done with it. You'll only have to go into the lobby once every other year to do it. Or you can even mail order them, couldn't be easier.

YEP! i ship my guns thru UPS and it cost a lot more to do it, but so far it has been safer than USPS. yes they charge a fuel cost= extra, resident delivery = extra, rural delivery= extra, most every thing is extra with them. it adds up very fast. i also have to drive to a hub, which is in another town. so the cost of shipping is a lot.

for general stuff i use the USPS priority mail ( flat rate boxes) when i can, i have not had a problem so far with that.

i am still very greatful we have options, for the amount of shipping they do it works pretty good, at least if you compare it with other countries.

ron

[Old Grump]

I have to admit I find their shipping usually reasonable and prompt but they have their moments. I had letters sent to me by my attorney whose office was barely 5 miles from my house and the letter got there a day late after I was supposed to have attended a meeting. Another time same office they posted a letter to me in the morning and I got it the same day.

Best one is boot camp 1963, Christmas time. Grandma sent me a package, my uncle her son who works in the post office delivered it to the post office and then for a year my grandmother was mad at me because I never mentioned the package.

A year later just before Christmas while I was at school back at Great Lakes again a package showed up at my barracks. Cookies were a little dry and brittle. The chewing gum was a little dry and brittle, the cigars were a little dry and very flammable. I never had one light up and when I drew my first puff watched a flame marching swiftly towards my mustache. However the scarf and gloves were greatly appreciated. I called her up and she was relieved to know I finally got it but why did I wait so long to thank her. I checked the stamp on the box and sure enough it was a year to the day that she had sent it.

Better late than never but wow.

[holescreek]

Odd things have been happening with the PO here since last winter. We started noticing that out mailman would miss one or two days a week. It wasn't a matter of walking by the house without a delivery, he didn't show up at all. The wife called the PO and was told that they were cutting back on deliveries in an effort to save money. In the spring things kind of went back to normal. Now again in the summer we are seeing it again.

I really like using the PO. The rates are much cheaper than UPS and I don't have to drive down to the UPS terminal which is only open to walk-ins after 1pm. Plus I can print my UPS postage for packages off on my printer and drop them in a package bin in the PO lobby 24/7. By the way,if your PO has the automated package shipping center in the lobby as ours do, they sell stamps as well as printing shipping labels.

[nevada]

I had to start sending my stuff insured to my mom in Hawaii, otherwise she didn't get half of it. Otherwise I've had pretty good luck with the PO. I especially like the priority mail stuff.

[HoseDragger]

The main problem from my view is that they don't seem to have consistency. The PO where my dad lives is not the one that is closer to the house, but the other one.(He lives in Winter Haven, FL- It isn't a bustling metropolis.) The Passport office is a joke there, he went twice during the posted hours to have it renewed only to have them say that the girl wasn't there. Nevermind that there was activity going on behind the door, they just didn't want to serve him. Surprisingly he got prompt, courteous service from the county services office and was taken care of the same day. They also had a carrier taking things a few years ago.