Please don't ask me to ship things to you via "Express" Mail

[bloke]

The United States Postal Service calls this "EXPRESS Mail"...

Shipment Activity Location Date & Time
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Delivered NEW YORK NY 10011 10/11/11 9:37am

Arrival at Unit NEW YORK NY 10011 10/11/11 3:04am

Processed through Sort NEW YORK NY 10199 10/09/11 8:40am
Facility

Acceptance NEW YORK NY 10199 10/08/11 8:34pm

Processed through Sort NEW YORK NY 10199 10/08/11 7:22pm
Facility

Electronic Shipping 10/05/11

bloke "OK...Perhaps it was because I was shipping to such an isolated island locale...(??)"

[TubaTinker]

I sent you those Reynolds valve caps on October 3rd. When did you receive them?

[bloke]

I sent you those Reynolds valve caps on October 3rd. When did you receive them?

uhh...

[bloke]

' just now actually, Dan...

Noon on October 12th.

You must have sent them via "Express Mail"...(??)

------------------------------

sincere thanks, btw!

[TubaTinker]

' just now actually, Dan...

Noon on October 12th.

You must have sent them via "Express Mail"...(??)

------------------------------

sincere thanks, btw!

Actually... they were sent 1st class postage and should have been there no later than LAST Thursday! Maybe the FEDS though those little round things were some sort of contraband. Duh!

I sent a valve section to Anderson on the same day and haven't gotten the return receipt back yet. Hell... Elkhart is only five hours north of here. For that matter... you are only about 3 1/2 hours south.

[bloke]

I sent a RRR letter to a school (two hours drive from here) in early September re: a substantial unpaid bill.

So far, I have NOT received the green RRR receipt back.

whatev'...The school finally paid the bill.

USPS = moot

[russiantuba]

.

[bloke]

mail = fail

[dgpretzel]

On the other hand, if it is significantly cheaper than UPS or FedEx, and the customer isn't in a total rush, it may be appropriate for some circumstances. The customer could probably determine the best tradeoff between speed and price, i.e., what best fits his (her) utility curve.

Sometimes U.S. Mail might be optimal, sometimes another service will be the best choice.

Yes, I have had both good and bad experiences with U.S. Mail. (As I have had with UPS and FedEx, too.)

But, I frequently enjoy benefitting from the "kindness of strangers", in that U.S. Mail to Alaska is frequently cheaper than UPS, FedEx, etc. (Thank you,taxpayers, in the Lower 48. )

My unsolicited $.02.

DG

[bloke]

I suspect the USPS is out of money and out of morale.

[dgpretzel]

Yes, and will only get worse.

The whole structure (since "de-governmenting" the Post Office) is racked with perverse incentives. I mean, when you lose money on each unit, what are you supposed to do, make it up in volume?

So, let postage for a first class letter be $1. Still would be less than 10% of the UPS/FedEx alternative, wouldn't it?

Actually, as one of the few federal governmental functions mentioned in the Constitution, I don't understand the overriding emphasis on trying to require the USPS to be a profit center, rather than a cost center. I mean, do we expect the judicial system to turn a profit? Or the military?

Stepping back to suppress the flames that are about to engulf...



DG

[PMeuph]

I have an honest question:

How reliable is Greyhound for small packages in the US. Up here, greyhound/local bus companies are really great for that kind of stuff ( especially when going from city to city where routes exist) As a matter of fact, I recently received a tuba in four business days. (It had to travel approximately 2000 miles)