USPS - Most Worthless Tracking System?

They've recently updated their system so now it says "in transit" when it hasn't yet been delivered yet. hehe

Sounds like you are using Priority Mail with Delivery Confirmation. That is why it is so cheap/free.

There are other USPS services IIRC that have proper tracking

Probably that one... it is not real tracking. Delivery confirmation is free if you use USPS/Paypal for shipping and you use Priority mail.

As the head of the fulfillment / logistics department at the company I work for, I can tell you that without a doubt the USPS is the worse shipping service in America today, followed (ever so closely) by DHL (and seeing as DHL's @ home service uses the USPS for final delivery of the package, they might as well be the same piece-of-shit company).

The USPS system is so craptacular because it only updates when the package hits either major centers and / or major occurrences in the transit time/life of the package have occurred. Unfortunately for you (and me), the USPS only considers their receipt of the package and it's delivery as the "˜major occurrences' of the package. "˜In transit' is only stated when the USPS has no earthly idea where the package is currently located; they just know that it's neither delivered nor in the hands of the original shipper.

FedEx Ground's Home Delivery service is almost as bad (thanks Brooks Brothers and Polo for using utter shit to deliver my $500 orders, you cheap bastards; and they are the cheap ones, because I get charged $35 for shipping, when in actually it costs them $7...I guess they just needed yet "˜ANOTHER' revenue stream*). The package only updates when it is scanned at major service centers, but since they DON'T work on MONDAYS (WTF?) it is impossible to have a package rerouted to another delivery location; as I do since, I tend to have packages delivery to my office, instead of home, which sits empty, devoid of people during delivery hours...yet they tend to try to deliver on Saturdays to my office, the one day I'm never there.

Also, unlike FedEx Express the drivers are independent contractors and have no scanning / communication equipment on their trucks whatsoever, thus the centers have no way of communicating with them anyways, in case any change to the delivery location must be made; all in all, a perfect waste of resource, planning and time management. For proper delivery I would recommend UPS, including UPS Ground and FedEx Express.

Jon.


*midstream!

Dont use USPS, the tracking system sucks balls. I've switched to using UPS a while ago.

it is worthless.
i just check in 4-5 days , i dont even bother to see where it is at.

dhl, fedex much better in their tracking info.

Not really, Express service or track and confirm services on Registered / Certified Mail aren't any better. Express, BTW is shipped by UPS and FedEx! You give your USPS Express envelope to the USPS and they give it to UPS or FedEx to fly the package in one of their planes, who then give the envelope back to USPS, who makes the delivery. During this entire time, the tracking is still hopelessly under-informing and out of date.

Jon.

I assume it's of some value to the shipper -- not necessarily to the recipient -- in that it provides confirmation of delivery.

Hah! It is useless. I once had the package in hand, and checked the tracking the next day out of curiosity, as I was frustrated with its lack of updates, and it still said it was "In Transit."

FedEx definitely has the best tracking and seems to be willing to deliver earlier if for some reason, the package gets to the local hub sooner than the expected date. I know with UPS Ground, they actually will hold a package for a day or two if it somehow gets to the local hub earlier. I remember checking a UPS Ground tracking number, and it was scanned as arriving to my local hub 2 days before the schedule delivery date, and that night, it was scanned as leaving the hub. Then 8 hours later, it was scanned arriving at the same hub. Then the next day, the same thing... and then finally it was delivered the following day. Go figure.

At least they don't have package dunking over the fence competitions like FedEx & UPS do...Ngrh.

I'd like to take this thread one step further and say that the USPS is incredibly poor at just about everything. Tracking, customer service, sending/delivering mail, and whatever else there is.

Huh?

Jon.

Agreed, give me Canada Post any day of the week...Ah, nuts to that, give me the Israeli Postal Authority, they will track you down if they can't find you.



Jon.