Letter to the Postmaster General

[Badlands Walker]

After studying each category carefully, this looks like the safest place to post this thread.  I'm sure there will be members who will agree whole-heartedly with this post and then there will be those members (postal workers) who will be offended by it but, it's the truth and I thought I would share with y'all.  This was sent this morning after finding out a package I shipped Priority Mail (2-3 Business Days) a couple weeks ago to a customer, took 12 days to get there!

This is a copy of the letter I sent to the Postmaster General which I am sure will fall upon deaf ears and go straight to the round file.  I hope y'all enjoy it and it makes for some interesting reading & helps break up the manotany. 

Did I spell that right? 

The letter:

____________________________________________

To: Mr. John Potter, Postmaster General;

Dear Sir,

I am quite positive this e-letter will never reach you but, I decided to send it anyway. I am writing in reference to continued poor services with the USPS. I read the article that stated how effecient the post office has become since you have taken over and I am here to tell you it simply isn't so. That statement is so far from the truth that it's almost pathetic.

The postal service has become so lazy & undependable anymore that I go out of my way not to use the postal system as much as possible.  What ever happened to postal carriers delivering your mail to your door?  They no longer walk the city route, they drive around like maniacs in postal vehicles wasting countless dollars on fuel costs and we keep paying more money for stamps & package services just to get less & less services as time goes on.  The postal carrier is too lazy to get out of his truck, walk the 15 feet to my front door to deliver the package & places a card in my box saying they are sorry they missed me... costing me more money to go to the local post office (the next day) to retrieve a package the postal service was paid to deliver to my door!

Stamps continue to increase in price yet, mail is slower than it has ever been when it's delivered, if it's delivered at all.  Yes, the post office has lost many letters that I have mailed costing me extra money to either mail another copy or have to pay late fees because the utility bill I mailed out never reached it's destination.  This has been an ongoing problem with the mail service and I now use direct pay through my bank to avoid any future problems with them not receiving payment.

Priority Mail?  What a rip off and joke that is!  I have paid for Priority Mail Services (Delivery in 2-3 days) and on many occasions, I did not receive what I paid for.  When I pay for a service, I expect that service!  Priority Mail is designed to have packages delivered in 2-3 days and I have had several packages take more than a week and even longer than 10 days.  When I complain to the local post office, all I ever get is "We're sorry" and I never have received a refund for services not rendered!

High prices and poor service.  This is what you call effecient?  I no longer use the USPS for letters or utilities and I now use UPS, DHL or FedEx to deliver all my packages.  Sure, I pay more at the other carriers but, I know my packages will get there on time, in good condition and my money is well spent.  It's worth the extra cost to me to know I don't have to worry.

I now also do the very best I can to only order from companies who use UPS, FedEx or DHL for delivery so that I know I will receive my packages safely and not have to chase them down or retrieve them myself.

Rather than raise prices and continue the poor service offered by the USPS, you should seriously consider cutting prices, discharge the more than 75% of the useless employees working for the postal service and get some people in there who know what they are doing and try to regain the reputation the USPS once had!

In my opinion Sir, this is one government agency that could be closed down, save the people countless millions in wasted revenue and the system would not even be missed.

Respectfully,
Yours Truly  (I did use my real name here folks)

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Not tryin' to start anything here, pard - but you DO realize that while VERY regrettable, you're part of a tiny majority with these problems, don't ya?  I don't know your age, but your picture looks like you're about 15-25 yrs. younger than me - I mention this because I have had exactly ONE missing letter in my life.  Perhaps you mail more than me.  I certainly DON'T doubt you!

By the way, you can thank Congress for the way the Post Office is run:  they have dictated to the USPS that it be run like a business, but not allocated the proper money to do so.  Ya know those wonderful package tracking machines that UPS uses, that are so efficient?  That was the idea from the USPS originally.  Difference was, the USPS had to get on their knees and beg Congress for the funds to develop it.  Congress - as it often does - stalled and seeing the potential for money they they COULD reward themselves at either retirement or monthly pay, decided that the PO could use a smaller, less efficient system.  UPS, being a private company, took the ball and ran with it and has a great system.

I could go on.  But I won't.  It's Christmas.

IF I worked for the USPS, I'd be sorry for you professionally - you have good reason to be unhappy, IMHO.  Remember that second ONLY to the Military, the USPS has the largest fleet of vehicles IN THE WORLD and when gas prices raise only ONE cent per gallon (which it never does) it costs EACH region (USPS region - I don't know how many there are, but 7 or 8 I think) about a MILLION dollars PER MONTH - just in fuel.  NO taxes support the Post office - none, zip, nada.  But here comes Congress - with their own 10% - 15% pay and bennies raise "in hand", and tells them they have to make do with less, 'cause they CAN'T hire more.  It's an efficient system.  NOT!

Like I said, I don't   work there, but I have friends there, and being an EX Postal Worker (gruntled, if you must know) I kinda keep up with things.  Just thought you needed to know some of the other side of the story.  I certainly DO understand your frustration.  It used to bug the hell out of us Postal Workers who took the word "Service" (as in U.S. Postal Service) to heart - which MOST of the workers do.

[Forty Rod]

You're beating my drum, Walker.  Since I started mailing my books, I've had three totally destroyed (packaged the way they told me to) and about 6% simply vanish.  I brought it up with our local postmistress and was told that they "handle millions of pieces of mail a day".  When I pointed out that that would be 60,000 pieces of mail per day per million, based on my percentage, and asked where a pile of mail that size would be, she got defensive and walked away, refusing to talk to me any more.

Delivered to your door?   Not in 30 years.  Our mail is dropped in a cluster of boxes between every four owner-occupied single family houses on a residential cul-de-sac.  It wouldn't be so bad if they showed up within three hours of the same time every day, but I've walked a few hundred extra miles over the years just to find they haven't been here yet and I have to go back.

I also get someone else's mail at least three or four times a week.  Usually it's for the houses with the same number one or two streets west of mine, but I have had mail delivered that wasn't on any street I recognised or even in this city.

Now I find they don't have time, strength, or skill to put the flag down when I have mail to go out, nor can they seem to close the door on the box, even when it's raining.

As you have already noted, if you say anything negative they circle the wagons and start telling you how wrong you are.  I guess we don't have a lot of choice.  At least I don't.  If I went to UPS or FedEx I'd have to charge too much for the books and they'd never sell.

[Advertising]

[Matthew Duncan]

Rural mail carrier.

If package doesn't fit in the mailbox she will leave a note in the mailbox.

Then she'll up our long driveway and leave the package on the front porch.

The note she left in the mailbox tells us that there is a package on the front porch.

Worst problem I had is when I replaced the mailbox at the excact height as the old one.  Got a note that the mailbox was 2" to high.  So i wacked off two inches.....next problem

[GunClick Rick]

every package i have gotten for awhile has almost been desroyed,crushed,opened,like they thought it had a bomb in them.Here's a hint.
I have a real bad leg and back never wanted to use disabled stuff,but recently is is very painful to walk.I am going down and purchasing a wall box to put by my door and takinng what papers i need to the post office and have my mail delivered to the door.
 We have one of those nieghborhood boxex too and now the vandels are poppin them open to sreal the mail,which breaks off the door and now they look like crap.I'm tellin ya boys it's time to march on congress,hoes, rakes and shovels.

Hoe,metal blade with long wooded handle for chopping weeds......

[Curley Cole]

i under stand Steel Horses comments about congress, but lets don't get started on another bunch of useless bums. The raises and perks they give themselves on a regular basis is unthinkable (take our California group that can't even get a budget in place on time)

Anyways, You all have heard my carps about my cowboy stuff. My most recent Guns of the Old West came WEEKS later than everyone else, and after it came out on the newstand. The Bottom of the mag looked like my neighbors dog had chewed on it. I sat down and started to read it anyways, and when I folded back the pages (to make it single width) I suddenly realized that it had been opened and folded open that way before, and apparently pressed down so it would lay flat. Then I noticed it that some of the pages had been folded down (maybe to save the page for next break!) But the real killer was when I noticed some of someones lunch still on the pages......now that P#$#$d me off, Lets get REAL OBVIOUS about what we are doing..

And 4Trod is right about delivery, I regularly get mail for the next street over, and sometimes for streets I never heard of. I have had to get packages, saying "sorry I missed you" when I don't know where they were looking cuz I was there all day.

No doubt the postal service needs some retooling. (I went to an anger management group one time, and half of the folks there were postal workers....Congress neeeds to get off their arses and help and the system needs to stop rewarding bad service.. One guy on the wire said he bet I couldn't deliver a letter across country for 41 cents. I told him that I never offered to do it....BUT the Post Office said they would and could, and we believe them, that is untill it doesn't get there...

Oh,  and here is the most recent one, I had a bill to mail, the envelope the company provided (Frontier Classics Books) had a place for the return address in the center of the back, which is where I stuck my rerturn address. I got the letter back about a week later (where was it all that time) saying undeliverable due to no postage......Well, I put it back in my mail box with a postanote and writing on the envelope indicating "THIS IS THE FRONT OF THIS ENVELOPE. THE STAMP ON THIS SIDE SHOULD GIVE YOU A HINT!" Thank God it wasn't a bill that would charge me late charges, or else me and the post master would be having a "little talk".

And finally, I hate the fact that they tell me what size and shape my envelope HAS to be. In the old days you could just fold up the letter put a seal and a stamp on it and there ya goes...

Think I will go out and see if my mail is here...ahaaa

Curley

[Arcey]

Had more trouble with UPS than I have the USPS here lately.

Had a card in my in-tray one mornin’. Delivered by the USPS. Said I had a package at the UPS beach depot. Leave the office, waste my lunch hour goin’ to the beach depot. Ain’t there. It’s at the Norfolk depot. Clerk behind the counter said the driver couldn’t find the buildin’.

Bull. The buildin’s been there almost a hundred years. The street was there before the buildin’ was. Regular driver on that route, she’d been there before. At the time, I had everything delivered to the office as we had a receptionist in the lobby while there was no one home durin’ the day.

Sidewalks were bein’ re-tiled ‘n the ‘delivery-only’ parkin’ spots were roped off. Thinkin’ that’s way she couldn’t find it.

Funny. The USPS managed to deliver the UPS card tellin’ me the thing was at the wrong depot.

[Ozark Tracker]

post office out here slow as smoke. talkes forever for local mail to get there

gotta brag on our UPS driver, he'll stop and visit, had a package to go the other night, didn't have any packing tape, he got a roll out of the truck taped it and took it. can't hardly beat him.

[Delmonico]

I don't have any trouble with USPS or UPS, but like anyplace a lot depends on how dedicated the workers are.  Also on that note, do you know how danged hard it is for a place to get rid of a bad worker, you better have proof and documentation of how lousy they are.  But that is our modern, "no idjet left behind world."

[Curley Cole]

I don't have any trouble with USPS or UPS, but like anyplace a lot depends on how dedicated the workers are.  Also on that note, do you know how danged hard it is for a place to get rid of a bad worker, you better have proof and documentation of how lousy they are.  But that is our modern, "no idjet left behind world."

A point well taken. I work for the State Of California, and as a supervisor, you would not believe how difficult it is to get rid of dead wood. I have an employee right now that is on probation, and has an attendance problem. I have documented this problem and she may not pass probation but the union is looking for any weak spot to get her passed. Once passed probation that attendance problem goes on until retirement.

A lot like the system the p.o. has...

Curley

[El Peludo]

Unquestionably, there is a serious problem at the USPS, much as there is the same sort of problem at any business in todays commercial environment; some worse than others.  The root of it is in management and administration, and it may run deeper in one region or another, and to a lesser degree, somewhere else.  There are many good folks working for the "Service", but, sadly, it seems there are more freeloaders.

My Dad worked in the Postal Service for 45 years, and advanced to the position of Postmaster, then stepped back to Assistant PM, because he could not get his head around the inane requirements for supervising the "troops" that were being put forth at that time, and by the time he retired, he was almost ashamed to tell anybody that he worked for the "Service".  He retired in 1981.

In my NSHO, until management is allowed to "manage" a business, to the advantage of the customer and the business, there will be no "service" in customer service.

[Badlands Walker]

Steel Horse, I appreciate the compliment pard but... I have to confess that you're a lookin' at hair dye my friend.  I am 52 years young goin' on 70, lol.  I do agree with some of what you say however, the post office simply doesn't care anymore.  As one pard said, there is no "Customer Service" any where these days.  I just had a problem with UPS yesterday waiting on a package that I paid 2nd Day Air for that was scheduled to be here Wednesday (shipped Monday) and I still haven't received it!

Called the 800 number and all I got was... we're sorry!  Sorry don't cut it!  The big problem is this.  Today, most folks are only in it for a paycheck and customer service is a thing of the past.  Just go down to your local fast food joint and see what I mean.  I can't remember the last time a fast food joint got something right in this town.  And the post office, forget it.  They are too busy, don't care and just too dern lazy to want to help.  Why is it every time you go into a post office with 5 or 6 windows, all you ever find is one window open and people out the door?  Oh yeah, don't forget the six postal workers walking around in the background who appear to be doing absolutely nothing.

Yeah I know... I am completely wasting my breath.

[Badlands Walker]

If I may, let me elaborate a little bit more so'z you get the true meaning of what this old cowpoke is sayin'.  Just today, the postman comes up to my door and rings the bell.  This shocked me from the git-go that he would actually get out of the vehicle at all but, he needed me to sign for a Certified letter.  The letter was not for me but, was addressed to a person who use to live here, the same person who I have told the carriers time & time again (and just told this very carrier on Monday when he delivered another piece of mail in her name) no longer lives here and even made two trips to the post office to request their mail not be delivered to my home.  WOW, I got all that in one sentence?  LMAO!

Anyway, they don't listen and they don't care.  I have stopped placing the mail back in the box marking it "Doesn't Live Here" and I now throw it in the round file.  I have complained to the local postmaster about the carriers not bringing packages to the door but, instead leaving the little card saying they missed me and I now have to chase my own mail.  They have apologized three times now and it still happens.  What does it take?  I don't know about y'all but, we have rural mailboxes at the end of our sidewalk so the carrier can drive up (not walk & save tons of $$$) and place the mail in the box.  This box is exactly 29 feet from my front door.  Whatever happened to the strolling postman?

Thanks for taking the time to hear me out.  I do appreciate it! 

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Hey!

It must be the lack of wrinkles on yer face! 

What can I say?  You'd be amazed at how many workers care - but Management - which is dictated to by Above -    simply wants things "their way" and many wouldn't know their a$$ from a hole in the ground about TRUE leadership.  The "Peter Principle" is hard at work in most businesses, and certainly is in the PO.   

If you were on MY route, (and mine was a WALKING route) you wouldn't have these problems - but ...

I miss many of my fellow workers and I do miss my customers ... but I don't miss the BS caused by incompetence and "modernizing."

One pard here, Curley Cole,  mentioned the bit about the return address label and such.  The computer that sorts the letters really doesn't get it.  That's why the PO advises folks to put the return address on the top left of the envelope - but that didn't stop the stupid company he dealt with from putting a convenient spot for the label on the BACK - where the computer, seeing an address right in the middle of that side ... WHERE THE ADDRESS IS SUPPOSED TO BE ... stupidly sent it right back to him, postage due.  Back when letters and packages were done by people, these mistakes rarely happened, but now, we have progress.   In the old days a mail handler could process 30-75 (depending on their reading skills) letters a minute.  Todays computer does over 50 per SECOND.  And that's the way it has to be ... unless you want to PAY BIG BUCK$ to go back to the "old, inefficient [according to the time-study "experts"] ways.  Which Congress won't allow.  And wouldn't be able to compete in today's "gotta-have-it-NOW market.

Like I said, I don't miss ALL of it. 

[Badlands Walker]

Steel Horse, I hear what you're sayin'pard and I would have to agree that the old way was better but... you're right again, they couldn't keep up with the competetion so therefore Uncle Sam won't allow it.  Here's another prime example of the issues I am talking about here.  I sold several collectible items on Ebay last week that closed Saturday night.  All twelve shipped first thing Monday morning Priority Mail (which is suppose to be delivered in 2-3 business days) and checking on line this morning, not one of those packages have been delivered yet!  Not one!  These went from the east coast to the west coast & in between. I just don't get it?  If you go down and complain and ask for a refund for this, you are denied so... what's the use?

Since you have the knowledge & experience here, let me ask a question if I may.  Why is it I never have the same mail carrier each day?  Like everyone else, I get my mail delivered six days a week (excluding holidays & made up government paid off days) and I get a different carrier each day.  Yes, you will see the same person week after week but, you never see the same carrier two days in a row out of one week.  Once in a blue moon you will see the same carrier twice in the same week but, it is very rare.  I find this very odd.

Thanks for all the input pard, it do clear a few things up! 

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Steel Horse, I hear what you're sayin'pard and I would have to agree that the old way was better but... you're right again, they couldn't keep up with the competetion so therefore Uncle Sam won't allow it.  Here's another prime example of the issues I am talking about here.  I sold several collectible items on Ebay last week that closed Saturday night.  All twelve shipped first thing Monday morning Priority Mail (which is suppose to be delivered in 2-3 business days) and checking on line this morning, not one of those packages have been delivered yet!  Not one!  These went from the east coast to the west coast & in between. I just don't get it?  If you go down and complain and ask for a refund for this, you are denied so... what's the use?

Since you have the knowledge & experience here, let me ask a question if I may.  Why is it I never have the same mail carrier each day?  Like everyone else, I get my mail delivered six days a week (excluding holidays & made up government paid off days) and I get a different carrier each day.  Yes, you will see the same person week after week but, you never see the same carrier two days in a row out of one week.  Once in a blue moon you will see the same carrier twice in the same week but, it is very rare.  I find this very odd.

Thanks for all the input pard, it do clear a few things up! 

Well, BW, I don't have all the answers.  The Priority Mail foul-up(s) you mention are terrible.  I know how much emphasis got put on PM when it first got going.  And, believe it or not, during Christmas-time, it usually goes FASTER - often being treated as "Overnight" mail, because of the presents involved!  (They have extra help during a couple seasons and this is "the Biggie", so things are USUALLY more efficient.

I don't know why I'm defending this system - probably because of my friends who still work there and who really DO care.

As to your specific route, there is one main (probable) reason.  In its wisdom, the group (management) that creates a route goes through an inspection process with a carrier to determine if the route does warrant an 8 hour job with a carrier permanently assigned.  There are a few possibilities here: #1 - it's an expansion route that ISN"T an 8 hour (by THEIR STANDARDS) route, which means that it gets split up daily and given to the people doing "overtime" OR it's given to the new, PTFs (Part-time-flexibles, which is where ALL carriers start) or #2 - they determined that it IS an 8 hour route - ON PAPER - and when given to real carriers, they find out that it is only by their skewed mathematics that it is an 8 hour route.  (They actually count how many steps you take in a minute and MEASURE your stride!)  What does this mean?  An 8 hour route can be bid on, and get a "regular."  Probably, in REAL life, it is ONLY 8 hours on paper, and management INSISTS that it be done in 8 hours - WHICH IT CAN'T, except on VERY light days.  So NO carriers will bid on it, 'cause the word gets out that it's a PIA and since they will put your job on the line if you consistently go past 8 hours into "unauthorized" overtime, well ... you see the problem.  No carrier wants that kind of pressure and job IN-security.  And that's MY bet on what happens and why you get mail at odd times and with different carriers.

There's no 'excuse" for what has happened to you, pard, but there are reasons.  As to a refund ... puh-leeeze.  They USED to, and still do if it's Overnite Mail.  However, they have an amazing amount of people 'claiming' bad service and wanting a refund, so now it's simply their word against yours.  You'd be AMAZED at the amount of people who try and cheat their way out of $.41!!  And it's WORSE with people who CAN afford it!  The poorer folks are usually the nicest!  Whenever the postage rates go up, it isn't the poor folks complaining ... NO - it's the folks who can afford it!  You'd think that the extra $.03 - $.04 (or whatever) is going to cause them to have to re-mortgage their $300,000 homes!  It's absolutely PITIFUL, Badlands! 

Can we change the subject now? 

[Curley Cole]

Steel Horse,

I know what you mean. My uncle was a postman in the '40's in Pismo Beach. He walked his route daily and was proud to be a mailman. I am sure he was as good as they get. A few years ago when I lived in Claremont CA we had a mailman and we also had our mailboxes on the doors. I never saw him in a bad mood. We had 3 different family names in the house at the time (and one of them was the same as the prior resident, who was then our landlord, yup, we were renting from my wifes ex husband.) He ALWAYS got it right. Knew which Williams to deliver and which to foward. He was surely the last of a breed. One day he somehow got our mail off by one house...the entire neighborhood got the mail from the house on the left. We actually had a good time exchanging the mail with each other, and he was soo apologetic. I told him, why it was the first and only mistake I ever saw him make...

So I don't always slam the usps, but I do comment on their shortcomings, which seem to be increasing...

Curley

[Filthy Harry]

    You guys must be on the list that says "lose or destroy these people's mail". Forty Rod, I've got a business mailing dvds all over the world, after 600 plus, mailed in an envelope with no insurance or delivery confirmation, I haven't lost one or had one damaged. The only thing I've lost was an order of 100 that disappeared from UPS. The complaint about Priority Mail being late is because of FED EX, CAN I SAY THAT AGAIN, FED EX. The Postal Service is not allowed to own planes, so we have a contract with FED EX to fly our Priority and Express mail. Needless to say, we do not get priority service on their planes. I spend 8 hours plus a day taking mail from e-bayers and other business people who ship quantities of mail daily and we rarely, that's RARELY DAMAGE ANYTHING. magazines and letters can get damaged because we are forced to run them through machines. Don't like it, can't help it.  I should delete this now, cause the next time you get a magazine with a corner ripped, you're going to whine about thousands of laziy, stupid Postal Workers. Makes sense, don't it.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Thanks for the "help", Harry.

Yep, I'd forgotten the airplane thing.  I was just leaving the Postal Service when the airlines decided that the US Mail would no longer be a priority and had to be contracted out.  By UPS, it turned out by the bidding.

If I were Oliver Stone, I'd wonder about UPS' role in the slowdown of Postal service.  Hmmm ... now lets see:  UPS WANTS a bigger slice of daily mail, so if the planes carrying US Mail happen to slow down, it gives the USPS a bad name and makes people want UPS more ... 

I'm certainly not   saying that's true, but it DOES give food for thought.

While I sympathized with UPS about 10 years ago when they had that big strike, I had to correct (politely, of course) a customer of mine - who worked for UPS.  He was out on his porch one day during the strike and was bemoaning his lack of money and job.  As I said, I AM sympathetic, but when he said "We just want to get our business back", I had to point out to him that it used to be ALL OUR business - and we really would have liked to get OUR business back!  But there IS room for all the delivery services.  SOMEBODY has to deliver the things weighing over the 70 pound Postal limit.

Oh, well.

PS - If you work for UPS, please don't be offended - I meant no offense.   But I don't trust Congress and UPS Ownership/Management any more than I do the often incompetent USPS higher-ups!  They're all in cahoots to serve THEMSELVES, not the US public.  IMHO.  Yer mileage may vary.  An' don't think FedEX and all them others is a bunch of angels, either.  They ALL want Congress to privatize Mail Delivery and abolish the USPS.  Which will be VERY painful for America.  Don't believe it?  remember back in 1974 or so, when the USPS was still allowed to go on strike - and did - and the pandemonium that it caused THEN!  Between the USPS strike and the Air Traffic Controllers strike, that's WHY Congress passed the law making it illegal to strike.  And, if ya didn't know - that was the LAST timeframe that ANY tax dollars went for mail delivery.  It's the ONLY self-sufficient branch of the US Guv-er-mint.

[Dick Dastardly]

I sent UPS and emule telling them how happy I was with my regular UPS route driver.  What do ya know?  The emule got to the driver and he got a pat on the back.  He told me that most customer comments run to the negative side.

Now, I get fantastic UPS service.  They even drop off my regular UPS delivery in the morning while they are runnin' around delivering the overnight stuff.  I can't say enough good about my service.

My regular USPS carrier is a brave guy.  He walks his route and hand delivers to my business.  He comes inside, delivers and picks up anything in the "out" box.  I took time to say thanks and had a little Christmas gift for him this year.

The driveway at my ranch is around a Quarter of a mile long.  We got a big fall snow, then rain, then hard freeze.  It got ugly.  The plow guy couldn't plow the stuff so we just drove on it.  Packed it down and lived with it.  I also packed down the area in front of the mailbox.  Our USPS route guy got stuck and I got my Subaru and pulled him out.  Since then he's walked from his lil California truck to our mailbox to deliver.  He's a great guy and I make sure to do everything I can to make his job as easy as I can.  If he's got something too big for our rural mailbox he drives up to our house, rings the doorbell, wakes the dawg and hand delivers.

So, I guess we are part of the system.  The system is big.  Yes there are abuses and other human faults but on the large scale, performance is pretty good.  FWIW, I tried DHL and they are also good.

Mostly I try to be part of the solution and not part of the problem.  Yet, in the rare instance where I do have a bitch I try to get it to the attention of somebody that can do something about it.  In other words, I don't shoot the messenger.

My little mold business depends on getting stuff to the pards that order it.  I need to have good service.  Mostly, I get it.

DD-DLoS