Why does the United States Postal Service package tracking suck?

[SirEvan]

The post office's tracking system has always sucked. It's not as in depth as Fedex or UPS. I can't count the # of times that I've had something arrive before it even shows up in their system. I work for a supply chain management and tracking company, we make tracking products for the military and commercial companies, so i can tell you that the post office is atrocious. When I have USPS packages delivered to my work, and they arrive on the weekend, the post office marks them "delivered" even though nobody was here to sign... UPS is next in line.

[neufuse Veteran]

Good that some more are getting computerized sorting. It wasn't in Horsham when I worked there nor in Philadelphia when my friends worked there. But that doesn't solve the major source of inefficiency IMHO. Which is how the packages are loaded onto and unloaded from trucks. With two guys we were able to unload USPS 50' trailers in under 2 minutes, but UPS trucks took a LONG time in comparison.

well i did orignally say that everything is computerized except the loading and unloading of trucks if you read my original message

[+LogicalApex MVC]

well i did orignally say that everything is computerized except the loading and unloading of trucks if you read my original message

No, you said what I stated was completely false. Meaning that every UPS facility in the US has computerized sorting. Which isn't the case.

[neufuse Veteran]

No, you said what I stated was completely false. Meaning that every UPS facility in the US has computerized sorting. Which isn't the case.

it is COMPLETELY computerized a human only touches a package to place it on the truck, unload a truck or read a label the computer couldn't figure out

pretty sure thats what I wrote... sorting happens then the convayer takes the packages to the truck docks that its sorted for, humans then stack them in the truck in a deliverable order if out for delivery... I did say humans do the truck work, and as far as I knew all the facilities internally had computer sorting, yes there can be ones that I didn't know about, that's supose to be the current model for them at all sort facilities, did they implement it at all them? no idea haven't been to all them

[DirtyLarry Veteran]

Could be!

I laughed.

I was only half kidding (meaning I without a doubt knew it may be viewed as a funny comment) but I really do believe it could potentially be a reason. I would think they just do not have as many resources as larger cities.

[Azies]

Never had any problems shipping things from one state to another... tracking worked fine tor me too, but I kept using the flat rate stuff.

[+LogicalApex MVC]

pretty sure thats what I wrote... sorting happens then the convayer takes the packages to the truck docks that its sorted for, humans then stack them in the truck in a deliverable order if out for delivery... I did say humans do the truck work, and as far as I knew all the facilities internally had computer sorting, yes there can be ones that I didn't know about, that's supose to be the current model for them at all sort facilities, did they implement it at all them? no idea haven't been to all them

Ah the joy of selective quoting for your posts... No this is what you wrote. Emphasis mine...

that is completely wrong, you obviously never saw a UPS sorting facility, it is COMPLETELY computerized a human only touches a package to place it on the truck, unload a truck or read a label the computer couldn't figure out

[M.James]

I'm just wondering why when USPS updates their tracking it says it reached a facility etc. at like 04:00 but I don't get the update until like 05:00..

 

Anyone know why?

[+Biscuits Brown MVC]

3 minutes ago, M.James said:

I'm just wondering why when USPS updates their tracking it says it reached a facility etc. at like 04:00 but I don't get the update until like 05:00..

 

Anyone know why?

This is nothing more than a guess but I surmise its something like this. Truck ABC123 checks in at the receiving dock at 04:00. At some point shortly thereafter it begins unloading. As all items unload they are scanned and checked in as 'received'. Once your package is unloaded and scanned,  a notification is sent that a package that arrived at 0400. In other words I suspect the arrival time in the notification is the dock receiving time but the notification isn't actually sent until the package is scanned in as received.   

 

This could be 100% wrong and it may just be a junky software package that runs slow. 

[+Gary7 Subscriber²]

Because The United States Postal Service as a whole sucks.

[+Mirumir Subscriber¹]

18 minutes ago, M.James said:

I'm just wondering why when USPS updates their tracking it says it reached a facility etc. at like 04:00 but I don't get the update until like 05:00..

 

Anyone know why?

Wow, that's a whole hour, eh?

 

Totally unacceptable!

 

You are always welcome to use more expensive, premium courier services like DHL/FEDEX/UPS.

[+Gary7 Subscriber²]

I can see the USPS going out of business. All I get is junk mail.