| Author |
Topic: US Postal Service - As Slow as Molasses |
Tom Keller
From:
Greeneville, TN, USA
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Posted 21 May 2021 9:35 pm |
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| Simply Google "post office slow down". You will get plenty of answers. |
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Rich Peterson
From:
Moorhead, MN
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Posted 24 May 2021 10:34 am
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| Dave Mudgett wrote: |
| We really need to steer clear of politics. There's an old saying that, too often, we as human beings make the mistake of assuming malice when something else is at work. |
We certainly do not want SGF to turn into a political battlefield. But public policy affects our lives directly and independently. We can discuss this, if we avoid partisanship.
The USPS is a focus of the debate whether the private sector or public sector is preferable - more efficient, more effective. That is different for different activities. None of us want to erase either one. We all want a society, and a nation, that functions well and provides for the members.
Especially the steel players. |
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Ken Mizell
From:
Lakeland, Florida, 33809, USA
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Posted 24 May 2021 10:50 am
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The Live Steel Strings that were mailed to me from Hopewell, VA on 5/12/21 finally made it to me today. 12 day trip, that had routinely took 3 days.
The package I am waiting on that was mailed to me from Louisiana on 5/10/21, 2 weeks ago, hasn't made it yet. The only thing postal officials can tell me or the sender, is that "it is in transit" - they read what is on the tracking computer. When pressed for specifics, they don't have an answer. That package contains $2,200 in Postal Money Orders. Even though the USPS has lost, or cannot account for the whereabouts of the package, we must wait until 30 days after issuance of the money orders before a claim can be filed, then wait some more.
Meanwhile, I received a small package from GFI in Missouri, and one from Nashville, TN today, and they each too 4 days.
I will no longer send anything of value, or anywhere near time sensitive, through the USPS.
For what it's worth, I'm sending my comments from this thread to my Congressman.
No, this isn't political, but it does involve the government, and this thread is also informative..
_________________
Steeless. |
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Dave Mudgett
From:
Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
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Posted 24 May 2021 11:57 am
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| Quote: |
| Dave Mudgett wrote: |
| We really need to steer clear of politics. There's an old saying that, too often, we as human beings make the mistake of assuming malice when something else is at work. |
We certainly do not want SGF to turn into a political battlefield. But public policy affects our lives directly and independently. We can discuss this, if we avoid partisanship.
The USPS is a focus of the debate whether the private sector or public sector is preferable - more efficient, more effective. |
On public policy discussions - This thread is in the Pedal Steel section of a forum dedicated to discussing topics about steel guitar. I think it is worth pointing out that the USPS is having serious delivery problems because many of us use ship pedal steels using various carriers, including the USPS. But I think such discussions need to be scoped very narrowly to that type of issue.
Debates about the preferability of private vs. public services gets into politics, public policy, economics, and other topics that, where the rubber meets the road, converge to politics because politics is what determines what policies are implemented, which IMO is all most people seem to care about. From the forum rules:
| Quote: |
| We have a diverse, world-wide membership. People join the Steel Guitar Forum to learn about steel guitar, discuss steel guitar music, and to meet other steel guitarists. Political discussions would divide our membership. They would alienate people from different countries and people with opposing political views. For that reason, political topics are not allowed on this forum. |
This is not a forum to discuss public policy, economics, and so on. Beyond that, some of the replies here are extremely thinly veiled political comments. If that continues, I believe it's just a matter of time before people on the other side of the political spectrum start chiming in with their points of view. You see, if anybody has the right to state their political views, then everybody does.
So I disagree that discussions about the merits or demerits of public policy are acceptable on the Steel Guitar Forum, much less in the Pedal Steel section. Citing facts that relate to steel guitar are appropriate. But this is not a place to debate public policy questions, partisan or not. I believe past experience clearly shows that such discussions will ultimately degenerate into partisan political wars if left unchecked.
On the topic - in February, I had an shipping issue similar to what Ken describes, with a package shipped via USPS. A normal 3-day transit took over two weeks, and tracking information was extremely cryptic to the point of being useless. The parts in-transit were not easily replaceable. To try to improve tracking, I signed up for USPS Informed Delivery, which didn't help tracking that particular situation. But since I got on that system, things seem to have improved. I don't know if there's a cause-effect relationship there, but I simply state that association.
| Quote: |
| That package contains $2,200 in Postal Money Orders. Even though the USPS has lost, or cannot account for the whereabouts of the package, we must wait until 30 days after issuance of the money orders before a claim can be filed, then wait some more. |
My suggestion is that you read the fine print on the USPS Postal Money Order documents before sending any more of these. My last postal money order was in roughly 2008 in a transaction with a forum seller. The letter was lost in-transit - letters/packages being lost is not a new phenomenon - and I was pretty disturbed when I read the fine print. I talked to my postmaster about it, and I came away concluding that there was no guarantee I'd ever get my money back. So I overnighted a cashier's check to cover the seller who had already shipped the stuff, and waited about 3 months before they finally agreed to refund my money. It was less than $300 - but think about what the situation would have been like with a $3-4000 pedal steel!
The long and short of it, IMO, is that a USPS postal money order is, more or less, cash. If someone intercepts the MO, and somehow manages to cash it, my reading of the fine print is that I'm hosed. So never again for me. |
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Jon Zimmerman
From:
California, USA
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Posted 24 May 2021 5:32 pm Swift transit
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One ‘envelope’ going thru mailings, I am sure, is NEVER delayed, carefully handled..NOT dropped on the floor, then run-over by an errant cart. I’m referring to those samples your doctor tells you to ‘place’ into a special container, to be dated, then mailed off to a lab. Your careful PO workers, I am sure, recognize the shape, or heft of these items; and a supervisor ‘encourages’ his workers to “get that piece THE HE** outta here, PRONTO! Down to the next ‘chain custodian’, 👺 Don’t lose it, Skippy!! Such that I find it in your performance evaluation!!â€
We might imagine it’s OTW .. like (oh, what’s that term?). “ —— thru a gooseâ€. IMHO, some items are ALWAYS “Special Handlingâ€. 🙄 |
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Mike Schwartzman
From:
Maryland, USA
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Posted 24 May 2021 8:49 pm
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I worked at the USPS Management Academy in the 80's, just outside DC in Potomac, Md. The company that I worked for took care of the food services, catering, and housekeeping. Postal employees referred to it as "the country club".
376 rooms, 3 meals every day, lounge, gym, beautiful grounds, front desk service, conference center, classroom building, bus service to DC on the weekends.
Purpose was to train USPS folks from all over the US. Classes on those sorting machines and management/ efficiency courses for a standard 3 week stay. Also was where the US postal inspectors were trained for 11 weeks. Even had a pistol range.
That has zero to do with Steel Guitar, but back then it was mostly mail and less of packages containing stuff we use here. It was a good job, and boy... stuff does change! I think they rent the space out to other agencies and corporations these days. They won't get back to that kind of former glory, but I wish the USPS does better as Covid passes. It's been such an American institution during my lifetime. I even remember this from when I was a kid:
"Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds"
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Emmons Push Pull, BMI, Session 400, Home of the Slimcaster Tele. |
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Ian Rae
From:
Redditch, England
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Posted 24 May 2021 11:56 pm
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As a foreigner I'm finding this very interesting and informative. I hope that contributors will continue to connect their experiences to steel guitar transactions to keep it legit!
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Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs |
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Damir Besic
From:
Nashville,TN.
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Posted 25 May 2021 5:55 am
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“inconsistent “ is the word … and they trashed the case on the last steel I shipped , by dropping it off the truck … USPS used to provide a good service, not so much any more …
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www.steelguitarsonline.com |
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Scott Denniston
From:
Hahns Peak, Colorado, USA
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Posted 25 May 2021 2:42 pm
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It's being done by design. You're supposed to start hating the PO and saying it would better be privatized. Ben Franklin was the first Postmaster General and it was set up to be a service not a business. It's frustrating for it's competitors that they've done so well even though they now are mandated to fund with billions-- pensions for people that aren't even born yet. 75 years into the future. No corporation is burdened with that. All those thousands of sorting machines were not removed because they were obsolete. They haven't been replaced with anything newer either. To avoid sounding political about the sabotage I will say this-- I've never shipped a pedal steel through the mail.  |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 25 May 2021 4:06 pm
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Still waiting on welding rod that was shipped from Chicago on 5/5, finally made it here to Missoula last Friday, they said they attempted delivery on Friday. I was home all day and they never came to my door. I scheduled redelivery for yesterday, and they didn't show up. So, I rescheduled for me to pick it up tomorrow. I think the post office should be disbanded totally.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting. |
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Fred Treece
From:
California, USA
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 25 May 2021 8:53 pm
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I did read it. Still, I'm not sure who or what to believe.
I'm not ready to give up on the p.o. though. The past year has been a very trying time for everybody.
I wrote earlier about an issue with the utility company, but all I have is their word that they didn't recieve the payment on time. I have no way of knowing if it might just have been rattling around in their own system....and a letter from JVH in Fla that took about a month to arrive standard post, and I'm still waiting on a delivery from James in Tx., which I assume is a standard mail letter type piece also.
If I need to expedite shipping, I use Priority Mail. Yes, it's a little slow sometimes, but overall satisfactory for me.
At least now, you have, or can purchase, tracking for items. In years past, no one had any idea where your late mail was. Now you can have a record, a number at least for reference.
Nothing is more frustrating than waiting and not knowing what's happened to your strings or picks or CD's, whatever.
I use the small priority box for a lot of things I sell here that will fit and sometimes other priority sizes. It depends on where it's going and the contents.
The P.O. used to be the best value for shipping a lot of music gear, but lately they're actually more expensive than the other options.
I'm still using the postal service even though I know it's not perfect. What is?
I have faith that things will get better in the future.
The other options are not without issues as well.
I'm not saying everybody's complaints are not jusified, but in this age of seeking instant gratification, sometimes we just need to exercise a little patience. |
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Ake Banksell
From:
Stockholm, Sweden
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Posted 25 May 2021 11:37 pm
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| Eric Philippsen wrote: |
I spent 32 years with the USPS and know something about it. Much has been mentioned about it in this thread. Two points. First, the removal of some sorting machines by the USPS was undoubtedly due to their being outdated and no longer financially smart to keep. All businesses must update critical computers and equipment. One doesn’t use computers made a decade or more ago and many of the removed sorting machines were of that age.
Second, like every other business the USPS has been affected by COVID. That’s not an excuse but a reality. People get sick, are exposed to those who are, and they cannot work. That means there are not enough employees to do the work. Just hire more? During the COVID crisis? |
Eric, I think you nailed it. |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 26 May 2021 2:59 am
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| Jerry Overstreet wrote: |
I did read it. Still, I'm not sure who or what to believe.
I'm not ready to give up on the p.o. though. The past year has been a very trying time for everybody.
I wrote earlier about an issue with the utility company, but all I have is their word that they didn't recieve the payment on time. I have no way of knowing if it might just have been rattling around in their own system....and a letter from JVH in Fla that took about a month to arrive standard post, and I'm still waiting on a delivery from James in Tx., which I assume is a standard mail letter type piece also.
If I need to expedite shipping, I use Priority Mail. Yes, it's a little slow sometimes, but overall satisfactory for me.
At least now, you have, or can purchase, tracking for items. In years past, no one had any idea where your late mail was. Now you can have a record, a number at least for reference.
Nothing is more frustrating than waiting and not knowing what's happened to your strings or picks or CD's, whatever.
I use the small priority box for a lot of things I sell here that will fit and sometimes other priority sizes. It depends on where it's going and the contents.
The P.O. used to be the best value for shipping a lot of music gear, but lately they're actually more expensive than the other options.
I'm still using the postal service even though I know it's not perfect. What is?
I have faith that things will get better in the future.
The other options are not without issues as well.
I'm not saying everybody's complaints are not jusified, but in this age of seeking instant gratification, sometimes we just need to exercise a little patience. |
Funny thing about the shipment I am talking about. It was shipped 3 day priority. It's now 21 days. Tracking was a waste of time. For the first 2 weeks, all I could get was "delayed" but no info as to where it was. I finally called them and they found it was still in the Chicago post office. It finally made it to Missoula last Friday, but still not delivered. I have to go pick it up today as they don't seem to be competent enough to place it on a delivery truck and deliver it to me. I currently have another package that tracking only says shipped with no other info as to where in the country it is.
The USPS here in Missoula is really bad. I live in an apartment complex with 4 buildings that have different street addresses but 21 apartments each numbered 1 to 21. It is very common to get other's packages and mail. It seems the requirements to get a job with the post office almost don't exist anymore.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting. |
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Ake Banksell
From:
Stockholm, Sweden
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Posted 26 May 2021 5:05 am
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I can comfort you that in my country Sweden it is exactly the same, if not worse. People are crazy about our national postal service.
If you order something from outside EU you are punished with ridicolous fees and I'm sure one of these days the city police will come home to slap your face for ordering from UK. |
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Aaron Johnson
From:
Lemoore, CA
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Posted 26 May 2021 5:24 am
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I appreciate that I'm not the only one having difficulty with the USPS. I've had a package sit for 10 days at a center within driving distance. Yesterday I wrote USPS and received a standard reply stating there are delays due to COVID. After my inquiry it started moving today. Not sure if it helped or if it they finally got around to moving the package but I'm disappointed with the USPS.
I too will write my Congressman. USPS has had a year to get things together and from my perspective, they are only getting worse. Not sure if it will help but it can't hurt. |
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 26 May 2021 5:43 am
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It seems it varies in different areas and I certainly feel for you Richard and others around the country that are having crappy service through the p.o.
I guess I'm just lucky here as it's not perfect by any means but still manageable.
I hope things get better soon. |
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Dustin Rigsby
From:
Parts Unknown, Ohio
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Posted 26 May 2021 5:58 am
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COVID is partially to blame. I work in the shipping business. It’s really been a tough time. People have been forced to shop from home. The whole business model for suppliers and consumers has basically changed, maybe forever, due to the pandemic. Now that it looks like we may see the light at the end of the tunnel, but whether consumers will go back to brick and mortars remains to be seen.
The other factor is that there are some folks who wish to dismantle certain public services such as the postal service and public transportation such as Amtrak, in the name of profitability. I don’t understand some of my friends who, as I do, lean slightly right of center, who want to dismantle services such as the postal service. These problems partially stem from the push for privatization. There are certain services that are a matter of national security. The postal service is such. It’s not supposed to be profitable.
If I’ve violated forum rules, I apologize.
_________________
D.S. Rigsby |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 26 May 2021 8:14 am
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These problems with USPS unreliability goes way back, long (years) before Covid.
You would think UPS and FedEx would be equally affected. They seem to be fine. In fact, often I get packages a day before the promised delivery date with UPS. I'm getting a package today that was originally scheduled for tomorrow.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting. |
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Fred Treece
From:
California, USA
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Posted 26 May 2021 9:13 am
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My PO was horribly backed up by middle of summer last year. The population of the rural town I live in practically doubled because people from out of town moved into their second homes, and we don’t have home mail delivery here. It’s like 1825. So the entire town was totally overrun, and the PO took the brunt of it. Package pickup lines were out the doorway, the parking lot was always full, people were often heard screaming at the workers, some older workers had just retired so their replacements were in training and some of them quit because of the way they were treated, there was the whole mask issue so patrons were literally in each others’ faces....it was a perfect storm. The crappiness of the human condition was in full glory, and a bunch of spoiled brats were making a bad situation worse. I really thought there was going to be a postal incident.
I don’t know who took on the responsibility, but by November there was a drastic change in the way that office was run. Some of it had to do with a small percentage of patrons moving back to their flatland primary residences. But some of it I know involved getting some emergency funding for equipment that made work flow much more efficient.
Things are almost back to pre-pandemic normalcy now. As Scott Denniston implies in his comment, back to a normal state of poltically motivated crisis. If your post office has been enjoying half the fun as mine for the last 15 months, and the last 15 years before that, then that should explain some of these problems that are more commonplace now than ever.
PS: One reason USPS suffered early on in the pandemic was because Fed Ex and UPS struggled to stay afloat with a large initial downturn in volume. It was only when the private shippers got their act back together and responded to demand that the PO was relieved of some of the pressure. The private shippers should be kissing the PO’s butt. |
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Tom Keller
From:
Greeneville, TN, USA
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Posted 27 May 2021 9:57 am
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| The fish rots from the head first. |
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Ken Mizell
From:
Lakeland, Florida, 33809, USA
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Posted 29 May 2021 1:40 pm
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I finally got delivery of the lost mail I was concerned about yesterday afternoon, Friday, 5/28/21. 18 day trip from Lafayette, LA to Lakeland, FL. I don't know if it's related, but the mail arrived 2 days after my local Congressman's office sent a complaint and inquiry to the USPS. Maybe they shook the tree and something fell out - or just a coincidence. Anyway, I have the mail and money order contents.  That's a relief. 
_________________
Steeless. |
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Jon Zimmerman
From:
California, USA
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Posted 29 May 2021 1:57 pm
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| Agreeing with Steve S., ‘Over n Under’- worked n staffed. Plus the overload of letters, junk fliers, newsprint .. if the PO delivered packages/boxes ONLY, they’d be at the top of the game, just as UPS, FedEx, etc. are WITHOUT those multiples to contend with. Like to see UPS handle regular mails.. they don’t have enuf time, or crew to visit EVERY address. In rural areas- mebbe, in Urban City-scapes.. not a chance. It all ‘deep ends’ as they say. 🙄 |
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Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
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Posted 29 May 2021 2:47 pm
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I recently had a good experience.
Today is Saturday and I received my order from the Steel Guitar Forum Store.
I placed my order with b0b this past Sunday evening and it was shipped out Monday, via USPS.
_________________
Lee, from South Texas - Down On The Rio Grande
There are only two options as I see it.
Either I'm right, or there is a sinister conspiracy to conceal the fact that I'm right.
Williams Keyless S-10, BMI S-10, Evans FET-500LV, Fender Steel King, 2 Roland Cube 80XL's,
Sarno FreeLoader, Goodrich Passive Volume Pedals, Vintage ACE Pack-A-Seat |
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