Delayed Mail: Maybe, Maybe Not
The U.S. Postal Service considers mail to be delayed when it’s not processed in time to meet the established delivery day. Pretty straightforward, isn’t it? But determining whether mail is actually delayed — even when it’s reported as delayed — isn’t always a straightforward proposition.
Take, for instance, what happened when we analyzed delayed mail volume at mail processing facilities nationwide from January 1 to December 31, 2020. We found the North Houston Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC) in Texas reported the most delayed mail in the nation. Not so surprising, given the facility processed the most mail in the country last year. But as we note in our recent audit report — one in a series we are doing on processing plant performance — it turns out not all 3.6 billion pieces the facility reported as delayed for the year were truly delayed.
Our initial objective was to identify the causes of delays at the North Houston P&DC, and we found they were occurring due to late-arriving mail and decreased employee availability, the latter a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. An increase in package volume also contributed.
During our site observations, though, we discovered the North Houston P&DC management wasn’t processing mail on the normal sort plan. Instead, the sort plan being used bypassed certain operations, which in turn caused mail to be reported as delayed. So, while 3.6 billion is the official reported tally, the actual number of delayed mailpieces at North Houston for 2020 was undoubtedly less. Unfortunately, it wasn’t possible to determine the precise number.
Still, we made a recommendation on how to reduce late-arriving mail, and USPS management accepted it. That — and more employees eventually returning to work — should help decrease the amount of delayed mail at North Houston P&DC, whatever the true amount is.
Leave a Comment
Case in point: THREE weeks ago I dropped a parcel at the local post office in Magnolia, Texas, like I've done many times. After prodding the customer service phone line (the fact that I have to wait 45 minutes for a call back indicates what a pathetic job USPS is doing). Turns out the parcel was sent to Los Angeles - the opposite direction it should have been sent. I was given every excuse they could think of as to why. Mostly the answer was "we don't know." At the local post office I got the ridiculous response that Customs controls that. No, Customs has nothing to do with transporting mail inside the USA. These stupid answers are insulting. Today - 3 weeks after the parcel was sent - I was notified that it is now in New York. Stupidity and carelessness in mail handling will put USPS out of business. USPS does NOT care how late my parcel is but I DO care, as does the recipient. Goodbye USPS. Hellow UPS.
In Transit, Arriving Late
Your package will arrive later than expected, but is still on its way. It is currently in transit to the next facility.
May 4, 2021, 5:10 am
Arrived at USPS Regional Facility
AUSTIN TX DISTRIBUTION CENTER
May 4, 2021, 12:44 am
Departed USPS Facility
IRVING, TX 75059
May 3, 2021, 9:09 pm
Arrived at USPS Facility
IRVING, TX 75059
May 3, 2021, 2:51 am
Departed USPS Regional Facility
CHICAGO IL INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION CENTER
May 2, 2021, 7:53 am
Arrived at USPS Regional Facility
CHICAGO IL INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION CENTER
April 24, 2021, 6:32 pm
Processed Through Facility
ISC CHICAGO IL (USPS)
Origin Post is Preparing Shipment
April 23, 2021, 5:29 pm
Processed Through Facility
TORONTO-A, CANADA
April 21, 2021, 4:39 pm
Acceptance
CANADA
I just got done dealing with a broken cell phone that was replaced by my insurance. I had 10 days to return the broken phone from them using the preprinted first class label and box they provided.
I left it at the post office February 27, 2 days after I received my replacement. Figured all was good. Sent in with my life.
25 days later, I get a letter from the insurance company saying I owe them $902 for the non-returned phone. I call USPS, raging inside but polite, the just chuckles a Irie and says "this hairball ask the time!" I have them open an "investigation" (which means they look up the tracking number and find it was never even scanned into the system! Which I already did dozens of times!)
I get an email from the investigation team 3 days later saying, "Sorry, your package has been lost. Thanks for using USPS though!"
2 months later, just out of curiosity. I check the tracking number to find that it was magically delivered to the insurance company.
2 months first class mail means 2 months to travel from Washington to Texas.
What a steaming turd of a system the USPS is! I can't wait for it to disappear and be replaced by a system that actually knows how to do their job!
Please help.
a few months later we had a fraudulent high charge on our credit card . Makes me wonder if it had to do with the missing mail pieces , which included account numbers. Is there somewhere a fox in the hen house ? I do not want to accuse anyone , but there are problems going on through the years. Years ago my mother sent me every so often some money in letters , which went missing several times . So eventually she stopped doing it , because it was a hit or miss , if I would receive it. It also angers me that if a “ fox “ get’s caught , this person only gets a slap on the hand. Stealing mail , etc , should get big time punishment . Otherwise working for the postal service can be heaven , for a person that has no good in mind. Thanks goodness most postal workers are good honest people. But the foxes under them , can surely do harm. Thanks for listening. Sadly I know that nothing will change.