# Shipping USPS, no 1 day anymore??



## pdfCrazy (Feb 28, 2012)

So, shipped a nice package of UE Green Sirensis to someone the other day. On arrival at the post office to drop off (I'd purchased express priority Click N Ship online) they told me it would arrive on Aug 1st, 2 days. This person has shipped to me MULTIPLE time, and its always been 1 day using USPS. I've never had any lost or damaged packages with USPS and they are so much easier to deal with than Fedex. So I called customer service, and they said that as of June 28th, the name of the Express changed and delivery times were all revamped. There will still be some true one day delivery, but only if you are in the same time zone. If your receiver is out of your time zone, expect 2 days. Since thats the case, I WILL NOT BE USING USPS anymore. This is not a thread to complain about lost packages, or how fed ex is better, etc. But please, thos of you that use USPS, please feel free to post your RECENT experience with USPS and delivery times, etc, and RELATED issues.


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## JWerner (Feb 17, 2004)

Odd. I sent a box, USPS Express from WA to Texas, and it arrived next day before noon as I was told. I know people on here express their displeasure with USPS, but in 12 plus years of us I have experienced two " mishaps" which were my fault....


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## WendySHall (Aug 31, 2010)

Well...this isn't good.

It seems it's true. Here's the USPS link to the info...
https://www.usps.com/priority-mail/

And here's a map that will give you delivery times based on your zip...
https://www.usps.com/priority-mail/map/

My 1 day area is extremely small!!! It's not even close to my entire time zone!

But...I shipped a frog package last week using Express and it arrived the next day at it's destination in Illinois (which isn't showing up in my 1 day area). So ???


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## therizman2 (Jul 20, 2008)

Priority Mail is even taking longer to get a lot of places. I used to be able to ship 1 day to a lot of areas, now it is all two days.


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## pdfCrazy (Feb 28, 2012)

https://www.usps.com/making-priority-mail-better.htm


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## heatfreakk3 (Oct 15, 2008)

I shipped 2 packages yesterday via USPS. One went to VA, the other went to CA, and I'm in OK.. Both packages got to their destination today with no problems.


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## pdfCrazy (Feb 28, 2012)

Yes, read their FAQ, some delivery's will reamin 1 day, but alot will go to 2 and even 3 DAYS for delivery. To me, that IS NOT an express service, and I wont pay for, or use it anymore unless they are in the 1 day zone.


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## therizman2 (Jul 20, 2008)

And they say they simplified mailing options by changing Express to Priority Mail Express... not sure how making a name longer makes it easier...


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## mindcrash (Mar 3, 2004)

pdfCrazy said:


> Yes, read their FAQ, some delivery's will reamin 1 day, but alot will go to 2 and even 3 DAYS for delivery. To me, that IS NOT an express service, and I wont pay for, or use it anymore unless they are in the 1 day zone.


For those of us in Colorado, the 1 day area is pretty darn small.


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## pdfCrazy (Feb 28, 2012)

mindcrash said:


> For those of us in Colorado, the 1 day area is pretty darn small.


Exactly what I am saying!!


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## Brian317 (Feb 11, 2011)

Indiana is pretty dang small too! Interesting to know...hmm


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## usctom (Mar 30, 2013)

I could be wrong but I think that map is for priority and not express. I'm pretty sure express is still 1 day to most areas.


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## therizman2 (Jul 20, 2008)

Yes, that map is for priority... but I used to send stuff all over the midwest via Proirity and it was there in a day, now it is all two days, and some stuff even 3 days. I dont understand how something can take 3 days to get somewhere that is literally only a little over a 2hr drive from me...


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## nynewcomer (Dec 20, 2012)

I work for the post office and there are several things to keep in mind. Usually there are several times a day mail leaves the local post office to be processed and delivered. The earlier you get there the greater chance for your package to arrive next day


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## ZookeeperDoug (Jun 5, 2011)

nynewcomer said:


> I work for the post office and there are several things to keep in mind. Usually there are several times a day mail leaves the local post office to be processed and delivered. The earlier you get there the greater chance for your package to arrive next day


And if you're shipping frogs, the greater chance they die from sitting around in a hot USPS facility. If you're shipping frogs, in a hot environment, dropping them off early in the day so that USPS can deliver them next day is probably not a good idea.


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## MrBiggs (Oct 3, 2006)

mindcrash said:


> For those of us in Colorado, the 1 day area is pretty darn small.


Trade ya! According to USPS I don't even get 1-day service to my own city!


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## heatfreakk3 (Oct 15, 2008)

Which shades mean which day delivery?


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## MrBiggs (Oct 3, 2006)

Darkest blue is one day, medium blue is two, light three. No dark blue appears in the above map at all.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 4 Beta


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## pa.walt (Feb 16, 2004)

very dark blue/gray is one day and the lightest is 3 day.


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## mrzoggs (May 27, 2012)

I don't get it in my own city... The only area I get it in is a 15 minute drive... the rest is 2 days.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

All I can say is, it's about time. If they simply cannot meet their promised times, they need to change the promise. Consistently, fully 20% of my bug shipments take a day or more longer than they state, to reach their destination. This is not taken from a shipment or three. I ship more than a few boxes of bugs via USPS Priority.

My question is this. Will they begin actually arriving on time? Or will they simply take that much longer, and STILL not get there within their stated delivery window?

I have to wonder if Colorado has such a small window, because Colorado seems to be very slow on outgoing priority packages?


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## pdfCrazy (Feb 28, 2012)

Update: This was a trade, and my package was mailed today. And is expected tomorrow. So my question is this: How in the world can it be 2 days going to, but only one day coming to me????


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

pdfcrazy said:


> so my question is this: How in the world can it be 2 days going to, but only one day coming to me????





pumilo said:


> because colorado seems to be very slow on outgoing priority packages?


. .


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Sorry, that sounded "smart". I just mean I think our hub is just plain slow to go out.


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## WendySHall (Aug 31, 2010)

usctom said:


> I could be wrong but I think that map is for priority and not express. I'm pretty sure express is still 1 day to most areas.


Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but "Express" mail is gone (or at least on it's way out the door)...it's changed to "Priority Mail Express".

I went to the USPS website as if I were shipping a package...clicked "Ship a package"..."Calculate a price"...entered my info and clicked "Continue"...and *there are no options given for "Express" mail*, only "Priority Mail Express".

I don't know about everyone else, but I think this is really going to hurt frog sales. The majority of people who have purchased from me have opted for Express. Admittedly, I do like FedEx's service better, but the price tag is going to hurt customers. I know I don't want to take any chances on sending out frogs thinking they're going to be there overnight only to find out it's going to take 3 days. Looks like I'm turning mainly to FedEx/Ship Your Reptiles.


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## Halter (Jul 28, 2012)

Hmm strage, I just shipped some red eyes via USPS overnight priority when they changed the name got there by 10am then next day. I was in PA and she was in Ohio. I am sure that is the same time zone but does that mean they are not offering overnight to the otherside of the USA now?


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## WendySHall (Aug 31, 2010)

You need to enter your zip code here to find out delivery times for your specific area...
https://www.usps.com/priority-mail/
(be patient...very slow loading)
But from the way it looks, time zones have nothing to do with it. Here's my specific delivery times and it looks pretty crappy...


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## therizman2 (Jul 20, 2008)

So after talking to someone I know at USPS, apparently a lot of this is taking place because they are consolidating their sort facilities. This is in an attempt to make the business profitable once again... though it seems like at this point, they could easily just look at UPS or FedEx and see how they have done it and just copy them since both never seem to have any money issues. 
The thing that is even worse for me, is that the sort facility for my area is now almost 2hrs away, and has made it so that if I ship something even an hour from me, it is a 2 day shipment because it goes to the other side of the state to the sort facility, is sorted, and then sent back. My city used to have its own sort facility, now it is just a consolidation facility... so everything from the surrounding areas goes there, is taken off one truck, put on another, and then sent to the sort facility on the other side of the state. Sorted and then put back on another truck. 
I feel like at this point with USPS, it is a downward spiral. No one comes close to their prices right now, but there may be a reason for that...


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## WendySHall (Aug 31, 2010)

Too bad there isn't a "Boooo!" button for all this USPS stuff.


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## pa.walt (Feb 16, 2004)

in some areas it would get there faster if you drove to the location.


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## mindcrash (Mar 3, 2004)

therizman2 said:


> So after talking to someone I know at USPS, apparently a lot of this is taking place because they are consolidating their sort facilities. *This is in an attempt to make the business profitable once again*... though it seems like at this point, they could easily just look at UPS or FedEx and see how they have done it and just copy them since both never seem to have any money issues.
> The thing that is even worse for me, is that the sort facility for my area is now almost 2hrs away, and has made it so that if I ship something even an hour from me, it is a 2 day shipment because it goes to the other side of the state to the sort facility, is sorted, and then sent back. My city used to have its own sort facility, now it is just a consolidation facility... so everything from the surrounding areas goes there, is taken off one truck, put on another, and then sent to the sort facility on the other side of the state. Sorted and then put back on another truck.
> I feel like at this point with USPS, it is a downward spiral. No one comes close to their prices right now, but there may be a reason for that...


This is something I've never understood. USPS isn't a business. It's a constitutionally-mandated service, why does it need to turn a profit?


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Now I haven't double checked my source on this, but I'm pretty sure it is a drive by the Post Office to move back towards ponies.


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## WendySHall (Aug 31, 2010)

mindcrash said:


> This is something I've never understood. USPS isn't a business. It's a constitutionally-mandated service, why does it need to turn a profit?


That's the government for you...


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## pdfCrazy (Feb 28, 2012)

See, if you've ever known any government employees, it becomes pretty evident really quick why places like this do not function optimally. First off, they are union. They are constantly on strike and fighting for higher wages. One of my employees at a business I manage also works at USPS, and the stories I've heard from him would blow your mind. Essentially, unless your level of incompetence reaches an astronomical level, your job is protected, and they cant fire you. Not sure if its like that at all of the sort facilities, but it is at this one. They routinely don't show up for work, or show up late with no repercussions, damage packages and laugh about it, etc etc etc.


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## therizman2 (Jul 20, 2008)

mindcrash said:


> This is something I've never understood. USPS isn't a business. It's a constitutionally-mandated service, why does it need to turn a profit?


Maybe I should rephrase that... to make it a break even business model... since right now it is losing money hand over fist...


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## Judy S (Aug 29, 2010)

So how does "Ship Your Reptiles" handle their delivery times? What service do THEY use??


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## pdfCrazy (Feb 28, 2012)

therizman2 said:


> Maybe I should rephrase that... to make it a break even business model... since right now it is losing money hand over fist...


Exactly, they are a model of inefficiency. They are losing hundreds of millions of dollars. Grossly overpaid employees are one of the problems. Overtime handed out like its candy to whoever wants it.

Anywho, my 2 day froggy package arrived in PA this morning, all in good condition and healthy.


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## WendySHall (Aug 31, 2010)

SYR uses FedEx. Here's a link to their info pages...
Ship Your Reptiles - Get Help


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## pdfCrazy (Feb 28, 2012)

Yepp, I used work for Robyn Markland, the operator of SYR back when they were Pro-exotics. They are local to me, that's where I pick up all my shipping supplies. Its only a 15 minute drive for me. But I havnt used them for several reasons.

If I'm shipping bugs or plants, its not a problem, I can drop them off at a fedex store. You don't want to do this if your shipping frogs. It just adds time to your shipment and they are going to sit at that store, then get thrown on a hot bouncy delivery truck all evening while they make pickups at other stores. THEN they get taken to the airport hub sort facility.

The best way with fedex is to drop it straight off at the airport hub/sort facilty. For me, that's a 2 hour round trip. I really don't want to take that amount of time out of my day, especially if I'm shipping a single box.


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## WendySHall (Aug 31, 2010)

pdfCrazy said:


> The best way with fedex is to drop it straight off at the airport hub/sort facilty. For me, that's a 2 hour round trip. I really don't want to take that amount of time out of my day, especially if I'm shipping a single box.


My FedEx hub is about 45 min away. I've only been asked to pick up frogs there one time in my 3 years in the hobby. When I've used them for shipping, I've had no problems with them arriving on time when I take the box to the drop-off location located 5 minutes away from me. (Although I've always heard it's wise to stay away from Kinko's, etc..which mine is not)


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## pdfCrazy (Feb 28, 2012)

And a lot of the decisions on shipping have to do with the time of year, weather, and the level of temperature control measures you are taking. If you are using the mini styro cooler inside a larger styro cooler, with Phase 22's, packing peanuts, then your package can make it through just about anything. I don't usually go that extent though. Just insulated SYR boxes, phase 22 panels or packs, packing peanuts and 2 ounce deli cups. If I can cut 3-5 hours out of a delivery, and not sitting around on a delivery truck locally here when I KNOW the Temps are hitting 90's, I use to make the trip to fedex. With decent temps, below mid 80's, I might drop off at a fedex store.


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## therizman2 (Jul 20, 2008)

Well true to USPS style... box shipped from FL to me, marked as 2-day, just got here today on day #3... guess the new system is worse than the old one because this is the first time it has ever taken 3 days.


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## pdfCrazy (Feb 28, 2012)

Wow, 3 days for express...thats just straight bad news for all of us. I'm guess I'm goign to have to get comfortable shipping with fed-ex


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

pdfCrazy said:


> If I'm shipping bugs or plants, its not a problem, I can drop them off at a fedex store.


Actually, the local FedEx stores do NOT accept shipments of live bugs. You have to take them to the World Center. If you do not mark them with the types of bugs inside, it is a violation of the Lacey Act. That can be a very expensive mistake.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

OK Chris, recent problems only? About 2 months ago I shipped a package of bugs from Colorado, to our neighboring state of Wyoming. I probably could have drop kicked it and gotten the darn thing there! 
Five days later we've got nothing. Tracking still says it left the Denver sorting facility. The weekend comes and goes, and on Monday, the tracking finally gets a hit. My box of bugs has finally entered the sorting facility of...wait for it.....North Carolina. North Freaking Carolina! If that doesn't bust you up, go look at a map.
So anyway, a couple more days pass before we hear anything else. One would expect that the shipment would be corrected and it would be sent on to Wyoming, yes? Wrong! See, that would make sense. It would be the most efficient way to correct the mistake. Therefore, they must instead send it back to Colorado. Of course it was, as they put it, "kicked out of the system" long ago. So now it sits for 2 or 3 more days in Colorado before finally arriving in Wyoming. By the time that box of stinky death arrived, my customer was already culturing the replacement bugs I sent him through FedEx.


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## jdooley195 (Oct 19, 2009)

Hmmm...I can still ship from Eugene, Oregon to New York in 1 day...


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## pdfCrazy (Feb 28, 2012)

Well, another package of tads delayed...... Shipped to Ohio, USPS SAID it would be 1 day delivery. Turned into a 2 day delivery. I pack VERY securely, insulated boxes, styro panels and peanuts, phase 22's, so they arrived fine. But still........we obviously cannot count on even when they say it will be 1 or 2 day. Does this mean I should assume a 2 day delivery (which is feasible with good packaging obviously) gets turned into a 3 day delivery? I would absolutely not want to push any frogs or tads into a 3 day delivery.


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## pdfCrazy (Feb 28, 2012)

Pumilo said:


> Actually, the local FedEx stores do NOT accept shipments of live bugs. You have to take them to the World Center. If you do not mark them with the types of bugs inside, it is a violation of the Lacey Act. That can be a very expensive mistake.


Yepp, I always list on the outside of the box the species that are enclosed, and the QTY. I also try to put an invoice inside as well


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## Judy S (Aug 29, 2010)

Pumilo--The World Center???


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## Reef_Haven (Jan 19, 2011)

Express does not appear to have changed. I guess many of you had a much larger area for 1 day Priority Mail than you do now???
When I use the Postal Rate Calculator nothing appears to have changed for the Express Delivery times. Next day is still available from Florida to Cali.









and the guarantee still appears to be in effect.

*5) Is the scheduled delivery day guaranteed? 
Priority Mail remains a non-guaranteed service. The Postal Service does not provide a money-back guarantee if items sent via Priority Mail fail to arrive by the scheduled delivery date. However, Priority Mail Express continues to provide a money-back guarantee* service for most domestic destinations***.*

** Based on origin and destination. Expected delivery day printed on receipt or provided at checkout, and in USPS Tracking information. 

** Certain exclusions apply. See Priority Mail FAQ No. 8 for more information. 

*** To most destinations. Service commitment based on drop-off time. *


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## pdfCrazy (Feb 28, 2012)

I tried to file a claim, and they denied it. Their 1 day delivery is gaurenteed for 1-2 days.


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## bradlyb (Jul 22, 2013)

therizman2 said:


> This is in an attempt to make the business profitable once again... though it seems like at this point, they could easily just look at UPS or FedEx and see how they have done it and just copy them since both never seem to have any money issues.


Because FedEx and UPS don't deliver junk mail...


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## p.terribilis (Jan 19, 2009)

I used to get mortgage refinance offers via FedEx all the time. I didn't have a mortgage to refinance. But as far as USPS, you can't compare them to those other shippers. The other companies don't have a mandated retirement fund. Congress can't tell them that they can't close unprofitable offices. Also, companies like UPS actually make money other ways too, like electronic repair facilities. The main problem with USPS is Congress not allowing them to actually do what is necessary to be profitable, and in turn, service suffers.


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## MrBiggs (Oct 3, 2006)

bradlyb said:


> Because FedEx and UPS don't deliver junk mail...


It's not just that. It's also that UPS/FedEx are getting paid a MINIMUM of $15 for every stop they make, and usually more. USPS has to stop at every house and business regardless of whether they are being paid nothing in postage, $0.45 cents, or a few dollars.

They aren't similar enough to draw thoae kinds of comparisons.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2


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## MrBiggs (Oct 3, 2006)

p.terribilis said:


> Congress not allowing them to actually do what is necessary to be profitable, and in turn, service suffers.


They are a part of the government, they should NOT be profitable. They should come as close to breaking exactly even as possible. The minimum tacpayer burdern to provide Constitutionally mandated services.


Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2


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## NathanB (Jan 21, 2008)

A lot of people here dont seem to understand how usps works
Postal Facts


> The Postal Service receives NO tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. We are required by law to cover our costs..


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## aspidites73 (Oct 2, 2012)

Pumilo said:


> Actually, the local FedEx stores do NOT accept shipments of live bugs. You have to take them to the World Center. If you do not mark them with the types of bugs inside, it is a violation of the Lacey Act. That can be a very expensive mistake.


Doug, I've been able to work around that due to a literal translation of the Lacey Act. The outside of the box must contain "Wildlife: live harmless (insert animal category here)" I label it Wildlife: live harmless Invertebrate. That IS Lacey Act compliant. Also, the Lacey act specifies that a packing list containing the binomial must be included and attached to the inside of one of the lid flaps. I print out a packing list, tape it to the inside, and I AM in compliance. No where within the Lacey Act does it say you must ID the outside of the box with anything more than a definition of what Wildlife is in the box. For frogs, I use Amphibian then, list the binomials on a packing list attached to the inside box top. While it is not suggested to lie to the shipper, it gets around the personal problem some people have with the words: "bugs, insects, frogs, etc.." See below...

Exerpts from:

*United States Code Annotated Currentness. Title 16. Conservation. Chapter 53. Control of Illegally Taken Fish and Wildlife. * 


Citation: 16 USC 3371 - 3378 

Citation: 95 Stat. 1073 

Summary: _*The Lacey Act provides that it is unlawful for any person to import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase any fish or wildlife or plant taken, possessed, transported, or sold in violation of any law, treaty, or regulation of the United States or in violation of any Indian tribal law whether in interstate or foreign commerce.*_ 


 *

(a) **The term “fish or wildlife” means any wild animal, whether alive or dead, including without limitation any wild mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, fish, mollusk, crustacean, arthropod, coelenterate, or other invertebrate, whether or not bred, hatched, or born in captivity, and includes any part, product, egg, or offspring thereof.

*EDIT PS: don't forget that if you include plant cuttings in the box you MUST also list the genus, and species if known, on the packing list. With un-identified plant species, a genus followed by sp. will pass for domestic shipments 

Edit #2 I assumed you were having problems with terms like insects. I see now, from your last post, that the problem is with live shipments


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

pdfCrazy said:


> I tried to file a claim, and they denied it. Their 1 day delivery is gaurenteed for 1-2 days.





Reef_Haven said:


> Express does not appear to have changed. I guess many of you had a much larger area for 1 day Priority Mail than you do now???
> When I use the Postal Rate Calculator nothing appears to have changed for the Express Delivery times. Next day is still available from Florida to Cali.
> 
> 
> ...


USPS will deny ALL live animal claims. I've posted the links directly from USPS, stating this.
FedEx and UPS also do NOT stand behind live shipments. (I don't know how ShipYourReptiles gets around this. They either have special arrangements, or, I suspect SYR is offering the guarantee themselves.
I have accounts with both FedEx and USPS. I have tried to file claims with both services, (for frogs, corals, and bugs). They have always been denied. FedEx actually accepted money from me for several years, on at least a couple hundred shipments, KNOWING that they were live animals. Then of course, they denied my first claim.
My best advice to you is to pack your frogs as if you know the shipping company is trying to kill them. 



Judy S said:


> Pumilo--The World Center???


Judy, FedEx has so many subdivisions that I really don't know what all of them are. It may simply be there name for the main FedEx hub, but that is simply a guess. All I can tell you is that there is only ONE FedEx World Center in all of Denver Metro. They are the biggest FedEx location I have seen. They seem to have more authority(?) over what they can accept. Every other location will direct you to the World Center if they see that your package is live. ShipYourReptiles has special arrangements with FedEx to make your choice of FedEx locations much wider.


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## pdfCrazy (Feb 28, 2012)

Doug, when I said filing a claim, I NEVER even mentioned to them live animals. I tried to file a claim based on late delivery outside the gaurenteed time. I never lost a tad, or frog, they were just late. I recently had a delivery too, that was supposed to be 1 day by their estimation, end up beign delivered on the 3rd day. Again, everything arrived live and no problem almost a week later. But........I find 3 days to be TOTALLY unacceptable, not just as a service, but to what our pets have to endure. Yes, money has exchanged hands, we offer live arrival, and their is an investment their, but above and beyond that, I dont want someone to open a box to dead animals. Thats discouraging, disappointing, and sad, on both ends.


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## Reef_Haven (Jan 19, 2011)

Pumilo said:


> USPS will deny ALL live animal claims. I've posted the links directly from USPS, stating this.
> FedEx and UPS also do NOT stand behind live shipments.


Yes,
The insurance thru USPS and FedEx is worthless, but the guarantee to refund your postage still stands, if they are not delivered by the guarantee date and time.


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