Almost lost a prize

[damnyankee2]

I'll try to keep this as short as possible...
Was notified by FedEx to expect an envelope last Thursday. Someone was home all day, and it never arrived. About 7 pm, I checked my email and found another from FedEx stating the envelope was delivered at 3:06 pm and was left at the front door. Since we don't use our front door, I checked. No envelope. Canvassed the cul-de-sac. No mis-deliveries. Called FedEx told 'em the story. They said they'd check with the driver and get back to me the next day. In the mean time I contacted the shipper (fulfillment company) and told them the story. They told me what was shipped ($50 Clark's giftcard from IW). They said if FedEx can't find it, call back and they would check with Clark's to see about a replacement card but not to count on it.

Got home from work and asked the wife if the envelope ever came, she said yes about 11 am and that it was OPENED. She confronted the driver and asked "What's this?" The driver said she had delivered it to the wrong address (...Drive instead of ...Court). Wrong NAME and ADDRESS and they opened it anyway? I DON'T THINK SO. Since my wife worked at the post office here for nearly 20 years, she asked how it could have been delivered to our address on ....Drive when there are no houses with our street # on ...Drive. CRICKETS!!! BUSTED!

It's my guess, that since there was no signature required, and you could clearly tell it was a gift or credit card of some sort and that the shipper was a fulfillment co., the driver had intended to steal it and claim I was lying about it not being delivered. Had I not been registered with FedEx for delivery notifications, I would NEVER have known.

Called FedEx back to let them know I did indeed receive the envelope and I actually accused the driver of trying to steal it.

Register with FedEx AND UPS for delivery notifications...it's free and it just might get you a prize you didn't know about.

 

[doll38]

Last time I looked at salary for USPS: it's quite high for walking around a neighborhood with letters -- um I don't know about other mail drivers, but Personally They tap my door instead of knock, and leave letters in the rain, at the front door! It's been awhile since the delivered anything to me though...I have had one prize/s go missing, and since I am there at 10am to look, if I don't have other plans! The prize I had missing was in a envelope clearly different and larger w/ a GC! ,...*Some dude prowls thru our recycling for cans, sadly every week almost, and while I don't suspect him, nothing would surprise me! At least you confronted them, good for u! Keep in mind a can is worth what? One cent I don't know, & y would someone actually dig in a recycle bin filled with nasty trash, eww! So never know! I confronted the can digger too, but was too nice to do anything.

 

[amyshulk]

lol doll38 - I worked w/UPS in the 80's after I got out the USN during Christmas rush - walking around? NOPE.

Even back then, a computer would figure what time it would take to do your route w/that days pkgs & if U beat it {really hard to do} then you got a bonus - I ran my butt off!

Last time I looked at salary for USPS: it's quite high for walking around a neighborhood with letters -- um I don't know about other mail drivers, but Personally They tap my door instead of knock, and leave letters in the rain, at the front door! It's been awhile since the delivered anything to me though...I have had one prize/s go missing, and since I am there at 10am to look, if I don't have other plans! The prize I had missing was in a envelope clearly different and larger w/ a GC! ,...*Some dude prowls thru our recycling for cans, sadly every week almost, and while I don't suspect him, nothing would surprise me! At least you confronted them, good for u! Keep in mind a can is worth what? One cent I don't know, & y would someone actually dig in a recycle bin filled with nasty trash, eww! So never know! I confronted the can digger too, but was too nice to do anything.

 

[doll38]

Good point! I really don't see how the mail guy does it, walking around especially when it snows. I about twist my ankle just walking in my front yard. You would have to be in good shape that is for sure!!!

 

[damnyankee2]

doll38 - You seem to think the postman's job is a piece of cake. Consider this - At retirement (after 36 years with the post office) my wife was making about $26/hr. Her first 7 years were as a city carrier ( she started out at about $12/hr). She got a vehicle only to haul all the mail to the route, which she would then pack up 2 blocks worth of mail in a shoulder carried mail satchel then walk the 2 blocks up one side of the street and back the other side. Most houses on her route had between 3 and 7 steps up the front porch to get to the HOUSE MOUNTED mailbox. No driving up to a mail box by the street.

Her route had 404 houses/stops. Now, consider Jan. 20,1985 in Chicago. That was and still is the coldest day in Chicago history - it was 27 BELOW ZERO with a wind chill of as much as 80 BELOW ZERO. She WALKED that whole route that day. Then there were the days in the summer when it got well into the 90's with humidity levels in the 50-60% range (you're near Lake Michigan). Then there are the spring and fall rainy seasons (walking in the rain all day). She WALKED that route EVERY DAY! Before they even hit the street, they had to hand sort all the mail they were going to deliver that day into "pigeon holes" at the office, take it all down and put it in tubs and load the tubs into the vehicle - THEN go walking the route. Along the way, you had ice, and snow covered porches and stairs, puddles of water from the rain and dogs that typically don't like strangers in their yards or strays walking the streets. After 7 years of all this, she developed a lower back problem that took nearly another 7 years of treatments to "get better", and she nearly lost her job over it. She finally got the OK to switch over to be a clerk, working and sorting mail inside the office. No easy task there either. Packages can weigh up to 70 pounds and she developed tennis elbow from that work. Then you get to deal with customers at the window who think you're overpaid or just plain have an attitude.

In December, overtime is mandatory - you can't turn it down! And there are NO vacations allowed in December.

Think of all the "junk" mail you get and multiply that by the number of houses or stops on a route. It MUST be delivered - you throw it away or don't deliver it, you get fired. Also, these days, the post office is delivering a lot of UPS and FedEx packages because they (UPS and FedEx) don't want to have to deliver to areas that are not conveniently located within city limits.

The USPS processes and delivers over 500 MILLION pieces of mail PER DAY on average. NO tax dollars go to the post office.

If you ever get a chance to "chat" with your mailman, just ask him what a typical day is like. You might be surprised at what you hear. Oh, yeah, UPS drivers get help delivering at Christmas (AMY???) mailmen don't.

Last time I looked at salary for USPS: it's quite high for walking around a neighborhood with letters -- um I don't know about other mail drivers, but Personally They tap my door instead of knock, and leave letters in the rain, at the front door! It's been awhile since the delivered anything to me though...I have had one prize/s go missing, and since I am there at 10am to look, if I don't have other plans! The prize I had missing was in a envelope clearly different and larger w/ a GC! ,...*Some dude prowls thru our recycling for cans, sadly every week almost, and while I don't suspect him, nothing would surprise me! At least you confronted them, good for u! Keep in mind a can is worth what? One cent I don't know, & y would someone actually dig in a recycle bin filled with nasty trash, eww! So never know! I confronted the can digger too, but was too nice to do anything.

 

[amyshulk]

damnyankee2 - similar exp recently but it was USPS & medication from the VA that was "mis-delivered" that the postman signed for & put in the lock box [apt's w/central boxes] that I never did get.

 

[damnyankee2]

Look, I'm the last one to say that ALL postal employees are honest - there are definitely some bad apples. Most, though, are at the main facilities rather than the local offices where they see the customers daily. Those guys rifle the mail around Christmas for cash and gift cards. Most end up getting caught and fired. Hey, they just fired a supervisor from my wife's office for "overstating" reimbursable mileage. It happens in all jobs.

damnyankee2 - similar exp recently but it was USPS & medication from the VA that was "mis-delivered" that the postman signed for & put in the lock box [apt's w/central boxes] that I never did get.

 

[amyshulk]

Oh no damnyankee2 - I was just adding my experience - I know it's Zebras not Horses - you know - Hear hoofbeats think Horse not Zebra

Look, I'm the last one to say that ALL postal employees are honest - there are definitely some bad apples. Most, though, are at the main facilities rather than the local offices where they see the customers daily. Those guys rifle the mail around Christmas for cash and gift cards. Most end up getting caught and fired. Hey, they just fired a supervisor from my wife's office for "overstating" reimbursable mileage. It happens in all jobs.

 

[doll38]

Thanks for sharing your story damnyankee2 ( I hope you didn't think I was having a negative attitude towards anything )...I never really realized that mail carriers did not get paid more when they first got hired. Huh. I simply couldn't deliver everything in the time allowed personally, plus, all the dogs in the neighborhood allowed to run loose. You are right it is far from a piece of 'cake'...VERY FAR FROM IT!!!