US Postal Service
- Thread starter Kicking
- Start date
Hi Kicking,
The USPS will be doing what other delivery services have already been doing for years...long before Sept of 2001.
In fact, its about time they catch up with everybody else on this issue.
Its actually more of a benefit than a negative because sometimes the letter or package is undeliverable because of an incorrect address...
Now such types can have a better chance for delivery via having a phone number to call to get the correct delivery address.
How often does that happen...undeliverable?
I once worked at UPS in the U.S. while in college and a few years afterwards as a driver and international sales rep.
I personally would have about 5% undeliverable packages (bad, incomplete addresses or weird delivery instructions) out of my delivery load every day I worked.
The phone number allowed me or a clerk to get the correct address and deliver about 75% of those undeliverable packages.
Heck...even here in Canada...I saw on the news once in 2002 and got confirmation from a customs agent that they are allowed to open and review the contents of any package or envelope...
In addition, in Canada...if a document (letter) or package is moving within country (from one Canadian address to another Canadian address) they can open at random anything...
review it and document the contents.
This has happened to me twice since I've been living here in Canada...
reason why I tell friends...
don't send cash
Kicking...surely you've shipped a package in Canada and someone asked you for a phone number?
They do ask me all the time and I ship a few times per month within Canada and to other countries.
Last of all, it will be impossible to stay in business (USPS is a business) if all mail were open and scanned...
Yet, such can be done at random as here in Canada under the facade of some several decade old regulation and they seem to not be scaring anybody away from using their service.
NihabaAshi
Unfortunately, this doesn't work if you don't have a phone. There are a growing number of people giving up their land lines who don't particularly like the idea of handing out their cell phone numbers to anyone who asks for them. Therefore, in this type of situation, one most often just makes a number up in order to satisfy what is becoming a horse-and-buggy requirement.
If terrorists are as stupid as the government seems to believe they are, we can all sleep easier. On the other hand . . .
i was never asked to provide a phone number when shipping packages via usps. what up wit this ??
surfer
surfer
There's always a contact info (phone number)...always.
A work phone number, a neighbor phone number or a phone number of a close friend...
Always a method for someone to get a hold of you in case of any type of emergency.
Heck...I've seen email addresses used as contact info and some drivers will take that as contact info.
Exceptions were like shipping to military locations et cetera.
Worst scenario...if someone doesn't want to couph up contact info...
it's best they use another delivery service that doesn't need contact info and/or doesn't care if it gets delivered.
NihabaAshi
Exactly and such does happen...
In cases when there was a problem with delivery after several attempts...regardless if the info was incorrect or bogus...
There's a warehouse UPS has that holds about 5 million dollars worth of packages that were undeliverable for many reasons including reasons like no contact info.
(Driver was in a rush and accepted package without contact info like a phone number)
I heard...only a rumor...such items after a designated time period of going unclaimed...are auctioned off somewhere and UPS donates the money to charity.
Always a method for someone to provide contact info...
For example, when I was in college I knew a guy that was a student but homeless and living out of his car.
How did he get his UPS letters from a concerned relative...
The pay phone number of the cafe where he spends most of his time studying (a 24hour place).
In fact, he used their delivery address with their permission.
There's always a phone number or any kind of contact info...always.
Especially if you really want that package or letter
NihabaAshi
Sounds like my mail man. I see the guy just parked for 2-3 hours everyday. He doesn't deliver my mail until almost 5pm. If he's out and there's a substitute delivery guy, my mail arrives at about 2:30.
Geez, these guys don't even have to get out of their trucks to deliver the mail around here - so what, he needs a 2-3 hour siesta everyday to recover from all that hard work?
Wouldn't want to return to the barn too early - they might give him more to do so that he actually works a full 8 hours.
Your tax dollars at work!!!