Modern Delivery services are amazing

WickedLou9 · 12-19-2007, 09:22 AM

I still find it amazing to see something like this...

The package started in Shanghai China. it shipped out Yesterday, flew through Alaska, then it went through customs in Indiana, and then it flew from there to Philladephia all within a 24 hour period.

Imagine talking to someone even 100 years ago and telling them that you could go anywhere in the world in less than 24 hours. It really is amazing. Then think about what must happen with a package to get it to where it needs to go. My package was just one of hundreds probably picked up on a pallet and put on a plane from China. Yet somehow they can pick it all out, sort it get it from China to AK to IN, to Philly in 24 hours, being taken on and off planes, sorted, tracked, loaded, etc. at every step along the way.

Linzyhop · 12-19-2007, 09:25 AM

indeed. i'm reading a book right now called "A Respectable Trade" about the Slave trade into England in the late 1780s and how these ship owners would send their ships out and not have any contact with them for months and months and months and never know if the ships sunk or where they were before they came back into port a year later. imagine waiting and waiting without any word. you could be ruined and not even know it.

and i'm talking communication here, not the ills of the slave trade.

but i digress.

Ardentfrost · 12-19-2007, 09:30 AM

And yet I ordered my wife's gift 3 weeks ago and it has spent the past 2 either in a truck NOT being delivered, or sitting in a warehouse in South Atlanta. I call them everyday, and they can't find my fucking building for some reason. And yet, they deliver here EVERY FUCKING DAY.

The first day they said "no one was there to sign" but I work in a building where someone is paid to be there to sign from 7AM til 5PM Mon-Fri, so I called them on that lie.

They have really pissed me off. It is not hard to find my building. Stop telling me it's the wrong zip code, it's not. Get me my damn parcel!

WickedLou9 · 12-19-2007, 09:40 AM

Originally Posted by Ardentfrost

And yet I ordered my wife's gift 3 weeks ago and it has spent the past 2 either in a truck NOT being delivered, or sitting in a warehouse in South Atlanta. I call them everyday, and they can't find my fucking building for some reason. And yet, they deliver here EVERY FUCKING DAY.

The first day they said "no one was there to sign" but I work in a building where someone is paid to be there to sign from 7AM til 5PM Mon-Fri, so I called them on that lie.

They have really pissed me off. It is not hard to find my building. Stop telling me it's the wrong zip code, it's not. Get me my damn parcel!

That happened to me once. I stayed home waiting for a package and I was tracking it on the FedEx website and all of a sudden it said " delivery attempt, customer not available" I was like, WHAT?! I have been waiting right here?! The driver just didn't feel like coming out I guess. I had to drive over to the FedEx location to get my package after the driver got back.

WickedLou9 · 12-19-2007, 10:08 AM

Damnit!!!!

Dec 19, 2007 9:51 AM

Delivery exception

BELLMAWR, NJ

Customer not available or business closed - Signature required

They said the estimated delivery date was supposed to be Friday!

Ardentfrost · 12-19-2007, 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by WickedLou9

Damnit!!!!

Dec 19, 2007 9:51 AM

Delivery exception

BELLMAWR, NJ

Customer not available or business closed - Signature required

They said the estimated delivery date was supposed to be Friday!

That's EXACTLY what happened to me, except we were here.

7960 · 12-19-2007, 10:15 AM

I worked at UPS in college. You can't imagine what the operation is like until you see it. It really is impressive, but then again I watched people get fired because a next-day air package wasn't on a truck that was still in the parking lot.

Linzyhop · 12-19-2007, 10:15 AM

Originally Posted by WickedLou9

Damnit!!!!

Dec 19, 2007 9:51 AM

Delivery exception

BELLMAWR, NJ

Customer not available or business closed - Signature required

They said the estimated delivery date was supposed to be Friday!

call them, and have them hold it at the fed ex facility and go pick it up. or have them re-route it to your business.

WickedLou9 · 12-19-2007, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by Linzyhop

call them, and have them hold it at the fed ex facility and go pick it up. or have them re-route it to your business.

I might just have to call them and pick it up myself. My workplace here doesn't allow us to have packages delivered. No idea why.

JaJae · 12-19-2007, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by WickedLou9

Imagine talking to someone even 100 years ago and telling them that you could go anywhere in the world in less than 24 hours. It really is amazing. Then think about what must happen with a package to get it to where it needs to go. My package was just one of hundreds probably picked up on a pallet and put on a plane from China. Yet somehow they can pick it all out, sort it get it from China to AK to IN, to Philly in 24 hours, being taken on and off planes, sorted, tracked, loaded, etc. at every step along the way.

If government still had a monopoly on the postal system this would still be impossible and a far-fetched dream.

7960 · 12-19-2007, 11:14 AM

Originally Posted by JaJae

If government still had a monopoly on the postal system this would still be impossible and a far-fetched dream.

you could do the same thing with a USPS package

Publius · 12-19-2007, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by 7960

you could do the same thing with a USPS package

but only because they had to follow suit with the private companies in order to remain competitive in the segments of the market they don't monopolize. USPS makes tons more money annually on their package volume that they do on their regular letter volume, I'd be willing to bet. That's money they wouldn't get if they hadn't adapted and taken up the speedy delivery methods of the private companies.

JaJae · 12-19-2007, 12:52 PM

Originally Posted by 7960

you could do the same thing with a USPS package

Only because of competition.

Edit: What Publius said...

motivez · 12-20-2007, 12:16 AM

Sounds like an argument for government being allowed to run various programs as long as there's competition in the same market?

JaJae · 12-20-2007, 12:34 AM

Originally Posted by motivez

Sounds like an argument for government being allowed to run various programs as long as there's competition in the same market?

I believe the USPS loses money. UPS and Fedex make a profit. I would much prefer we ditch the USPS. The private market does a better job, I see no reason to keep paying taxes for the USPS other than to keep the jobs of the people working there.

This is old but...
Postal Service Now in Financial Trouble?

In September 2000, the US Postal Service projected a surplus of $150 million for Fiscal Year 2001. By March 2001, however, postal officials project a deficit of between $2 and $3 BILLION.

motivez · 12-20-2007, 01:38 AM

I have a package coming by DHL to NC.. that was originally picked up in VA, flown to OH, and is now on it's way to PA...

7960 · 12-20-2007, 01:59 AM

Originally Posted by JaJae

Only because of competition.

Edit: What Publius said...

USPS was sending airmail decades before UPS/FEDEX started.

Originally Posted by motivez

I have a package coming by DHL to NC.. that was originally picked up in VA, flown to OH, and is now on it's way to PA...

how it's routed depends on where their main processing hub for your area is.