Postal services from US to Australia (1 Viewer)

[Barkmann]

I read this today? This has to be a joke, is it really happening?

"Slower Than in the '70s": USPS Temporarily Suspends Deliveries to Australia - Power Retail

 

[Terp152]

I wonder if we'll experience the same USPS nightmare we had during the Christmas holiday season of last yr. Chris

 

[Warrior]

It's not a joke, it's the USPS for you.........raising rates and lowering service, what a great combination.

As of October 4th, the rates went up and all first class packages and regular mail will now only travel a certain distance per day to cut down on expenses.

So higher rates, slower service.

And according to the clerk I spoke to yesterday, they are thinking of increasing rates yet again "temporarily" during the holiday season, but they will be reduced after the holidays are over.

Right; sure they will.........speaking of the holidays, pull this leg, it plays "Jingle Bells."

 

[Barkmann]

It's not a joke, it's the USPS for you.........raising rates and lowering service, what a great combination.

As of October 4th, the rates went up and all first class packages and regular mail will now only travel a certain distance per day to cut down on expenses.

So higher rates, slower service.

And according to the clerk I spoke to yesterday, they are thinking of increasing rates yet again "temporarily" during the holiday season, but they will be reduced after the holidays are over.

Right; sure they will.........speaking of the holidays, pull this leg, it plays "Jingle Bells."

I did some research into why? I am interested in these sort of things, I am to the left of centre and a bit of a socialist, know that is a dirty word to some in the US, but i think that is down to definitions of socialism. The reason i am interested in things like mail delivery is for me there are a number of things that are somewhere between essential and required for a society to function, one being a decent affordable universal postal service. The guy running it, seems to be trying to destroy it, deliberately. It is not poor workmanship from the men and women on the frontline. One thing i will ask people to remember when dealing with the mailman or the post office counter clerk. They are just doing their jobs, very very micro cogs in a big organsation and do not earn enough to take abuse etc. Don't take it out on them.

This is shocking - you led the world in putting a man on the moon, German scientists [look at the Paperclip Conspiracy] and support from British planners [Patrick Moore etc] but your get up and go did it.

Joke - We had a comedian in the UK who explained why the British did not go to the moon? He said there was no reason, nothing there, nowhere to bring democracy, trial by jury or a railway service.......and there are no olympic level sportspeople to give a British passport too or any spicy food, plus there was no one to give it back to when we have finished with it. Look on YTube for Al Murrey V the Americans and Al Murrey Why The British are Undefeated world champions at war. Both are very funny and informative, he has a history degree from Oxford University. He is playing a pub landlord character in the clips.

 

[Warrior]

I did some research into why? I am interested in these sort of things, I am to the left of centre and a bit of a socialist, know that is a dirty word to some in the US, but i think that is down to definitions of socialism. The reason i am interested in things like mail delivery is for me there are a number of things that are somewhere between essential and required for a society to function, one being a decent affordable universal postal service. The guy running it, seems to be trying to destroy it, deliberately. It is not poor workmanship from the men and women on the frontline. One thing i will ask people to remember when dealing with the mailman or the post office counter clerk. They are just doing their jobs, very very micro cogs in a big organsation and do not earn enough to take abuse etc. Don't take it out on them.

This is shocking - you led the world in putting a man on the moon, German scientists [look at the Paperclip Conspiracy] and support from British planners [Patrick Moore etc] but your get up and go did it.

Joke - We had a comedian in the UK who explained why the British did not go to the moon? He said there was no reason, nothing there, nowhere to bring democracy, trial by jury or a railway service.......and there are no olympic level sportspeople to give a British passport too or any spicy food, plus there was no one to give it back to when we have finished with it. Look on YTube for Al Murrey V the Americans and Al Murrey Why The British are Undefeated world champions at war. Both are very funny and informative, he has a history degree from Oxford University. He is playing a pub landlord character in the clips.

Nope, the clerks at the various post office locations are aces, as are the carriers/delivery men and women, as you said, they are just doing their job.

USPS has been bleeding money for years, a government run entity like the post office should not be MAKING money, every penny that comes in should go to the expenses that keep it running, but they are so poorly run they are LOSING money, every day, every month, every year.

It's astounding.

 

[jazzeum]

This happened last year with service from Japan to the world. I had purchased a couple of CDs on eBay and the seller agreed to cancel the order. Subsequently, when I purchased CDs from Japan, I used DHL. Regular mail has been resumed but still use DHL.

 

[jazzeum]

Nope, the clerks at the various post office locations are aces, as are the carriers/delivery men and women, as you said, they are just doing their job.

USPS has been bleeding money for years, a government run entity like the post office should not be MAKING money, every penny that comes in should go to the expenses that keep it running, but they are so poorly run they are LOSING money, every day, every month, every year.

It's astounding.

Many of the issues with the USPS have to do with prefunding pension liabilities, something no other business has to do. It’s a big liability on their balance sheet.

 

[Warrior]

Many of the issues with the USPS have to do with prefunding pension liabilities, something no other business has to do. It’s a big liability on their balance sheet.

Thanks for that, I was aware of it but wasn't sure exactly what it was referred to; yes, it's a massive expense that is draining them.

 

[Obee]

I'm sure glad that I'm not getting anything in from the USA, nor sending it over there is this is the sort of 'service' I'm getting !!!!

BUT ........ in the past month I have had two parcels arrive here in Western Australia from a seller in Eastern France and they have arrived in 7 and then 6 days !!!!!!!
They went to Paris, held there for a day or two, then straight here, possibly a transit in the Middle East of SE Asia, that is AMAZING because it takes longer to get a parcel in from our Eastern States, like Sydney of Melbourne.

With the coming Festive Season AUSPost has ben publishing last mailing dates for delivery before Christmas, and that is Dec 13 so get shopping and posting NOW.

John

 

[DMNamiot]

Hi Guys

Brad hit the nail on the head! We are Federal but are not funded that way and because of the pension liability we are always working at a deficit. I will tell that as a carrier the volume of parcels is way up for us already. We are also seeing an increase in the amounts of mail. That said Our biggest issue is the stupid deals that were made with Amazon and have finally been changed so that company isn’t flooding us with their parcels and is also paying a fair rate. I could go in and on about other issues but it’s moot.

Dave

 

[The Military Workshop]

This was quoted in the link by Barkmann.

Australia Post has recently announced it would be temporarily pausing post parcel pickup from online retailers for five days, ending Wednesday, October 6th. “With parcel volumes at Christmas levels, our network continues to be under increased pressure and is amplified in Victoria where we continue to manage a heavily reduced workforce due to the impact of the Delta strain,” the postal service said. “The temporary pause will help manage the record volumes being experienced in the network and importantly return them to a level that is safe and manageable for our people. The safety of our people is our highest priority, one which we will not compromise on.”

As somebody who does a lot of postage I can confirm major issues within Australia recently. This has been particularly in Victoria and NSW. Mail order is up because most shops in Sydney and Melbourne and other areas were closed for months and many people restricted from going out by lockdowns. Plus apparently 14 days quarantine for postal workers has been an issue if one of them in a sorting centre tested positive. Another problem is that there are states that have border lockdowns with other states (ie. at the moment NSW and VIC residents cant come into Qld - even Qld residents cant return). This means there have been far fewer planes moving around the country.

For international passenger flights there have been very few coming in and out for quite a long time now. This obviously affects postage.

I regularly get Express satchels from a supplier in Sydney. Normally would arrive next day but a recent one took 6 days.

 

[Obee]

Brett,

the parcel you sent to me on Wednesday has arrived today, Friday, so that's good as far as I'm concerned

Brisbane to Perth ... and for our US readers, that means you are in NY and I'm in LA

John