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New FedEx Ground and USPS Arrangement

This is a heads up to members involved in a sale where the goods are sent by FedEx Ground. FedEx and the USPS now have an arrangement whereby FedEx Ground delivers the package to the postal facility in the recipient’s zip code and the USPS completes the delivery to the recipient’s door. I’ve encountered this new arrangement twice in the last ten days, once as the shipper and once as the recipient (neither shipment was audio related).

Based on my experience, you can expect two changes from the former service by FedEx Ground. First, total delivery time can take another day because the USPS delivers the package as part of its once-a-day regular mail run. Whenever the package arrives at the postal facility after that day’s mail has already been sorted and given to the mail carriers, the package won't go out until the next day. Second, FedEx’s tracking number system now tracks the delivery of the package only to the postal facility. This can be disconcerting to the recipient who has not yet received his package but reads on FedEx’s tracking site that the package has been delivered.
dougmc
tobias
1,534 posts
 
I would be happy if this arrangement were extended to my region. This is because it will be easier to take delivery when I'm not home. I'm assuming that if I'm out the carrier will return the item to my local post office and leave me a delivery notice. The local p.o. is a lot closer than the FedEx depot.

Actually I'm pretty sure the postperson doesn't even try to deliver the heavy stuff. They just leave the delivery notice for those. Maybe Don_s's little mail carrier can save her back.
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
I thought that DHL had folded their tent in the US. (They are big in Europe).

My son is a pilot who flies a small plane for Fed EX out of Phoenix to nearby cities like Flagstaff. He used to do the same route for DHL, but went to Fed Ex when DHL quit.

He has remarked that Fed Ex people handle packages with care, whereas DHL would simply toss them into the plane. I don't know about UPS.
rja's avatar
rja
2,370 posts
 
I was recently notified that a package was shipped DHL and it showed up in my mail box. Not sure how this all works. I was also under the impression that DHL was folding up in the USA.
BTW: I think DHL is owned by the German post office.
The USPS is on track to lose $7 billion this year so big changes are definitely coming. Only time will tell what those changes will be.
sutts
700 posts
 
is this also for Canada?
bob_bundus
1,834 posts
 
REALLY wondering about FedX Ground anymore? Used to use them occassionally with no trouble at all...
In late May I ordered an industrial grade water pump (65 pounds) from a northern Chicago suburb; for home delivery to my rural address ~60 miles south of Chicago.
The thing took forever to show up. Note there is a local FedX office 1/2 mile west of here on the outskirts of town; their drivers have been here often enough to recognize me &/or wife on the street (it's a midsize community).
Eventually I received a call from a northwest Indiana FedX office (HUH?) requesting directions to the house for delivery. This has happened before; apparently they don't understand how to route via shortest path, but crossing state lines twice enroute seems insane. No response re: my query "why is my pump in Indiana when your local office is 1/2 mile away?".
I satirically asked if they knew how to search an address on Mapquest (more silence) apparently these Pet Rocks dunno about that either? Following my lengthy delivery instructions they finally got it here a couple of days later. Sheesh!!!
So now it has to go through the post office as well? May as well go through USPS Parcel Post; it'll probably be faster! Or resign myself back to risking the United Package Smashers. And we all know their infamous reputation for blaming the victim when they destroy something. Catch 22 all over again...
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