# Shipping Companys



## Del Tapparo (Jan 4, 2008)

We get most of our stuff via UPS, and some FED EX. Most of the time, if its the regular guy, we get great service. But especially this time of year, it seems to get worse.

*Why can't these guys take 2 seconds to ring the freaking doorbell as they place your expensive packages on the porch and take off running? *I guess I've never had any packages stolen off of my front porch yet (that I know of anyway). But there have been plenty of times when we have found a package that has been out there for nearly 24 hours. The doorbell is two feet from the package. It works. And we are home! I have just gotten into the habit of checking the porch on a regular basis, just in case. Sure enough, tonight I found two packages; one that had arrived a day earlier than the tracking indicated. (That part is nice).


Might as well rant here. It does just as much good as ranting to the shipper, which I have done.


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Well, FedEx came to the house last night.....at 7:30 PM! 

Christmas is slamming them more this year according to the press, mail order/internet is up and parcel counts are increasing by the millions.


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## Richard Smith (Jan 2, 2008)

I always get great service from UPS but try to avoid ordering anything to be delivered in December just for the reason you mention. With the exponential increase in deliveries this time of the year and with much new and inexperienced help it is inevitable that more mistakes would be made. I did take delivery of a sizeable Llagas Creek order Nov.30 via UPS and everything arrived from Baltimore to here in Oregon in perfect shape. I will not order anything more though until after the first of the year.


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

Del, you need to SNAG yer delivery guy, and ask him first then tell him if he doesn't comply with your wishes, after he doesn't comply, report him to the company!! I never had to report mine but would in a heartbeat, I have complained to Fred Ex but they in my opinion don't seem to care, that's why i try not to ever ship with them! Sometimes I was forced to use them as the supplier only used them, and it seems to have gotten better in the last year! I just had a conversation with my driver couple years back, and explained if we don't answer the door (he does ring the bell) but we usually see him coming because he is usually here pretty much within 1/2 hr on the dot each day, and also gave him an alternative if we are not home. He was very gracious and has always complied with our wishes, I have even run him down with return pkgs to take too. Saves me driving 20 miles to do so! Regal


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

While I have very little delivered by Fedex, I have never had them ring the doorbell. UPS always rings the bell as does the post man. Having woeked for companies that shipped product to the customers, I've got lots of stories about items delivered and what happened to them. The best was the customer thast called to say he hadn't got his item delivered even though UPS showed it had been. When I called UPS customer service, they looked at the delivery notes by the UPS employee. Normally it would say left on the frt porch or by the side door etc. This one said he left it on top the garbage can. You can guess what day the garbage was picked up. Just another example of the loss of common sence in todays world. But like Richard says, avoid ordering things close to Christmas as that is when items are stolen and damaged the most. 

Randy


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

I've had UPS try to tell me my address doesn't exist! As I thought it was a new guy with an old map.... only took a week for the regular guy to comeback from vacation to deliver it! 

John


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## audi84 (Jan 13, 2008)

Most of my problems are with UPS I have asked them to ring my bell when they deliver, but, like a 747, it goes over their heads, and on the other hand ,FedEx rings my bell and if I am not at home they leave it and put a notice on my door. One UPS driver insisted on pulling off the hiway into my front yard instead of using my driveway, I have not seen him for over a month, so maybe my griping to their regional office worked, my current UPS driver does ring the bell if I do not see him making a delivery.


audi84


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

yup John! I like you am a ghost address to ups but usually on the Eastern half of the U.S. you know back there in Nicky country at N.Y. and such!! I know I'm here, and i'm able to google myself, only the picture is from the South to the North and a block away, which is good if a terrorist, wants to take me out and google's me he will take out my neighbors house I presume!! I like to be There, but in a ghostly manner where only people who I want to find me can!! Hah LOL The Regal


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Sounds to me it's who ever the drivers are for UPS some are better at there jobs then others. Mine have always rung the bell. I have never had a problem so far with them. If the stuff is to heavy for me to handle they will even offer to carry into the shop for me. Now that is service. Could it be that it's because they are based out of Atlanta? and I'm not far from the main office. Later RJD


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

One day I caught the UPS guy pulling in, coming out of the truck NOT with the package (which I was waiting on and watching for), but just the "Sorry we missed you" note, sticking it on the door without even knocking, and start towards his truck before I got from upstairs to the front door.... "Oh, you ARE home?".... 

I was starting to wonder why we just didn't have them delivered to the local depot instead, since I always had to make arrangements to go pick em up at 9PMish. 

grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

One item I did nto know, the Fed Ex ground/home trucks (green/blue) are NOT driven by FedEx employees but indy operators/contractors. The overnite (purple/red) ones are FedEx employees. 

I found this out when one got his truck up to its frame in mud in my utility easement (location of a spring) along my long narrow driveway. I told him I would go in and call FedEx to come get him, he said it would be cheaper for him to get a local wrecker than what FedEx would cost HIM to come get their junk towed off my property.


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

My regular driver is a good dude, i tip him every year cause he takes care of my items. But the Holiday help just sucks so i try not to order around this time of year...


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

I have a shipper (who will remain nameless) that is uber good, will leave packages in cars etc. when I am gone against all policy, but hey, it is here, and little risk of being stolen back here in the woods with only one way in/out. 

Like Nick's guy, he eats well at Chistmas!


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

My doorbell works every time "I" test it. I can press it lightly or jab at it, or try to push my finger all the way to the back door of the house... works every time. BUT, it seems to fail completely for the entire rest of the population of the Earth and Mars combined.

So I bought an infrared "Driveway Alarm" from Harbor Fright. But, the sensor on this thing is way too sensitive! If I aim it from the door toward the street, every car, pedestrian and stray cat or dog that passes my house sets off the "Ding-Dong" sound on the indoor receiver. I had to mount the sensor on a bench that is out on the end of the porch and face it back toward my front door. That eliminated most of the false alarms.

But the resident ground squirrel scrounging on the porch and every small bird that lands on or flies past there will it set off, too. So I put a plastic drinking cup with a small hole in the bottom over the sensor window and it didn't help at all! Infrared passes right through the cup. I had to cover it with plastic electrical tape to make it opaque enough.

To see if something is opaque to infrared, I aimed my TV remote at my digital camera and watched the display; the remote light blinking when buttons are pressed can be seen on the camera display. I could then cover the TV remote with different materials to see if I could still see the blinking light.

I also used the cone shape of the cup to limit the sensor field of view.

Once I have it positioned right and properly shaded it only goes off if someone walks up to my door.

It is not completely foolproof. Dogs and cats can still trigger it if they come up on the porch, and in very cold weather the mailman's clothing is so cold that the sensor doesn't "see" him until he turns around to walk away, then his face is then visible and triggers the indoor receiver to make it doorbell sound. If he has a mask or scarf over his face then it won't see his face either.

Good batteries (9-V in the outdoor sensor and the 3 "C" cells in the indoor receiver) last between 3 and 4 months, depending on how often it gets triggered.

It alerts me to the Mailman coming and has alerted me to packages being delivered (especially nice if something is delivered on a day I didn't expect it!).


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## Larry Green (Jan 2, 2008)

Del, about your last post--it cracked me up!! You gotta find a hobby! To try to calm you down, I will work up a graphics order ASAP (gotta work a train show tomorrow-can you make it to Sunday???). 
You can charge this order to that $200 credit you took when I asked you to check my PayPal account (I bet you thought I'd forget about that). 

Larry


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## Del Tapparo (Jan 4, 2008)

Posted By Larry Green on 04 Dec 2009 04:26 PM 
Del, about your last post--it cracked me up!! You gotta find a hobby! To try to calm you down, I will work up a graphics order ASAP (gotta work a train show tomorrow-can you make it to Sunday???). 
You can charge this order to that $200 credit you took when I asked you to check my PayPal account (I bet you thought I'd forget about that). 

Larry 
Funny ... the little accounting guy at PayPal doesn't seem to have any record of that transaction







. But I do have a record of you saying someone else was getting your RR$







. I'd be glad to change that for you! Have fun at the train show. I'll try to get a grip.


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Had a PITA UPS man years ago when I was getting boxes of Volvo parts on a very regular basis that for some reason had it "out" for me. The seller of the parts did not help matters much by packing the stuff full and heavy in large TAMPAX boxes.....


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## Pete Chimney (Jan 12, 2008)

The wife and I have been keeping a tally for the past two years. We track the condition of the box as it is delivered and note which delivery service brought the box, i.e. UPS or FedEx. EVERY UPS box has arrived dented, torn, or crushed. EVERY FedEx box has arrived is good condition. 

It has gotten to the point where we can simply look at the box and say, "yep, delivered by UPS" when we see the mangled condition of the box.


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Of COURSE UPS mangles stuff, it it's heavy they don't catch it (who wants back probs?) they let it run off the end of the conveyor and drop, use it for a backstop... then slide it.

You DON'T want to see the way Parcel Post is handled at the bulk mail centers.

Let's just say, if you use either of those, pack it to survive multiple 5 foot drops.


If you love it, Fed Ex or Priority is safer.


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

I had the same problem you just discribed. I made a large box out of plywood. I put it near the front door. There is a hasp and padlock on the box. When UPS or Fed X leave a box they latch the padlock. I can see in a instant that something has arrived. It got to the point where I actually had two boxes one for Fed X and one for UPS. 
Where I get my Mail is on the other side of the freeway. It is a little store that has Mailboxes and does shipping both Fed X and UPS. Inside the place is also a US postal sub station. My UPS man delivers to both me and there. A real importanat letter was sent to my street address that required a signature. When Ididn't answer the door he took it to my Mail Box. The signed for it and put it in my Mail Box. That is one great Regular UPS guy. I feel sorry for the Temps They have no Idea of the ins and outs of the local route and most of them try thier best . I try to cut them some salck.


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