[MR] Post Office Experience

[GM Miller]

Good Gentles of the List:

I am self-employed, doing a mail order/eBay business run from my home. I specifically use the USPS for all my shipping, which is not so large/heavy that the USPS will not handle.

I live in a small town in Western North Carolina. From my house there are THREE Post Offices within a 5 mile radius; My actual "local" office, and two more.

I have found that packages and/or letters sent from each of these offices, can be expected to have certain differences in the turn aound time from that office to the item's destination.

I no longer use my "local" office, because shipping even Priority Mail, I have watched a package shipped from them take two days longer to arrive, than one shipped from the next closest PO just 2 miles away. Of course they guarantee a 1-3 day delivery on Priority mail, but the same has held true with my mailings of Christmas Cards and advertisements. This past Christmas, I mailed out my family's Christmas cards over 3 days time Dec. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, from 3 different PO's. The ones mailed from my local PO made it barely before Christmas. The ones mailed from the next closest PO made it a week before Christmas. The rest were mailed just over the County line, at a PO about 10 miles from my house. All of those were at their recipients within 1 week. These ALL included in my zip code mailings, and out-of-state mailings...

I don't care what PO you use, or where the addresses are that you're mailing to, you can't trust the USPS to deliver in a timely manner unless you pay the extra dollars to get a guaranteed shipment. ($3.85 is the flat rate fee that would ship an Acorn, Priority Mail, with a 1-3 day delivery guarantee) I have actually been told by my local Postmaster not to bother paying for 1st class, because it won't actually make it go any quicker than standard Parcel Post. 3rd class is a little bit slower, becuase it's sorted after Parcel Post, but I think you get his point.

We cannot blame nor hold responsible our Chronichlers to fix a nation-wide system that is broken. The PO is a government overseen institution, but is really a for-profit business, with each office operating slightly differently. As long as it is not "controlled" the same way at every level and every office, there will always be problems, such as with our Acorn mailings.

Lord Otto, as well as his predecessor have both done a fine job, and Lord Otto continues to impress with new layout and designs. Vivat! to those who wish to serve, even when getting complained at regularly.

I think in the end we should look to on-line publication, for that is going to be the only way to guarantee a delivery date to each and every member.

YIS,
Lord Gavius