my UPS driver sucks....

[Langanobob]

We live out a dirt road without a name or a sign, the entrance to the road is on USFS land and the USFS won't allow a road sign and tear down any signs we put up, I'm sure I could legally challenge that but just haven't got around to it.    UPS knows all about this area and has been making deliveries here for decades.  Fedex for those same decades made us go into their warehouse in town to pick up our packages.  Lately Fedex has finally started delivering out here, but they are still not consistent.

We also have the same UPS driver assigned to our route for years and that's part of the reason we get so much better service from UPS.  I don't know if I've ever seen the same Fedex driver twice.  UPS seems to be basically a better company and based on our experience here I am honor bound to defend them.

[cokey]

I have adjusted the title properly..

[krolik]

I have adjusted the title properly..

There that's much better.

Even I, a UPS driver, have had to complain about service. It turned out that the regular driver was on vacation, and the fill in guy had never run the area before.

[fastwin]

IT's not UPS, it's NYC.

The UPS guy in my neighborhood is here every day-- everyone in my cul de sac gets stuff daily.  He has asked each of us if we mind if a neighbor signs for packages to make it easier for us and him and of course we all agreed. 

I get shipments of ammo that are easily 100 lbs sometimes and he doesn't complain.  Always courteous and (knowing we are jewish) has told us to have a happy Hanukkah which my kids found hysterical for some reason.

Conversely, in one of the buildings I lived in on the UES, several of the doorman would refuse UPS packages for people who didn't tip well.  They got away with it by saying that the package wasn't labeled properly or whatnot. 

Years ago when I ran my tact shotgun class I too used to have a shit load of ammo mail ordered and delivered by UPS. My guy was so cool about it he told me he felt funny leaving all those cases of ammo on my front porch so he took it upon himself to hump it all the way up my driveway to the back door and leave it there so no one could see it from the street. Good guy and very responsible on his part.

Don't get much delivered by Fed-Ex but I will say I have never had a problem with them either.

[RAT900]

Really?

Since I'm a UPS driver, I might have to take exception to that.

There are procedures that drivers are supposed to follow for Driver Release (DR) packages, and leaving it in plain sight is not one of them. If the package was a Signature Required package, then the driver couldn't complete the stop without a signature. If you have the tracking number, file a claim, and also call the 1-800 PICKUPS number and file a complaint about the service. Yes it is christmas season and the daily volume of packages double, but you still should get good service.

Then again there are 400K+ employees at UPS so not everyone of them is as good as:

Indeed...apologies to you

I am guilty of generalities....I have had good UPS delivery guys.... one has said he is heading to my house if society collapses (with all the hazmat deliveries)

and lately a real clinker replete with accompanying stories that I am not going to belabor or flog here

Merry Christmas Happy Holidays

[MendoDave]

When I lived in Norcal our UPS driver would bring items inside our office for us. My new UPS guy tries to leave things at the front door just a few steps from the sidewalk out in plain sight. He could at least leave it in the gate on the side.

I have been shipping stuff USPS for the last couple of years and I love it. Usually lower cost as well, and they deliver on Saturday (for now)

[AdmiralKit]

I don't ship ups because the local ups store franchisee is heavy handed with fees and I don't want the hassle of an account.

Fed-Ex also pays their insurance claims promptly. I haven't had the same experience with ups.

I will never ship from a UPS Store, but I'm fine with shipping via UPS.  UPS Stores are independently-owned franchises that simply use the UPS name, which puts another party between you and your shipment.  This might not sound like a big deal, but it means that if you file a claim because something you shipped from a store got stolen/lost/damaged/screwed up, you get caught in an infinite loop of corporate blame game with both parties telling you it isn't their fault and you need to resolve the issue with the other party while you end up losing your shipment and any money spent.  I've seen that happen a couple of times - shipment gets screwed up, my friend contacts UPS who says that he wasn't the originating shipper and thus they can't talk with him, and the store says it wasn't their fault and he needs to file a claim with UPS.  Short of walking in there and getting a manager to call in to UPS customer service while you glare at them as a silent party, you're pretty much without recourse if that happens.

Since FedEx owns all of their stores, the same problem does not happen with them.  If you want to ship via UPS, either schedule a pickup directly through them or go to a UPS Customer Center.

[The Bearded Duc]

Um...

FedEx Guy Throwing My Computer Monitor

and...

UPS "Special" Delivery

oh, and...

UPS Delivery Gone Wrong

Not to say they're all like this, and I've never had any problems, but it's still shitty nonetheless.

[ducpainter]

I will never ship from a UPS Store, but I'm fine with shipping via UPS.  UPS Stores are independently-owned franchises that simply use the UPS name, which puts another party between you and your shipment.  This might not sound like a big deal, but it means that if you file a claim because something you shipped from a store got stolen/lost/damaged/screwed up, you get caught in an infinite loop of corporate blame game with both parties telling you it isn't their fault and you need to resolve the issue with the other party while you end up losing your shipment and any money spent.  I've seen that happen a couple of times - shipment gets screwed up, my friend contacts UPS who says that he wasn't the originating shipper and thus they can't talk with him, and the store says it wasn't their fault and he needs to file a claim with UPS.  Short of walking in there and getting a manager to call in to UPS customer service while you glare at them as a silent party, you're pretty much without recourse if that happens.

Since FedEx owns all of their stores, the same problem does not happen with them.  If you want to ship via UPS, either schedule a pickup directly through them or go to a UPS Customer Center.

Not exactly true...

I ship from a fed-ex authorized ship center. It is a privately owned business that happens to be a graphic arts/print shop.

They are indeed in the middle just as a UPS store would be.

[derby]

Not exactly true...

I ship from a fed-ex authorized ship center. It is a privately owned business that happens to be a graphic arts/print shop.

They are indeed in the middle just as a UPS store would be.

he's not talking about authorized shippers.

you can franchise a "UPS Store" (shipping center with UPS corp branding, etc)... fedex doesn't franchise fedex/fedexoffice stores, they're all corporate owned.

http://www.theupsstore.com/franchising/Pages/index.aspx

[krolik]

Um...

and...


oh, and...


Not to say they're all like this, and I've never had any problems, but it's still shitty nonetheless.

1: That's what you get when you ship FedEx.

2: In my center he'd have been disciplined for unbelting his seat belt before the truck was completely stopped. The UPS trucks in my building are all wired up to sensors and such.

3: THe dude in the high vis vest is a seasonal helper, minimum wage temp job over christmas, not the actual driver.

[ducpainter]

he's not talking about authorized shippers.

you can franchise a "UPS Store" (shipping center with UPS corp branding, etc)... fedex doesn't franchise fedex/fedexoffice stores, they're all corporate owned.

http://www.theupsstore.com/franchising/Pages/index.aspx

I understand that.

You can ship via fed ex from a non fed ex owned location...

Just like ups.

[kopfjäger]

3: THe dude in the high vis vest is a seasonal helper, minimum wage temp job over christmas, not the actual driver.

....but under the supervision of the driver, no?

USPS all the way, never had an issue with FED EX, UPS or the original carrier. 

[krolik]

....but under the supervision of the driver, no?

UPS takes anybody for seasonal helpers. Most of them aren't worth much more than minimum wage. Some not even that.


I got lucky this year, 23 yo dude who's going into the Army to be Special Forces, swims 5k and works out 3 hours a day. Also he could follow directions.  My biggest problem was telling him not to run everywhere. (safety reasons)

[AdmiralKit]

I understand that.

You can ship via fed ex from a non fed ex owned location...

Just like ups.

Derby made the point I would have if I had been near a computer.  You can certainly put a 3rd party between you and FedEx (like the local PakMail down the street), but if you walk into a FedEx Office (nee Kinko's), you're dealing directly with the company that also handles the shipping.