I live in a very small Maine town. For years the local post office would put any packages just inside my front door. I really appreciated this as I am getting older and it’s hard for me to bend over and lift. I use a dolly to move the package. Last year I got a call and they said they could no longer put packages inside. Even in the winter with snow and ice on the porch. Federal agencies are very secretive and frankly can never answer a question in a straight-forward manner. I suspect it has something to do with the wonderful Patriots Act. so, if you get old in this country don’t count on the post office to help you out. Fedex and UPS will put them inside. I order a lot of stuff from Walmart and Amazon like toilet paper and canned food and drinks so I don’t have to try to get them into the car and house. but neither will let you choose how it’s shipped. I would never choose the post office if I had the option. Does anyone have any inside information about why they are now refusing to put my packages inside my door? I live alone and no one to help me out that can. You are allowed to whine if you are over 70. ha.
I suspect it has nothing to do with the Patriot act, and more to do with the “Congress won’t let us raise our rates” act. They are trying to cut costs everywhere - streamlining deliveries is just one way to do it.
Sorry to hear that you don’t have a choice for delivery option, but that’s not USPS fault. Blame Amazon or Walmart. Look online for other home grocery delivery options and see if you can specify UPS or Fedex or what have you.
And you definitely have the right to complain! Sorry to hear that USPS is no longer bringing your stuff inside, but with the budgetary stress they are under because of Republicans in congress, it’s really no surprise. They are trying to cut costs and save time everywhere that they can.
Half the time when I order something that is supposed to be delivered by FedEd, the actual delivery to my home is accomplished by the USPS.
Here’s what I’d try -
Given that you live in a very small town, perhaps you can contact the mayor or town council directly? Explain the situation and ask them to contact the Post Master of your local post office. Perhaps, they will make an exception in your case and for town residents like you who have difficulty with packages left outside due to health/age reasons. In fact there is nothing to prevent you from going to talk to the Post Station Master yourself. They are not ogres.
It never hurts to ask nicely and seek out the kindness of people instead of immediatly assuming there is grand conspiracy by the government to make your life miserable. Pretty sure the government and the Patriot Act is not designed with that specific purpose in mind.
(aside) That’s what FedEx calls SmartPost. FedEx handles the long distance portion and then hands the package off to USPS to handle the last mile or twenty.
UPS and Fedex both have versions of what is called Smartpost. They deliver your package to the local post office and they take it from there. Adds a day onto the delivery time where I live.
UPS also has a product where the USPS does the delivery or pickup from the local post office.
FedEx + USPS = SmartPost
UPS + USPS = SurePost
DHL + USPS = Smartmail
I don’t know how you get UPS to put things inside. Our UPS rings the doorbell, throws the package down and runs.
He rings your doorbell!? :eek:
I really know there is no solution. I just wanted to find out why the policy changed really. No conspiracy. I’m not paranoid and I don’t assume that the Patriot Act was designed to annoy me personally. That is weird. I know the post master and I don’t think he is an orge.
when I think about the fact that they were so close to eliminating sat. delivery and centralizing mail boxes, I guess I can continue to go out at night when no one can see me and try to maneuver my package into the front door if it’s heavy. I think that kind of thing just drives businesses and people to use UPS and Fedex instead of usps if they have a choice. that is going to result in so many employees out of work and with no pensions. a disaster.
I was going to have some canned chow mein for dinner but now I have to wait until it’s dark to go out and get it in the package they delivered today. Darn. was looking forward to that.
Personally I prefer delivery by USPS or Smartpost or Surepost, because the post office is closer than either the Fedex or UPS depots, and it’s open later. So it’s easier to get a package from there than from Fedex or UPS.
I live in a community without USPS delivery to the door so USPS has to go to the PO. FedEx and UPS sometimes bother to toss the package over the side of the porch so it is sheltered but usually just leave it by the garage to get iced over or rained on. The porch is maybe two steps from where they leave it by the garage.
It’s a small town, you probably always have the same delivery person from USPS. It’s summer, it’s hot.
Tomorrow greet your postal carrier with a nice cool glass of lemon aid because you so appreciate all the stuff he brings for you.
Mention just how much easier your life is when they drop the package on the porch and how hard it is for you to bend over and get it when it is left outside.
Repeat as necessary, add cookies if needed.
In the winter switch to hot coffee or cocoa.
It’s called qid pro quo.
It’s been several years, but I’m a former mail carrier (motor route.) You mentioned you’re getting older and it’s harder to lift. I don’t know if USPS still has it, but I had a few ‘dismounts’ on my route. A dismount is where I must get out of the vehicle to deliver the mail to a particular spot where the recipient can get it. This was true for even a single letter, not just packages. At two houses, I was to leave it on the kitchen table. At another, an old lady had a basket fastened waist high just outside her door.
Well, I’d talk to that postmaster, or his boss, because I don’t believe there has been any ‘policy change’.
My postal carrier still puts packages inside my door (did so just last week). And someone I commonly send packages to, in a rural Minnesota town of 320 people, still gets packages delivered inside her door.
So the change is in your town, and your local delivery. Complain away!
If you really do have trouble lifting the packages, for the love of God, why are you waiting until dark to maneuver them inside? Vanity? What if you have a serious fall? I’d be much more concerned about lying immobilized in the dark outside all night than the embarrassment of neighbors seeing you struggle. If you fall, then at least someone will be in earshot to call an ambulance for you. And make sure you have a cell phone on you at all times.
This! C’mon now, You are old enough to know better! If you were in Western Colorado, I could help, or I could send a friend or relative to help. Although, most of them would like to visit awhile. Pesky buggers. I could ask around to see if I have friends or relatives in Maine if you want?
Please swallow your pride and find someone to help you with this kind of task. Call
a priest, a pastor of a local church, Rabbi of a local Synagogue, or even the Salvation Army. They have folks who just love to do this kind of service. You do not even have to be nice to them. Most of them will not preach at you. They just love to help.
Carry two cell phones at least. One for a front pocket and one for a back pocket.
Please have someone else do the lifting and carrying.
As a minimum, since you know the local postmaster, tell them the situation, they may let your carrier continue to put the mail inside for you.