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Shippos USPS Time in Transit Data

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Re: Shippos USPS Time in Transit Data

#21

Post by 9nGQluzmnq3M »

AaronFriel wrote: post #17
TMWNN wrote: post #9

This analysis only covers USPS package delivery, which is different from flats. Ballots are flats. Magazines are flats. Letters are flats. Anything non-bendable isn't. This is what has been happening to USPS, folks: 1. Because of COVID19, flats volume has collapsed, while package volume has skyrocketed. Flats sorting machines can do absolutely nothing for packages for reasons that are left up to the reader, so USPS h…

The DMV loses money. The FDA loses money. The FCC loses money. These are public institutions, not for profit enterprises. They're funded partially by fees and usually largely by congressional appropriations. You beg the question by beginning by comparing the USPS to other carriers. It's one of the few public institutions required by the constitution! Even the Defense Department doesn't get that privilege, and it lose…

But should the USPS be a public institution? Many countries have opted to privatize their postal services, admittedly with varying results, but with quite a few successes as well: you may have heard the package division of what was once Deutsche Bundespost, now known worldwide as DHL.

I do agree that right now is not a great time for radical changes though!

Re: Shippos USPS Time in Transit Data

#22

Post by jeffbee »

AaronFriel wrote: post #17
TMWNN wrote: post #9

This analysis only covers USPS package delivery, which is different from flats. Ballots are flats. Magazines are flats. Letters are flats. Anything non-bendable isn't. This is what has been happening to USPS, folks: 1. Because of COVID19, flats volume has collapsed, while package volume has skyrocketed. Flats sorting machines can do absolutely nothing for packages for reasons that are left up to the reader, so USPS h…

The DMV loses money. The FDA loses money. The FCC loses money. These are public institutions, not for profit enterprises. They're funded partially by fees and usually largely by congressional appropriations. You beg the question by beginning by comparing the USPS to other carriers. It's one of the few public institutions required by the constitution! Even the Defense Department doesn't get that privilege, and it lose…

I don't think the Constitution requires the federal government to establish a postal service. It only grants them the power to do it.

Re: Shippos USPS Time in Transit Data

#23

Post by ZoomStop »

9nGQluzmnq3M wrote: post #4

TL;DR: DeJoy's changes appear to have made USPS slightly slower (0.1-0.5 days) in some places, but much less than the delta caused by a holiday like July 4th (see note buried at the very end).

The data does show getting a parcel from California to most points in the east will have up to a 40% chance of delay. It seems their internal routes are getting backed up and causing a ripple effect.

Re: Shippos USPS Time in Transit Data

#24

Post by jjeaff »

9nGQluzmnq3M wrote: post #4

TL;DR: DeJoy's changes appear to have made USPS slightly slower (0.1-0.5 days) in some places, but much less than the delta caused by a holiday like July 4th (see note buried at the very end).

Yes, but it should be noted that average delivery times may hide the severity of the problem. At least from anecdotal information, it sounds like some letters are arriving as usual and a smaller subset are severity delayed.

I think the median and mode delivery times would be helpful numbers rather than just mean.

Re: Shippos USPS Time in Transit Data

#25

Post by specialist »

TMWNN wrote: post #9

This analysis only covers USPS package delivery, which is different from flats. Ballots are flats. Magazines are flats. Letters are flats. Anything non-bendable isn't. This is what has been happening to USPS, folks: 1. Because of COVID19, flats volume has collapsed, while package volume has skyrocketed. Flats sorting machines can do absolutely nothing for packages for reasons that are left up to the reader, so USPS h…

While what little you highlight are directionally correct, both the backstory and current debate are far more interesting and nuanced. This recent episode of Vox's The Weeds is a really good summary.

WTF is happening with USPS [2020-08-18]

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wtf-is-happening-with-...

https://overcast.fm/+FOORtkRGM

(Long concerned with USPS wrt postal ballots, I learned quite a bit.)

Re: Shippos USPS Time in Transit Data

#26

Post by chrisweekly »

specialist wrote: post #25
TMWNN wrote: post #9

This analysis only covers USPS package delivery, which is different from flats. Ballots are flats. Magazines are flats. Letters are flats. Anything non-bendable isn't. This is what has been happening to USPS, folks: 1. Because of COVID19, flats volume has collapsed, while package volume has skyrocketed. Flats sorting machines can do absolutely nothing for packages for reasons that are left up to the reader, so USPS h…

While what little you highlight are directionally correct, both the backstory and current debate are far more interesting and nuanced. This recent episode of Vox's The Weeds is a really good summary. WTF is happening with USPS [2020-08-18] https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wtf-is-happening-with-... https://overcast.fm/+FOORtkRGM (Long concerned with USPS wrt postal ballots, I learned quite a bit.)

Got solid text-based summaries to share?

Re: Shippos USPS Time in Transit Data

#27

Post by dsamarin »

iamEAP wrote: post #11

Cool to have some “observability” on this, but it’s not the most relevant metric. I’ve heard of (and experienced myself), much, much longer delays on envelope/letter mail, but have heard of fewer delays with packages. Perhaps this is a proxy for measuring personnel/process changes, but totally misses the sorting machine dismantling going on throughout the nation.

Fortunately the sorting machine dismantling has been stopped for the relevant future.

Re: Shippos USPS Time in Transit Data

#28

Post by specialist »

chrisweekly wrote: post #26
specialist wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While what little you highlight are directionally correct, both the backstory and current debate are far more interesting and nuanced. This recent episode of Vox's The Weeds is a really good summary. WTF is happening with USPS [2020-08-18] https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wtf-is-happening-with-... https://overcast.fm/+FOORtkRGM (Long concerned with USPS wrt postal ballots, I learned quite a bit.)

Got solid text-based summaries to share?

That'd be great. Sorry! Some of the podcast clients do correctly render the show notes.

Re: Shippos USPS Time in Transit Data

#29

Post by NicoJuicy »

TMWNN wrote: post #9

This analysis only covers USPS package delivery, which is different from flats. Ballots are flats. Magazines are flats. Letters are flats. Anything non-bendable isn't. This is what has been happening to USPS, folks: 1. Because of COVID19, flats volume has collapsed, while package volume has skyrocketed. Flats sorting machines can do absolutely nothing for packages for reasons that are left up to the reader, so USPS h…

That would be nice, if the reason was slow packages so it would correlate with The problem at hand.

People are mentioning serious delays in mails, barely about packages.

Re: Shippos USPS Time in Transit Data

#30

Post by chrisBob »

One thing this doesn't account for is fraudulent delivery reports. In my area a large percentage of my USPS deliveries are reported as delivered around 6pm on the scheduled delivery day, but I can't find the package anywhere. Then it suddenly turns up the next day. People on NextDoor also report seeing this regularly.
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