US Postal Service deficiencies

Vroberge,

Maybe I've been here too long, but those delivery times seem GREAT to me!!

But, doesn't it seem kind of strage that so many pieces from so many dates so wide apart arrive on the exact same day. Come on first class bills and statements mailed on the 21st arrive the same day as Priority items that were mailed 3 to 4 days earlier, and a first class card mailed 3 weeks earlier? I don't buy it.

Sorry, there'something wrong with this picture. It almost looks like they waited for a reasonalbe amount of mail to pile up before they would consider it worthy of delivery.

I hope you're never waiting for a priority delivery of medication from the states.

I have gotten my meds by mail from the states for years. The company in TX always sends them First Class, and they usually arrive in a timely fashion. When they don't, a month's supply can be called in to a local pharmacy. Sometimes I think First Class is more expedient than Priority Mail from the states to the VI.

It can also depend on where stuff comes from in the States. Almost everything I get from California or west coast takes 2-3 times longer than from anywhere else. Our mail goes through Puerto Rico which is another whole big ball of wax.

So if your meds are called in to a local pharmacy, would they not also be on "island time", or do you hold them to a different standard?

No double standard; even local pharmacies are on island time. Where a stateside pharmacy might have a prescription ready in an hour, it can take several hours here, but you can often get things same day if the local pharmacy receives the prescription early enough in the day.

I forgot to add that we have no drive through pharmacy pick-up and the line inside to pick-up a prescription can be lengthy.

dnt: You need to come out east for Chelsea Drug Store(tu)(tu)

Hey EE--I haven't ventured that far from home in a LONG time 😀

I understand you guys have business here but if you are doing business here on island people understand that it will take a week or two to get parts in. We all understand that. No one is going to think you're a lousy business man. We all have to learn to adapt here on island and always have a plan B. And as Trade said it is MUCH better then it was and little by little it does change it just takes MUCH longer. I'm just happy more and more places WILL deliver here, I don't care if it takes a week or two.

Give yourself a year and reread this post and see if you think its such a big deal as you do now.

I've heard that thing about insurance before. I was told to always put a dollar insurance on my parcel so it would bypass puerto rico, no idea if its true, but I do it with ebay.

LOL, knock on wood, I have not experienced a difference in USPS service here on STX. Stateside in Baltimore my PO box station was managed by two miserable women. who hated one another . . . tough to enter that building with a good attitude! I managed to befriend both with Christmas gifts and service definitely changed. Sound familiar?

Here at the PO in F'sted I started off on the right foot with the correct greetings immediately (thanks to advice learned here) and the one lady always there still thinks I am the silly woman always trying to remember her box number . . . it works. Actually everyone there is friendly and efficient. I used to send everything insured and Express but lately I send everything uninsured Priority with delivery confirmation and my flat rate packages tend to arrive before the estimated time. Honestly, I've not seen a difference in service . . . then again, I'm expecting a package tomorrow . . . the only mail that arrived late was my tax returns :-0 that's what extensions are for.

Enjoy the sun!

"...the only mail that arrived late was my tax returns :-0 that's what extensions are for..."

The IRB sends you tax returns? :S I always have to go to their office to get 1040s.

Let me start by saying that yes, there is 'island time', but it has no place in US government positions on tax payer salary or when it affects your livelihood and career.

My latest bad experience with the postal service here on island (and there have been several) was at Christmas time. One of the hottest selling Christmas gifts this year was the Wii Fit game and balance board. A family member in the states diligently searched for one and was placed on a waiting / cancellation list and actually was lucky enough to get one for me. She priority mailed it to me on December 9th with tracking and insurance. Tracking showed that it arrived in Christiansted a week later and that was it. It was never delivered and still to this day remains lost. When I went to the PO here I was told I had to wait something like 3 weeks before I could file a claim even though it was priority mail. Then when that wait was over I was given the run around and told it had to be filed by the person who sent it from the location of origin. This drug my family member into a month long ordeal because the receipt for the game had been mailed along with the game and was not available and the PO would not accept a credit card statement as proof of purchase. Needless to say I also was unable to collect the insurance on the item. When I complained via the USPS website about the run around and attitude I encountered here on island, I was shocked to get a phone call from the local PO employee I complained about wanting to discuss it. I was disappointed that the local office was provided my contact information that I included on the website when I filed my complaint. This resulted in basic harassment for 3 days from the local postal employee who refused to allow me to call her back on my time as I requested and instead she called me repeatedly for 3 days while I was at work wanting to "discuss" my complaint and experience. Unfortunately I provided my work and cell number on the website form. Be careful about his if you use the website. I am truly disturbed that the USPS would hand over all the information from my website complaint like this, and it solved nothing as I received no satisfaction from the whole ordeal.

"...yes, there is 'island time', but it has no place in US government positions on tax payer salary..."

In 1970 the USPS became semi independent of the U.S. government, and self-supporting through the sales of goods and services. Currently, about $96 million is budgeted annually by Congress for the "Postal Service Fund." These funds are only used to compensate USPS for postage-free mailing for all legally blind persons, for mail-in election ballots sent from US citizens living overseas, for providing address information to state and local child support enforcement agencies, and for keeping some rural posts offices in operation.

Since taxpayer funds don't cover the things for which the majority of us here use the USPS, the government has no responsibility for our dissatisfaction with the USPS.

Splitting hairs. Still on government pay scale i.e. GS-whatever. Still public servants overseen by the Fed. Still a federal offense to tamper with the US Mail. Should I go on?

My sympathies PITSTX. There should be no reason to ALLOW this type of public service to happen. And I repeat, if as much energy was diverted from this forum discussion, to the website, maybe they would get the hint something is broken.

Do you know anyone out of work? Would they love to get a secure job like this? Don't you think you know people that would give the extra effort to land one of those positions?

The PO positions are not an entitlement. They do not call for an automatic personality adjustment. It's a job, and a public service job at that. If one does not want to be in public service, get the pay and benefits they get (VI is 20% higher than the states by the way), and just plain do the job, than let someone come in that would appreciate the position.

I guess dntw8up thinks I should take comfort knowing that a STX postal employee or their child is enjoying the hottest selling gift this year at my expense and frustration? I guess the worst part was standing there with a printout showing that it was scanned in on arrival here in Christiansted and no one seemed to care that it was missing. It was a fairly large box also, not like it could have slipped behind a table or box like a letter and just be misplaced. I got the strong feeling that they knew what I suspected and were just trying to brush me out the door as quickly as possible.

"...I guess dntw8up thinks I should take comfort knowing that a STX postal employee or their child is enjoying the hottest selling gift this year at my expense and frustration?"

Of course you'd be wrong.

You admit that you were "truly disturbed" by the way your complaint was handled, that your approach to the problem "solved nothing," and that you, " received no satisfaction from the whole ordeal." All I'm saying is that you could've gotten the same result -- disturbed unresolved dissatisfaction -- with much less frustration and drama. If you want to stress about these sorts of things that's your prerogative, but the result will ultimately be the same as the only change over which you have any control is changing how you handle this sort of adversity.

...and so I say graduating class of 2009, go out in to the world with your new found, hard won knowledge, and do absolutely nothing to make it better. Take the easy route to fame and fortune. Lay low. Stay out of sight. Keep under the radar. Let adversity wither your spirit. Let the others beside you pave the way so you can spend as little effort as possible to change the world for the betterment of mankind. Let the bullying persist. Let squandering exist. Turn your eyes from the thievery. Don't speak up. Evolution will eventually happen....

Or you can get a job with the VI Government and be set for life!
Get tons of paid holidays, work when you want, make your own rules and get sadistic delight anytime you feel like it by screwing with someone.

To me it seems that some people aren't having a good first multi-cultural experience. Yes as a state sider you have high expectations but guess what, although it says US before VI you are in another part of the world, another culture. You can maintain your stateside expectations and sometimes they will be met but for the most part you will be disappointed. Respect the culture. Enjoy Paradise.

I have a great track record with the PO. Not a single person in Gallows Bay yesterday when I mailed a package. The box I used was a few bucks more than using their flat rate box but I was in a hurry and didn't want to repackage it. The lady gave me a hard time about it. She was trying to make me save money!

There have been times where lines are long and packages take forever. I have also had problems with FedEx but I think that all of these things are practices in patience and I, in turn, have become more tolerant to things that would have drove me BONKERS 2 years ago before I moved here.

Don't expect too much and you won't be disappointed!

I expect to get what I pay for whether in the US or South America or here - so forgive me but I'll keep on being disappointed.

This is not my first multi-cultural experience, I have been all over the world. Even the French are more polite than most of the government employees here.

I am not new to the island either, I have been here for five years so spare me the tolerance and understanding speeches. Even though we are not "technically" in the US, theft is still a crime in almost any culture. I also expect people to stop for stop signs in town when there is pedestrian traffic. Call me crazy.

A efficient and friendly govt entity is like a fairy tale. They created !Bureaucracy! This is nothing new. You can except people to be friendly but when you have pretty much 100% job security its hard to motivate. I find little difference between govt employees here and stateside.

If you think traffic is bad here go to PR or STT. I find drivers here to be friendly and people will stop and let you all the time.

There should be no reason to ALLOW this type of public service to happen. And I repeat, if as much energy was diverted from this forum discussion, to the website, maybe they would get the hint something is broken.

Stop reinventing the wheel. Get used to the way things are because you aren't going to change anything re the way the post office works. Many of us have beaten our heads against the wall so we'll just stand by while you take your turn. Frankly, it's a little irritating to be preached at by someone who has been here 5 minutes. Nobody sent for me & I don't think anyone sent for you and those who manage to be happy here pick their battles & if they're too easily irritated by how life is, they wind up going back. For me, this isn't one of my personal battles but go right ahead with what's important to you. Just don't expect me to raise my blood pressure over your mail delays.

Use the down town C'sted post office, the girls are friendly and VERY helpful. Customers walk in saying good morning, afternoon etc....it just has a nice feel to it. I used to mail things out all the time there & NEVER has anyone ever meanly scolded me, ignore my being next in line or sucked teeth. Beverly is just the best & she will patiently help you and or help you with required forms or what not.

Now things coming to the island via USPS.............lordy that's a whole different can of worms, one I have had good & bad experiences with.
There seems to be no rhyme nor reason why things take days, weeks & months to arrive. The last batch of mail I had arrive late was due to a plane in PR catching fire & think they said 40% of the mail was destroyed. That was just a couple weeks ago & I read about it on line via Daily News.

Trade

Frankly, it's a little irritating to be preached at by someone who has been here 5 minutes.

Well, in all honesty, I've been coming here a significant amount of time over the last 5 years. I've been a property owner and car owner for two. I let 4 cars out of the parking lots in to heavy traffic streets. I wait my turn in lines without concern, yadda yadda yadda.

I did not ask to be preached at by all of the comments that came from my initial post. My only intention was to let those that have a concern have easy access to the proper channel. It apparently is a sore spot for a number of residents, and for some reason the preaching has become belligerent.

Relax mon. Enjoy the sun. Sniff the salt air. Drink in the blue sea.

If you don't like what's on TV, turn the channel. You have that choice. If you don't like the direction of a post, don't click on it. But have the courtesy to let those that want to vent have the opportunity. We may not be able to change it. But you're not going to win the lottery either if you don't play.

Sorry if I've offended anyone. It was not intentional.