FedEx/UPS losses during shipping

[DoggyDaddy]

Having worked at the FedEx hub I can tell you that packages get “lost” by falling off the conveyor system all the time. If they fall off in a very inconvenient location it may sit there for quite some time before it gets picked up.

It’s kinda hard to explain the why and how but rest assured that many packages are delayed just because of falling off a conveyor and not some malicious force.

Is there no system in place to ensure that what goes on the conveyor does in fact make it to the end of the conveyor? Seems simple enough to implement with a scanner at each end.

 

[MongooseLaw]

I'm pretty sure that's probably illegal.

Perhaps you misunderstood, the guy working the counter at UPS instructed me to remove it. He would not ship it, unless I removed it.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Perhaps you misunderstood, the guy working the counter at UPS instructed me to remove it. He would not ship it, unless I removed it.

No, I get it. I think it's illegal for them to ship it without that marking. Didn't mean that you were trying to do anything illegal. There are regulations in place for shipping ammunition and I'm pretty sure that they have to carry the ORM-D marking.

 

[MongooseLaw]

Shipping Special-Care or Regulated Items | UPS - United States

Learn about how to ship regulated and special care items with UPS, from perishables and wine to firearms and animals.

www.ups.com

Looks like they did away with it

 

[rooster]

Is there no system in place to ensure that what goes on the conveyor does in fact make it to the end of the conveyor? Seems simple enough to implement with a scanner at each end.

Of that I have no idea. All I can tell you is that when I started working construction there I saw packages fall off in odd spots and made sure to tell someone. It quickly became apparent that no one really cares. The hope i think is that it gets picked up in a sweep for these that seemed to happen.

The sheer volume of packages that go through that place is insane. Also the network of conveyors is massive. Tracking down a single lost package along potentially miles of conveyor is a fools errand IMO.
one guy we worked with had a package go missing after scanning at the hub, showed up like two months later randomly.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Shipping Special-Care or Regulated Items | UPS - United States

Learn about how to ship regulated and special care items with UPS, from perishables and wine to firearms and animals.

www.ups.com

Looks like they did away with it

That's interesting! I do think I heard something about migrating to different marking or something, but that does make it seem like they did away with it. Thanks for the info!

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Of that I have no idea. All I can tell you is that when I started working construction there I saw packages fall off in odd spots and made sure to tell someone. It quickly became apparent that no one really cares. The hope i think is that it gets picked up in a sweep for these that seemed to happen.

The sheer volume of packages that go through that place is insane. Also the network of conveyors is massive. Tracking down a single lost package along potentially miles of conveyor is a fools errand IMO.
one guy we worked with had a package go missing after scanning at the hub, showed up like two months later randomly.

I used to work for a music club - direct mail business. The one that would try and get you to buy one CD at full price and let you buy 12 more for a penny? Yep, that was us.

Anyhow, when the club was at its peak in the late 90's, we were handling more mail and packages than anyone BUT the USPS.

 

[4651feeder]

I just shipped some ammo last week with UPS and the guy made me cut the ORMD symbol off the box, said they've had too much trouble with ammo theft, they dont want you marking the boxes anymore.

He may have said that, but in reality the DOT changed required hazardous labeling to more closely align with International standards. Petty sure your parcel still would have required the shown example which has replaced ORM-D.

 

[johntheplinker]

At this point your best bet would be to notify the shipper and have them initiate a delivery trace on the merchandise.

Yep, already have.

 

[MongooseLaw]

He may have said that, but in reality the DOT changed required hazardous labeling to more closely align with International standards. Petty sure your parcel still would have required the shown example which has replaced ORM-D.
View attachment 132665

That is exactly what i had on my box. The employee of UPS handed me scissors and said cut it off, no longer required.

 

[DadSmith]

Just wondering if anyone else has suffered a "loss" of shipment of ammo or other firearm-related matter while using UPS or FedEx. We are supposed to use contract carriers for these kinds of shipments, and are also supposed to mark the boxes with the distinctive "ORM-D" or other restricted materials designation when shipping ammo, but it seems that these markings make the box a target for theft.

I recently shipped ammo that was received as a box of shoes (someone did a label or content swap in the back office, I guess). Tracking was of no use, because the box was still "received", and who is to say what was in the box to begin with?

So, who else has received a box of shoes?

Do you buy the shipping insurance? Most companies will have that option.

 

[JTScribe]

Have you seen these videos?

I was thinking of this:

 

[Nazgul]

Had a package shipped from someone on another forum on 2/27. Has not been delivered yet.
Went to Post Office, really small town, we all know each other. I go to the PO with a tracking number. Post Office guy, veteran, goes into the office, comes back with 3 printed pages. Shows every scan since shipped from NY. Shows the container number that arrived in Louisville, 25 miles away 3 weeks ago. Shows the other packages in the container delivered on time.
Good guy, he says give me till Monday. Boss can access pictures of where/when it was scanned and see if label was damaged.

Not enough $ to break the budget, seller did the correct thing and shipped it. Would like my stuff but not going to worry.

Interesting, Don

 

[Cameramonkey]

Had a package shipped from someone on another forum on 2/27. Has not been delivered yet.
Went to Post Office, really small town, we all know each other. I go to the PO with a tracking number. Post Office guy, veteran, goes into the office, comes back with 3 printed pages. Shows every scan since shipped from NY. Shows the container number that arrived in Louisville, 25 miles away 3 weeks ago. Shows the other packages in the container delivered on time.
Good guy, he says give me till Monday. Boss can access pictures of where/when it was scanned and see if label was damaged.

Not enough $ to break the budget, seller did the correct thing and shipped it. Would like my stuff but not going to worry.

Interesting, Don

A lot of people dont realize how much tech they have put into the chain in the interest of national security. They are photographing nearly every piece of mail now at every step of the process. Its now possible for them to know EXACTLY where mail flows from->to (and through) kinda spooky really. As I recall it stems from the ricin attacks years ago and they realized they couldnt always tell where the hostile attack originated to try to catch the person.

That's probably why they are out of money all the time. All the damn high dollar machines they put in.

 

[ndbbm]

"The one that would try and get you to buy one CD at full price and let you buy 12 more for a penny? "

I signed my first record contract with them.

 

[johntheplinker]

That is exactly what i had on my box. The employee of UPS handed me scissors and said cut it off, no longer required.

I'd have asked to talk to someone who knew what they were doing. Big, big fines for improper shipping of potentially hazardous material. One of my main tasks at work is the shipping and receiving of stuff that requires special labels.

 

[MongooseLaw]

Yes I forgot that just because somebody works there doesn't mean they know what's going on, for example USPS employees refusing to ship long rifles because they don't know the rules. Luckily that hasn't happened to me. Either way, this was the only ammo I've ever sold/shipped and I won't be doing it again in the near future.

 

[johntheplinker]

Got resolution on my missing ammo today. When I originally posted I didn't know it but The Boss also had a missing package, supposedly delivered same day and time as mine. Her's involved some relatively sensitive materials from her employer. It wasn't supposed to have been delivered until Friday so alarms didn't go off right away until she checked later. We raised hell with UPS AGAIN, her boss basically went ballistic on them since it required her, and only her signature. At about 3:30 (about the time the driver would be in our AO) today neighbor calls, says UPS had delivered our packages at their place by mistake, and asked if we wanted him to bring them over. The Boss was out the door in about 10 seconds to get them. Her package was unmessed with luckily. Mine had been opened then resealed, and one of the boxes had also been opened but nothing was missing.
Oh, and UPS got another reaming from her employer about the signature thing. And yes, I'm now convinced our driver is a dirtbag.

 

[johntheplinker]

Huh, got a double post. Weird.

 

[maxwelhse]

I used to work for a music club - direct mail business. The one that would try and get you to buy one CD at full price and let you buy 12 more for a penny? Yep, that was us.

Anyhow, when the club was at its peak in the late 90's, we were handling more mail and packages than anyone BUT the USPS.

I watched this documentary recently and it contained footage inside of an Indiana Columbia House shipping center. I wonder if you're in it?

FWIW, the documentary was entertaining.