US Postal Service

Consumers have a lot of problems with USPS, as the complaints in this section attest.  What's perhaps most unfortunate about this is the hostility displayed by too many postal employees who could care less whether their efforts to serve taxpayers are successful.

USPS • Damaged Mail • Lost Mail • No Mail Delivery • Stolen Mail • Wrong Mail --- • Address Disputes • Change of Address • Dangerous Drivers • Hostility • Prescriptions Mishandled • Privacy Violations • Restricted Substances --- • Priority Mail • Express Mail • Military Mail --- News • Postal Service May Seek Service Cut • Movie Fans Suspect Foul Play at the Post Office

By the way, many consumers routinely leave their outgoing mail in the lobbies of apartment buildings. Not a good idea, as Christopher of Seattle now knows.

Then there's the question of whether the Postal Service is meeting the letter and spirit of the Americans With Disabilities Act. Oh, and some of those postal workers don't drive too well either.

A few of the more recent complaints ...

John of Brookline, MA October 18, 2008

John of Brookline MA (10/18/08)
I had one of the worst moments this morning in the postal office of Brookline, MA 02446. Tim (I guess his name is Tim) serviced me on my refund using a money order. He asked me to fill out my name and my address on the money order. I did. I waited for at least a few minutes for him to come out. He didn't. I walked away. What I didn't know was that I should stay (He didn't ask me to stay or wait). He chased me out and yelled at me: Why did you walk away? You have to wait. (He did say so when I was with him). Because he was rude. I have to yell back. Bad customer service. Or maybe worse, is that because I look different from him?

Lelani of Jacksonville, FL October 17, 2008

It has been three weeks and the United States Post Office (USPS) has not forwarded my mail from Ft Gordon, Augusta Ga to Jacksonville Florida. I gave a two- week change of address form prior to my actual move. There are a lot of important mail including accts, insurance, checkbook etc involved. The Post Office should be held accountable for the inefficient handling of mail.

I called Customer Service and they acted angry and defensive and just told me upfront that it should be forwarded. I keep explaining I haven't seen a single mail. They have no other way of tracking this and my concern is growing. If someone else get hold of this, it's a serious threat to identity theft as well as violating my privacy.

USPS is not taking this seriously in terms of protecting data information. The length of time for processing should not take weeks. We're in the computer age and they should also have a better tracking mechanism on where these mails went. No forwarded mail after 3 weeks. No tracking offered-just a confirmation that my forwarding address is in the system. Customer service is nonexistent.

Marcia of Leitchfield, KY October 17, 2008

The US Postal Service is getting horrible. I have several issues. (1) The company I work for mails paychecks to about 150 employees. We are constantly getting calls (and cussings) from employees who don't receive their check. Sometimes they turn up on a few days, sometimes the checks are never ANYWHERE. It costs us 20 each check to put a stop payment on them at the bank. Isn't there any one to complain to about this? Its a pass-the-buck situation, no one ever knows where the breakdown is.

(2) I recently received at my home a threatening letter from the propane gas company saying they had not received payments and had mailed monthly statements. This is October and I have not received a statement since July. I can understand one getting lost, but 2 or 3 in a row? The gas company swears they were mailed! I now have to pay 3 months at once or risk being cut off! The company does not do automatic bank withdrawals or I would go that route.

(3) There is no remedy for bad postal service, no where to file a complaint. I was directed to a USPO web site, but all I ever got was an automated response to contact my local postmaster. I have done this NUMEROUS times and they say all they do is put it in a box to go to Louisville, KY. The worst problems are mail that is routed through Bowling Green KY.

This is ridiculous. There sould be consequences to their actions - or inactions - just as in any other business. From my work standpoint... incurred bank costs over 100 just in the last 2 1/2 weeks. From my personal, I now have to come up with about 200 at once instead of 66 per month to pay heating fuel costs and have to deal with not-so-nice customer service reps.

Cheryl of Farmers Branch, TX October 16, 2008

Cheryl of Farmers Branch TX (10/16/08)
I took a package to the post office and paid 14.95 for guaranteed delivery by 3:00 p.m. the next day to Rockdale, Tx,which is only about a 3 hour drive and is very small---less than 5000 people. When my sister, whom I was mailing the package to, got home from work there was a message on her answering machine from her postal carrier stating that since her mail is delivered in the morning and the package didn't arrive to the post office there in time to be sent with her mail she would just have to wait until the next day for the delivery...unless it was dire that she receive the package that day then she could call and request it be delivered. Unfortunately, she gets home from work at around 4:30 and the post office closed at 4:00.

No where on my receipt or in my conversation with the mail clerk taking my money was there any stipulation that my package would be delivered the next day by 3:00 if it arrived in time to go out with the regular mail delivery AND if the postal worker felt like delivering it. This same thing happened last year when I sent her a package over night and she didn't get it for 3 days because she didn't have any regular mail coming and they didn't want to make a special trip.

The clothing item that I had bought for my neice for a special occasion didn't arrive in time for her to be able to try them on and go to Austin (an hour away) to exchange them if they didn't fit. So not only was I out the extra money I spent for over night delivery, but the 72.00 for the item that didn't fit her. And, there wasn't enough time to get it exchanged.

Julie of Ottawa, KS October 12, 2008

Julie of Ottawa KS (10/12/08)
Got letter from USPS 9/15/08 that needed to put up curb curb side boxes within 30 days. 7 days prior the Post Master was Misinformed and it is not a requirement. Everyone in my block spent the money & labor in order to comply. Now to find out we did not have to. But since we now have the boxes on the curb now, that is where it will be delivered. I should not have to walk out to curb to pick up any mail. If I do not need the box on my curb then why should I wals out there

86 years old. Handicaped. Use walker and/ or cane. Have turned in documentation from 2 doctors. Live alone. I went to the expense of the mail box & labor to have it in cement. For I had 30 days & now to find out that the Post Master made her careful review in the Summer time found it very hard to see that there was a COLLEGE UNIVERSITY right across the street.

Mary of Fort Yukon, AK October 9, 2008

Mary of Fort Yukon AK (10/09/08)
our local postal service here is always' closed, we need someone here that will take thier job seriously. Our post office, is alway's closed. People need to recieve mail, pay bills on time, it cant be done here. When, there is nobody here to sort mail.ect... Please, help our local community.

Back to the top |