UPS has Changed

GAD · Jul 11, 2022

I’ve always been an advocate of the idea that all of the major shipping companies suck equally and it’s mostly your local driver/delivery person that makes or breaks your experiences, but over the last few months I’ve had a lot of bad experiences with UPS, none of which having to do with guitars.

From drivers parking in the street (they now refuse to back down my driveway siting new rules) and blocking traffic to them leaving heavy expensive packages at the curb or maybe 10ft. into my 200ft driveway, there seems to be a change in behavior in the drivers unlike anything I’ve ever seen from them.

Today I learned that UPS was sold to a Canadian company in 2021 which would likely explain all the issues I’ve been seeing.

https://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2021-01-26/virginian-based-ups-freight-being-sold-to-tfi-for-800m

Anyone else notice changes with UPS lately?

richardp69 · Jul 11, 2022

Well, that just sucks. I wonder if it's a localized type thing? My drive likely isn't 200' but it's probably 100+'. They still drive down to my house here at least. It won't make me very happy if/when they start pulling that here.

DeArmond Hammer · Jul 11, 2022

I used to be able to call and have them hold an incoming package for me at their Customer Center. About a year ago they started charging $6.95 or thereabouts for such a change. Now I can't make the change at all if I'm the recipient; the shipper has to make the change. So if I'm not going to be home to receive the delivery, the package is likely to be left in front of my house.

Shipping is more difficult now for expensive items because UPS won't insure the full value unless the shipper prints paperwork and has it signed by a UPS employee. That means I can't drop off a high-value package at the nearby UPS Store. I have to either take it to the Customer Center 30 minutes away, or else schedule a pickup and be present to get the driver to sign the paperwork.

Unfortunately, UPS is still cheaper than other carriers for guitar-size parcels from my location, so I'm adjusting to the changes.

Rich Cohen · Jul 11, 2022

No problems observed on this end.

Charlie Bernstein · Jul 11, 2022

Yup. Things are tough all over.

Haven't had any UPS or FEDEX problems around here, though. It's only the US post office that's been screwing up. We only get delivery four times a week now.

And for whatever it's worth, I wouldn't back down a 200-foot driveway, either!

What I hate is the way FEDEX and UPS are making their employees run now. The companies have gear that tracks their movement. I'd rather wait another day than exhaust their staffs. It'd still be faster than the post office.

Midnight Toker · Jul 11, 2022

No issues here. They leave everything on my porch.

The one and only issue my neighbors and I have experienced stems from house numbers only being on the right side of the mail box for daily USPS carriers that drive vehicles w/ the steering on the right. UPS, DHL, Amazon, etc, regularly come up the road from the opposite direction, can't see the numbers, and deliver it to the wrong house. We were constantly bringing packages to each other (we all know each other by name). I suggested we all should put additional house number stickers on both sides of the box....and we haven't had any issues since.

Rich Cohen · Jul 11, 2022

My son works for UPS and I have to say management (in Philadelphia) have been cooperative with him. In fact, they just offered him a management position.

mavuser · Jul 11, 2022

they all seem to get worse exponentially, with every passing moment. Have had the best overall luck with USPS. However, no longer ship musical instruments with any regularity. there are very, very few exceptions where I still will. but ninety something percent of the time it is just not worth it and really takes a lot of the fun out of the hobby, these days. 5-10 years ago things were better, but UPS has been getting increasingly worse for a long time now

mellowgerman · Jul 11, 2022

Only thing I noticed, besides the expected hike in cost of shipping, was the fee for having a package held at a UPS Store. Took me by surprise when they charged me $9.49 to have my box sit in the large unused corner of the store for about 55minutes. Expensive real estate!

Opsimath · Jul 11, 2022

They started their downhill direction in the 80's, when they stopped washing their trucks every night.

Seriously, they used to do that. I knew a guy who washed the trucks, and as I recall he was paid pretty well to do it. I believe it was a part time job he had on the side but don't recall for certain.

I would venture to guess that it was at that point the company cost cutting began.

Opsimath · Jul 11, 2022

Backing up 200' is easy. I'm a very good backer upper. Just don't ask me to do it with a trailer attached.

wileypickett · Jul 11, 2022

I suspect monitoring the drivers and keeping up the pressure to deliver as quickly as possible is due to the effect of Amazon.

I like to get my packages speedily of course, but not at the expense of making the lives of drivers miserable and stressful.

richardp69 · Jul 11, 2022

Well, cost cutting is a way of life and needed for any company to survive. Raising proces can only get you so far. The challenge becomes how to both do that and not significantly change quality service to your customer base.

Not a lot of companies have figured that out yet IMHO.

twocorgis · Jul 11, 2022

mellowgerman said:
Only thing I noticed, besides the expected hike in cost of shipping, was the fee for having a package held at a UPS Store. Took me by surprise when they charged me $9.49 to have my box sit in the large unused corner of the store for about 55minutes. Expensive real estate!

One of the reasons I've always preferred FedEx. They've been a little slower lately, and of course their rates have increased, but they will hold packages for free at any FedEx Office Print and Ship Center (what used to be Kinkos). And there's one right by my office.

fronobulax · Jul 11, 2022

Small town, on a corner of a T intersection. One part of the T is a dead end. Roads are narrow - a recycling company stopped pickups in the neighborhood because their trucks were more than their drivers could handle and there were too many insurance claims for damages. As a nosy neighbor I see almost all of the deliveries - Amazon, UPS, FedEx, DHL and who ever is using unlabeled rental trucks with uniformed drivers. Almost all of the trucks will block the street if there is not an immediately obvious, convenient parking spot and sometimes even when there is one, it isn't used. Drivers deliver to the porches and the only difference seems to be whether the package ends up closer to the steps or the front door. Sometimes they will take a photo but that is not a consistent practice. Drivers who have a light package and a delivery down the dead end will often park at the intersection (to avoid turning around of backing up) and there are varying degrees of hustle to go down the block and get back.

The points of possible relevance are: there is not significant difference in driver behavior based upon who they drive for. They all pretty much do the same things; and deliveries before Covid were 2 or 3 a week, now they are 4 or 5 a day. So the changes I see could be attributed to higher volume in general and not a change in ownership.

Default · Jul 11, 2022

There have been a lot of changes in the shipping industry just in the past couple of years. All those people in civilian clothes working for various shipping companies are all contract workers not salaried employees. That's why you see the unmarked trucks, you know that's why you don't see the uniforms. I didn't realize that UPS had been sold to a Canadian company, because I thought it was an employee owned company. Well by employee, I mean management owned company.
I worked for him about 33 years ago so I'm sure a lot changed with that, but all of their trucks have telemetry like you wouldn't believe. They know how long you say stopped, they know when you go into reverse and for how long, they know how long it takes you to unbuckle your seat belt and come back to buckle your seat belt they know if the doors are open or closed. And I'm sure there's a whole bunch more that they know just by tracking people with their scanners they know how fast you move. We're going through that now with post office, starting Saturday I won't have a time card anymore. Everything will be done by scanning my badge, and that applies to every function, down to taking my lunch. And the time it takes to drive to my lunch, and back from my lunch. So big brother is everywhere, and the only way the drivers can get the job done under the pressure they are is to cut corners on delivery standards and that means screwing the customer.
That's my two cents, my opinion, etc etc, your mileage may vary.

jp · Jul 11, 2022

I also tend to think that the quality of customer service is localized and dependent on management of the area or region. There have been rashes of complaints about USPS in areas of our city, and yet our local branch is tried and true. Service is excellent, and the carriers make concentrated efforts to ensure packages are placed in areas where they won't get snagged. The counter crew are also vets that have been there the entire time we've been in this city, and they've always been fast, efficient, knowledgeable, and courteous.

The UPS and FedEx folks are always hit or miss.

I could also maybe attribute it to generational work ethic, but maybe I'm just being ageist.

HeyMikey · Jul 11, 2022

Default said:
There have been a lot of changes in the shipping industry just in the past couple of years. All those people in civilian clothes working for various shipping companies are all contract workers not salaried employees. That's why you see the unmarked trucks, you know that's why you don't see the uniforms. I didn't realize that UPS had been sold to a Canadian company, because I thought it was an employee owned company. Well by employee, I mean management owned company.
I worked for him about 33 years ago so I'm sure a lot changed with that, but all of their trucks have telemetry like you wouldn't believe. They know how long you say stopped, they know when you go into reverse and for how long, they know how long it takes you to unbuckle your seat belt and come back to buckle your seat belt they know if the doors are open or closed. And I'm sure there's a whole bunch more that they know just by tracking people with their scanners they know how fast you move. We're going through that now with post office, starting Saturday I won't have a time card anymore. Everything will be done by scanning my badge, and that applies to every function, down to taking my lunch. And the time it takes to drive to my lunch, and back from my lunch. So big brother is everywhere, and the only way the drivers can get the job done under the pressure they are is to cut corners on delivery standards and that means screwing the customer.
That's my two cents, my opinion, etc etc, your mileage may vary.

I have observed that if the package can’t just be dropped into my mailbox on the road then the USPS driver will leave a slip to go pick it up. Even if I’m home and standing 20 feet away, they won’t leave the road or the truck or call you over. They won’t pull into the driveway and leave it on the porch or ask for a signature like the used to. I never interact with the driver any longer.

Curlington · Jul 11, 2022

GAD, I believe you are over emphasizing the effect of the sale upon UPS's service. UPS sold its trucking subsidiary to Canadian trucking company TFII. I think TFII is more a long-haul trucking operation, so the sale did not directly impact UPS's customer-facing shipping operations. UPS remains a US company with a market cap of $162 Billion. TFII has a market cap of $8 Billion.

Just trying to be helpful here. I am a long-time shareholder in UPS and so keep up with it. Not a comment on declining customer service or the relative merits of the various shipping companies.

mavuser · Jul 11, 2022

fronobulax said:
Small town, on a corner of a T intersection. One part of the T is a dead end. Roads are narrow - a recycling company stopped pickups in the neighborhood because their trucks were more than their drivers could handle and there were too many insurance claims for damages. As a nosy neighbor I see almost all of the deliveries - Amazon, UPS, FedEx, DHL and who ever is using unlabeled rental trucks with uniformed drivers. Almost all of the trucks will block the street if there is not an immediately obvious, convenient parking spot and sometimes even when there is one, it isn't used. Drivers deliver to the porches and the only difference seems to be whether the package ends up closer to the steps or the front door. Sometimes they will take a photo but that is not a consistent practice. Drivers who have a light package and a delivery down the dead end will often park at the intersection (to avoid turning around of backing up) and there are varying degrees of hustle to go down the block and get back.

The points of possible relevance are: there is not significant difference in driver behavior based upon who they drive for. They all pretty much do the same things; and deliveries before Covid were 2 or 3 a week, now they are 4 or 5 a day. So the changes I see could be attributed to higher volume in general and not a change in ownership.

well my 144 WB sprinter fits fine in the spot right in front of your house, and it is easy enough to back up and turn around in either direction of the T intersection. The Amazon "last mile" fleet vans are the same size and that is what all of the other shipping companies will eventually morph into, for more dense neighborhoods. So, if you don't always want a delivery van parking and turning around in that spot, park a car there. of course if u have an important package u are expecting, such as a vintage Guild...or a friend with a sprinter

u may want to move that car...

UPS has Changed

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