I live in semi-rural Virginia but in a neighborhood of several hundred homes, paved streets, etc. The recent snowstorm brought 8 inches of snow but the main roads are clear and the neighborhood has been plowed. We haven't had a mail delivery in the three days since this started. Meanwhile, the newspaper had been delivered every day. Seems to me, paperboys should be paid more than postal workers.

quote:

Whatever Happened to "Neither Rain nor Sleet nor Snow?"

Union?

We received mail Wednesday but nothing since. Yes, the cataclysmic ciclone di bomba left snow behind but that only excuses Thursday and possibly Friday. The main roads have all been plowed so we figured mail would arrive on Saturday. Nope.

With the advancement of technology and availability of more reliable vehicles with AWD/4WD, ABS, etc. one would think mail delivery in crappy weather would have improved over the years. Nope.

You were more likely to receive mail in bad weather in 1935 than 2018. Perhaps the USPS should outfit staff with a popular feminist pink hat that kinda resembles a taco.

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Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Whatever Happened to "Neither Rain nor Sleet nor Snow?"

Union?

Common sense?

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Common sense?

We have the same problem in winter even if the streets are dry. I was told by the carrier supervisor that each carrier could decide for himself to deliver or not. So they get together at the Mexican restaurant a block away & get paid for a day.

You guys get mail you actually want?

What’s that about?

My dad was a rural carrier in the 80s and 90s. I remember him making deliveries no matter the weather. In a VW diesel Rabbit. He'd put studded tires on when bad weather came. I remember him getting stuck a few times, but he never didn't deliver.

quote:

Originally posted by Audioholic:
We received mail Wednesday but nothing since. Yes, the cataclysmic ciclone di bomba left snow behind but that only excuses Thursday and possibly Friday. The main roads have all been plowed so we figured mail would arrive on Saturday. Nope.

With the advancement of technology and availability of more reliable vehicles with AWD/4WD, ABS, etc. one would think mail delivery in crappy weather would have improved over the years. Nope.

You were more likely to receive mail in bad weather in 1935 than 2018. Perhaps the USPS should outfit staff with a popular feminist pink hat that kinda resembles a taco.

The routes in 1935 were about 1/3 the size that they are now, and you didn't spent nearly the amount of time on the street.
I guess I should explain what I mean by that. If you're route is taking you an extra 5 seconds per delivery, you have 1200 deliveries instead of the 300 that you might of had back 20 years ago, that's a good 2-3 hours (depending on the route).
couple this with people not being able to get to work because of the weather, you'll have people doing two routes, that are basically taking twice as long to do. Couple that again with the fact you probably had to case up the other route/s, so your leaving the office later... then you're vehicle gets stuck.
Routes are set up for the absolute easiest day, on a nice spring day, with 0 mail volume.

And then, you crawl up to the mail box, and there's mail from 4 days ago in the box anyway...

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Whatever Happened to "Neither Rain nor Sleet nor Snow?"

Union?

Should ask my buddy Joe about when he slipped and broke his back (year 2000 I think), about how they tried to blame it on him, and fire him for it.
Joe isn't a pussy either, multiple combat tours.

When the snow is deep like in this past storm I can fully understand why they don't deliver mail. Yes, the roads are plowed and now the mailman has to wade through 4'-5' high snow plow packed in by the snow plow to people who can't get their mailboxes shoveled out enough. I first get my driveway clear then tackle the mailbox. With 5' width of snow plow pushed high it is a very tough job. I don't want to see a mailman have a heart attack slogging through these drifts. They are people, give them a break, you can get your 30% Kohl's coupon a day late.

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you can get your 30% Kohl's coupon a day late.

True, but the $2000 check from a client is sitting in the back of the carrier's truck at the Mexican restaurant exactly a block away. Absolutely dry road including the maildrop beside my townhome, because I shovel it myself for the carrier.

For $2000 I'd most certainly march down to that restaurant for takeout...

My mailman was doing his job even during the storm. Never skipped a beat. Even got here about the same time as always.

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Originally posted by Jus228:
My mailman was doing his job even during the storm. Never skipped a beat. Even got here about the same time as always.

Our also. He has a right hand drive Jeep, never misses a beat. He did say the old right hand drives most carriers use are about as worthless as teats on a boar hog.

quote:

Originally posted by SevenPlusOne:

quote:

Originally posted by Audioholic:
We received mail Wednesday but nothing since. Yes, the cataclysmic ciclone di bomba left snow behind but that only excuses Thursday and possibly Friday. The main roads have all been plowed so we figured mail would arrive on Saturday. Nope.

With the advancement of technology and availability of more reliable vehicles with AWD/4WD, ABS, etc. one would think mail delivery in crappy weather would have improved over the years. Nope.

You were more likely to receive mail in bad weather in 1935 than 2018. Perhaps the USPS should outfit staff with a popular feminist pink hat that kinda resembles a taco.

The routes in 1935 were about 1/3 the size that they are now, and you didn't spent nearly the amount of time on the street.
I guess I should explain what I mean by that. If you're route is taking you an extra 5 seconds per delivery, you have 1200 deliveries instead of the 300 that you might of had back 20 years ago, that's a good 2-3 hours (depending on the route).
couple this with people not being able to get to work because of the weather, you'll have people doing two routes, that are basically taking twice as long to do. Couple that again with the fact you probably had to case up the other route/s, so your leaving the office later... then you're vehicle gets stuck.
Routes are set up for the absolute easiest day, on a nice spring day, with 0 mail volume.

And then, you crawl up to the mail box, and there's mail from 4 days ago in the box anyway...

I know there's lots of good mail carriers out there and if my regular service was half-decent I might be more forgiving. In recent years there's days I don't receive any mail yet I'm tracking (via USPS) a package showing "Out for delivery" that day. I've had to deal with numerous packages marked as "Delivered" at 4:00 but not physically placed in the mailbox until after 7:30 or sometimes the next day. Carriers know damn well marking tracking as "Delivered" before it has is against USPS regulations but do it anyway. I get that the job isn't easy and most carrier's managers are assholes but if you have to regularly cheat the tracking system it's time for a different career.

In the 80s, 90s and early 00s my mail service was like clockwork, in the box from 2-3:00. My mail delivery is currently anywhere from 2:00 until as late as 8:45 with no discernible pattern. One day it's 3:00, next day 6:50, then 4:30, 7:15, etc. so in general I have no friggin idea what time mail will arrive at my house. One expects delivery time to vary on the regular carrier's day off or vacation but not to that extent and not every damn day. How a carrier can work a route that haphazardly is beyond me.

My sympathy level is directly proportionate to reliable service. As a paying customer I'm concerned with results, not the intricacies of mail delivery logistics.

Rain Shine Snow and Sleet, that's what gives your mailman smelly feet.
.

"We barely have time to read your mail, much less deliver it".

Newman

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Whatever Happened to "Neither Rain nor Sleet nor Snow?"

Union?

LOL