New UPS Practice (U.S. Deliveries)

[Brian Elfert]

To play the Devil's Advocate. Shipping companies make these decisions based upon quantifiable and quantitative data. Take notice that every time a UPS driver pulls to a stop the engine is turned off. One minute of engine idle for the UPS delivery fleet costs over $500k a year in fuel consumption.

I can understand why UPS doesn't want to make a second delivery attempt because most of the time the second attempt probably doesn't result in a delivery either. However, from a customer perspective they may not realize they had a signature required package coming and the customer might make arrangements to be home the second time.

However, in today's day and age why can't UPS reach out and make sure someone will be present before even making the first delivery attempt? There is all kinds of technology to reach out to customers.

[Brian Elfert]

Do people really still do COD shipments in today's world? I guess real hard cash at delivery is better than a credit card that could be charged back.

[Greg R Bradley]

Do people really still do COD shipments in today's world? I guess real hard cash at delivery is better than a credit card that could be charged back.

UPS stopped taking CASH a long time ago, maybe 10 years or so. So a COD is either a check or you can specify Cashiers Check or Money Order.

[Jim Becker]

However, in today's day and age why can't UPS reach out and make sure someone will be present before even making the first delivery attempt? There is all kinds of technology to reach out to customers.

Folks who subscribe to the UPS service I mentioned earlier have this kind of flexibility...they know when a package is scheduled and if there are any special requirements. And right from the notification(s) they can reroute or reschedule accordingly.

[Rich Enders]

In addition to providing the shipper with my cell phone number noted above, I forgot to mention the Door Tag. The Door Tag can be pre-signed and stuck to your door so that "Signature Required" packages can be dropped off if you happen to be away. "Door Tag" is a Fed-X system. Perhaps the others have something similar.

[Brian Henderson]

In addition to providing the shipper with my cell phone number noted above, I forgot to mention the Door Tag. The Door Tag can be pre-signed and stuck to your door so that "Signature Required" packages can be dropped off if you happen to be away. "Door Tag" is a Fed-X system. Perhaps the others have something similar.

Actually, I've seen cases where UPS will refuse to accept a signature on the back of the door tag. They require a signature while they are standing there or not at all.

[Jim Becker]

Actually, I've seen cases where UPS will refuse to accept a signature on the back of the door tag. They require a signature while they are standing there or not at all.

This is usually triggered by a vendor/shipper requirement...some firms that sell certain types of products (often high-value, easily fenced electronics) require in-person signature only which overrides signature releases and door tag signatures for security reasons.

[Brian Henderson]

This is usually triggered by a vendor/shipper requirement...some firms that sell certain types of products (often high-value, easily fenced electronics) require in-person signature only which overrides signature releases and door tag signatures for security reasons.

My oldest daughter had some of her artwork in a competition and they mailed it back to her, apparently with the requirement that she sign for it, but she was in high school at the time and never there when UPS showed up. We wound up having to go down to their facility to pick up the package.

[Chuck Ellis]

I don't normally weigh in on these types of discussions, but as a former logistics manager that worked with most of the known carriers, ups, fedex, dhl, msas, usps, truckers, airlines and steamship companies. people should realize that each of these carriers move millions of packages per day... for every error that may occur, there are likely 100,000 that go perfectly smooth. The drivers that are being complained about are under some pretty strict rules of time management... before I retired 12 years ago (things could have changed since then), My Fedex driver had about 60 to 90 seconds at each stop..to unload his truck for delivery, drop off and get signature, then to pick outgoing and sign for if needed, then load the truck for the outbound... UPS has about the same time frame. On top of that they have very limited time between stops... overall, these guys do a pretty good job.

I live in a very rural area and we have Fedex, UPS and USPS service daily with some very very good drivers. Mail is delivered at about the same time every day, UPS goes by about 5 or 6 pm (he's penalized if he brings packages back to the terminal and in my area his terminal is 35 miles away) and Fedex can arrive any time of the day.

[John A langley]

My UPS Driver came by yesterday with a package he had not heard of this new rule