FedEx SmartPost

reible · Post by **reible** » Thu Jun 07, 2012 11:07 pm

Hi,

I've got 8 GB of memory that was trucked to the post office and then should have been here days ago. No way to track it.

No big deal at this point cause I don't even have all the parts ordered yet but I personally like when I can track the package.

So far not so impressed with this delivery system. I expect this is simply a padded envelope so I hope it didn't get lost somewhere.

Ed

bffulgham · Post by **bffulgham** » Fri Jun 08, 2012 12:55 pm

dusty wrote:Can anyone tell me what FedEx SmartPost is all about.

I am waiting for an Idler Shaft Assembly that was supposedly in Phoenix (120 miles away) two days ago. Now when I use the tracking number to track the package - it has been handed over to FedEx SmartPost and I am still waiting.

By snooping around on google I find some indication the USPS is involved. What gives. I have never seen this before.

I am sure thankful that I am not in dire need of that Idler Shaft.

I had to do some of the same snooping this week. And can confirm SMARTPOST is a 'partnership' between Fed EX and the Postal Service.

I took advantage of the Cool Blocks pricing last Friday and ordered a set. To make the shipping cost a little more palatable I also ordered a 5/8 blade arbor for my 510 (I have an over-abundance of 1 1/4 arbors and not enough blades to match). Anyway:
Order placed 6/1
Got Ship notice email 6/5

Fed Ex Tracking:
[INDENT]6/4 Picked up VANDALIA, OH
6/5 INDEPENDENCE, KY and on to MEMPHIS, TN
6/6 HUTCHINS, TX and on to FEDEX SMARTPOST DALLAS, TX
6/8 PO in Canyon, TX to my doorstep[/INDENT]

Think I got a pretty reasonable delivery time for my order.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Fri Jun 08, 2012 1:19 pm

bffulgham wrote:I had to do some of the same snooping this week. And can confirm SMARTPOST is a 'partnership' between Fed EX and the Postal Service.

I took advantage of the Cool Blocks pricing last Friday and ordered a set. To make the shipping cost a little more palatable I also ordered a 5/8 blade arbor for my 510 (I have an over-abundance of 1 1/4 arbors and not enough blades to match). Anyway:
Order placed 6/1
Got Ship notice email 6/5

Fed Ex Tracking:[INDENT]6/4 Picked up VANDALIA, OH
6/5 INDEPENDENCE, KY and on to MEMPHIS, TN
6/6 HUTCHINS, TX and on to FEDEX SMARTPOST DALLAS, TX
6/8 PO in Canyon, TX to my doorstep[/INDENT]Think I got a pretty reasonable delivery time for my order.

Not to disagree with your conclusion, but do notice:

Fedex moved it to four new locations(over a thousand miles) in two days and revealed same as it occurred.

PO moved to to ? locations(not many miles) in an additional two days and only revealed what? My experience with po tracking is it will tell you tomorrow what happened today.

Fedex tracking(and Ups) is updated online by the time the truck reaches the corner(two houses way). USPS tracking is updated when the delivery person checks in at the end of the day. At least that is what is visible to me!

No comparison. Thoroughbreds vs donkeys. JMHO;)

greitz · Post by **greitz** » Fri Jun 08, 2012 3:05 pm

FedEX has contracted with USPS for the local (final destination) portion of their lightweight package deliveries because it's cheaper for them to do so, rather than expand their own delivery system to cover each and every residential and business address in the USA.

I specify "lightweight" because FedEx prices are heavily dependent on the package weight. A 12" x 12" x 12" box going from my workplace in CA to Maryland by FedEx Home Delivery costs:
$13.33 if it weighs 3 pounds,
$23.84 if it weighs 20 pounds,
$37.64 if it weighs 50 pounds.

Same size package, takes the same amount of space on the truck, essentially the same amount of gas, same labor cost, but FedEx makes 3 times as much money for the heavier package. FedEx is just not making enough profit on the lightweight packages to justify delivering to the final destination themselves. So they don't.

If USPS were allowed the option to only deliver packages to locations where they made a profit, they wouldn't be in their current financial straits.

Gary

swampgator · Post by **swampgator** » Fri Jun 08, 2012 3:38 pm

If the shipper would send it via Post Office with tracking, you can track it online. I've had so many things shipped to me via Post Office and I've shipped many things via PO. Alway faster and always cheaper than the other two. And, DHL!!! LOL What happened to them? Send a receipt requested letter by any one other than good old US Mail and it'll cost you plenty. Can send a receipt requested letter for about $1 more than the regular postage.

And, I'm not a retired post office employee. Just my experience and I won't be using the others if I can help it. Will support the old fashioned workable system.

baysidebob · Post by **baysidebob** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 9:57 pm

USPS in my area is nothing to brag about. They are going to close the sorting portion of our postal service. All mail will be sent by truck to Medford Oregon for sorting. This is a trip of 200 miles for the local mail, or any mail sent by USPS...If I need to send a letter or a payment to Arcata, Ca. which is 6 miles away it still has to make the long trip before it goes to delivery. In my way of calculating this is far from being efficient. Unfortunately for patrons we are at mercy of the USPS. Only time will tell, and hopefully show how flawed this really will be. Enough said by me.......

swampgator · Post by **swampgator** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 10:29 pm

Remember, the price of your USPS is funded only by the services and stamps it sells. Like FedEx and UPS, it recieves no tax dollars or other support since 1971.

I send wood from here to Alaska in 4 days and will cost me less than $12 for their largest box. Yes, they use FedEx part of the way and then deliver it the rest of the way themselves.

paulmcohen · Post by **paulmcohen** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 12:42 am

swampgator wrote:Remember, the price of your USPS is funded only by the services and stamps it sells. Like FedEx and UPS, it receives no tax dollars or other support since 1971.

I send wood from here to Alaska in 4 days and will cost me less than $12 for their largest box. Yes, they use FedEx part of the way and then deliver it the rest of the way themselves.

The USPS gets $96 million per year directly from the Federal Government plus they lost $20 BILLION in the last 4 years. UPS and FedEx make a profit and before they lost $20 billion they would be in bankruptcy, the USPS gets a pass on $5 billion per year of dept. So in reality the USPS get $5.1 Billion per year from the taxpayers.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 11:34 am

paulmcohen wrote:The USPS gets $96 million per year directly from the Federal Government plus they lost $20 BILLION in the last 4 years. UPS and FedEx make a profit and before they lost $20 billion they would be in bankruptcy, the USPS gets a pass on $5 billion per year of debt. So in reality the USPS get $5.1 Billion per year from the taxpayers.

Please explain how/who that debt is passed/owed. I'se confused!

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 12:48 pm

I don't know exactly where Paul gets his financial facts but he does have the general picture correct.

The USPS is in debt to the US Treasury. That debt increased $5.3 billion in FY2007, $2.8 billion in FY2008 and $3.8 billion in FY2009. I don't have figures for FY2010. That is a lot of stamps.

I wonder just how many Government agencies are operated this way. Would it be any different if we had a governmental requirement for a balanced budget?

I also wonder, is the USPS retirement fund solvent?