U.P.S. / Fed Ex upping rates

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Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I heard this on the radio this morning . . .

Fed Ex and U.P.S. are going to up the rates on residential deliveries / pickups for people who, "live out of the way". Be sure and inquire what the rate is if you deal with these folks a lot. Could run into some money if a out of the way home business venture is done.

-- j.r. guerra (jrguerra@boultinghousesimpson.com), January 03, 2002

Answers

Yet another example of those two companies taking the cream and making huge profits while making a mockery of the universal mail laws. I don't always agree with what USPS does, but at least they charge fairly.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), January 03, 2002.

Since when does UPS and FEDEX fall under the universal mail regulations? The post office does because it is a government monopoly, the other two are privately owned. (Publicly traded.)

I always wondered about the same thing with electric coops, since they charge more than other power companies, at least around here. It is just common sense for them to charge more to rural customers. They have more lines etc. to maintain per customer in rural areas than they do in urban areas.

It is the same with FedX and UPS they just have to drive further so it does cost them more. I don't think that is a great rip-off, I think it is comnmon sense.

Talk to you later.

-- Bob in WI (bjwick@hotmail.com), January 03, 2002.


FedEx and UPS were not always around--they have basically been chipping away at the USPS (which is a monopoly, true, but their mandate is to serve the public universally, not just the profitable parts). If some in Congress have their way, there wouldn't be any USPS, and any Tom, Dick, Harry, or Joan could put their grubby hands in your mailbox. Is that what you want? I sure don't. And you notice there really isn't much competition, price-wise. The only good thing is that since both are vulnerable to strikes, the USPS, if it continues to upgrade its service, will win back business every time there is a strike.

I don't know if you will be such a fan of private mail delivery when the USPS is completely privatized, and it costs rural folk $5 to mail a letter.

I mean, look at the phone deregulation fiasco. Instead of one crummy monopoly, you have several little monopolies, and you still have no choice in local providers, it is take it or leave it. Also, if it weren't for those extra little charges on everyone's phone bills, rural areas wouldn't have ANY internet access at all. Since there is no mandate to serve everyone with FedEx and UPS (the drivers we occasionally see are very nice) what would prevent them from NOT serving an area at all? "Sorry, YOU are going to have to drive to the nearest large town to get your package."

I don't really have anything against them per se, but I prefer the USPS.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), January 03, 2002.


I thought that the USPS had weight limits??? In our area each service seems to have a share of the market that the other ones don't seem to want. I like them all, and use them all.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), January 03, 2002.

All of them have limits of some sort. Friends of mine who are gun owners, for example say that you can't ship ammunition through USPS. There are also various substances (chemicals, I think), that also can't go through USPS. Some restrictions are airline related (flammable materials, for example), because much of the mail goes by air.

Neither of the other two can deliver to post office boxes yet, although I know that Fed Ex recently signed some deal with USPS to both move some USPS mail on their planes in exchange for being able to place their drop boxes at post offices. I am not sure if that includes being able to ship to po boxes or not, but that may be coming.

Depending on what you're shipping and where, one may be better than the other (for the packages I mail, there is no significant difference), but you also have to consider the convenience factor and pick-up charges, etc. Your mail carrier comes by every day, free. If you have your package ready and with postage (and you can get that info by phone or online, and give the money to the carrier), they will take it free. The other two do not go by your house every day, so you will be paying some kind of pick-up charge, in addition to the shipping cost. Just something to consider.

Just as an aside, do any of you who have PO boxes only for mail service think it is unfair that you cannot get coupon rebates? I see that on the coupons all the time, and to me, as long as they have posted a limit, you should still be able to get a rebate, as long as you follow the rules of submission, whatever your address. Many rural areas do not have street delivery at all.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), January 03, 2002.



Just a point here from someone who ships via UPS Ground and FedEX ground. Fedex is often 35% cheaper than UPS. ALWAYS cheaper. Maybe fedex is going up to take more fat from UPS. I will vote with my dollar and use whoever is cheapest and most efficent.

-- mark (toymeister@hotmail.com), January 03, 2002.

Actually when it comes to unions, only USPS and UPS will strike, Fedex is not unionized. It is always a wise idea to check with all 3 and compare prices when shipping packages. Although I generally choose USPS to deal with out of convenience, they are the most unreliable and have the longest delivery times with letters often taking over 10 days to be delivered first class and priority taking a week for delivery.

-- j willis (jwillis@louish.com), January 05, 2002.

USPS, even though it is supposed to only "break even" and is supported by only postal revenue, is covered by all of the other federal employee regulations, so their employees cannot go on strike, even though they have unions. Fed Ex has had pilot strikes in the past, and UPS has of course had strikes as well.

UPS and FedEx are too inconvenient for me to even think of using on a regular basis, but I have had pretty decent service from the USPS.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), January 05, 2002.


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