ANGRY customers have slammed the USPS after projected delivery delays due to a truck that was overturned.
There were no reports of injuries, but a photo of the scene shows the truck on its side with mail spread out across the road and in the shoulder
The truck was headed to Alturas, California, in the far northeast of the state, when it turned over.
When the truck overturned, the top remained closed so the mail inside wasn’t damaged too much.
However, workers eventually had to remove the truck’s top to remove the mail and place it on the shoulder before it could be delivered.
The letters and parcels had to be shipped back to a distribution center in Reno before being rerouted for delivery, causing even more delays.
The extent of damage is still being assessed, according to Sierra Daily News.
Several people who were waiting for mail checked to see if their packages would be delayed.
“I had two packages that were on that truck and still got delivered yesterday,” wrote Garrett Shoemaker on Facebook.
My USPS package was resealed, but unfortunately, the items inside were damaged and covered in road dirt and gravel. I have submitted a claim for the damaged goods on the USPS website. Most importantly, I hope that the driver is safe and unharmed.
Many are concerned about the state of the drivers who operate these mail trucks.
“Not one bit shocked! These guys are TERRIBLE drivers! Not the first time one has ran off the road,” the user commented.
Another USPS customer said they were not surprised by the incident, as packages in their hometown constantly arrive late.
“I have had many conversations with UPS bought my dissatisfaction with not getting my packages delivered as they used to be,” they said.
“Our local PO has a very hard time with the number of parcels that UPS hands over to them,” they added.
The USPS did not reply to The U.S. Sun’s request for comment.
USPS’ Full Statement to Fox’s Atlanta affiliate
The US Postal Service gave this statement regarding the situation:
The United States Postal Service places great importance on the security and integrity of mail, especially during transportation on roads in Georgia and throughout the country. In this particular case, a contracted vehicle (not operated by USPS personnel) accidentally spilled some of its cargo along the highway.
The contents of the spilled cargo were deemed unfit for delivery to their intended destination. USPS has specific procedures in place to verify and dispose of such materials through contracted services. It’s important to note that there were no mail or packages meant for delivery on the vehicle at the time of the incident.
“Once alerted to the situation, local postal officials dispatched personnel to retrieve all dropped material.”
Source: Fox’s local Atlanta affiliate, WAGA
HIGHWAY HAVOC
This is not the first time USPS has been caught in an unfortunate situation recently.
When Pastor Male Atkins was driving down a highway in Atlanta, Georgia, a piece of paper hit his windshield this week.
When the pastor looked across I-285, he saw thousands of pieces of mail scattered along the side of the interstate.
“It was thousands of people’s mail – IDs, driver’s licenses, mortgage payments, urns, ashes,” Atkins told Fox’s local Atlanta affiliate WAGA.
After the baffling discovery, Atkins called the police and the post office – who he said weren’t much help.
Atkins spent hours picking up the unattended mail.
When he went to drop off the letters, all the USPS worker said was, “OK. Next.”
It’s a concern for residents as 44% of the world’s mail volume is processed and delivered by the US Postal Service.
In 2023 alone, the Postal Service delivered to 12.6 million business addresses.
Meaning, on average, the Postal Service processes and delivers over 152 million pieces of First-Class Mail every day.
It’s unclear how much of that mail is lost in the process.
