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far out and UPS?
:) We are moving in 3 weeks SO FAR OUT that I am wondering about silly stuff like UPS deliveries...how do you all handle it?
We will be 20 paved miles from the nearest small town, then an additional 10 miles of virtually empty dirt road, so I somehow kind of doubt UPS will be anxious to deliver to us :) Anyone else out that far? Do you cultivate a town friend to take deliveries for you? Do small town post offices with custumers way way out accept UPS deliveries? We will have a mail box at the pavement (there are 33 there right now), does UPS leave at the mailboxes- And then you trust that the package will be left alone until yopu pick up?? Somehow can't see that... thanks! |
bbbuddy -- My parents lived an hour away from the nearest town, 20 miles of it dirt road -- and UPS delivered to them. They always called first to make sure someone would be home -- but they delivered to the door.
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Well, if you live that far out, with ID theft being a big deal and all, I would NOT have street delivery for any bills or credit cards--rent a PO box for that. Where you have a problem is with things that either can't go through the US mail or the business will only use a common carrier--at that point you have to choose whether or not you will do business with them--funny though, every time the common carriers strike, the same businesses that turn up their noses have no problems going through the post office....
As for UPS they cannot deliver to the post office--unlike Fed Ex, they have not yet made any agreements with USPS for that. The trouble with having other people take deliveries and I include the Mail Box Etc. type places with this, is that you may void being able to make claims on postal/ups insurance in case of damage or theft--you're releasing the company for any liability when you allow them to leave it with a neighbor or some other agent. And if the person sending it REQUIRES your signature with ID (restricted type delivery) you will have to pick it up at the post office or the UPS office. You might be able to accept packages at your place of employment, although again, it is a liability issue for them. You can't very well hold the mail clerk responsible for your personal mail. Also they may be leery of accepting strange packages, period, and you can't blame them these days. So in short, PO Box, and do business only with people/companies that will send through the Post Office. Especially point this out to them if THEY have a PO Box for security reasons.... |
UPS leaves it on our porch or with neighbors if we aren't home. They come right to the door. I have had no trouble getting FedX here either.
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The only place that I have lived that UPS did not deliver to was in MT and there was 10 miles of four wheel drive road to get to the house so was understandable. When we were there the hardware store in the closest little town served as drop off point for UPS the guy was right across the street from the grocery and bank so pretty well saw everyone who came to town he'd step out and holler at you that you had a package or if one of your neighbors had a package ask you to let them know.
Where we are now the UPS guy and the FedX both call and ask me to meet them at the pavement if there has been a lot of rain otherwise they delivery to the house with no problem. |
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I would check with the nearest UPS office and ask. Some places here have large parcel boxes next to thier mailboxes. The key for delivery is in the lock and then when the UPS guy puts it in the parcel box, he deposits the key in there with it. Then you use your key to get it out - something like that. Since it sounds like you have mailbox units, that may be the case. And like someone else mentioned. Sometimes smaller businesses will accept deliveries for you, if you agree not to hold them responsible for a damaged delivery. Our UPS guy puts the delivery in a plastic bag and hangs it over our gate, usually where it can't be readily seen by someone else. It probably just depends on the terrain of your road and the time it takes for the delivery, as to whether they will deliver directly to you or not. |
Couriers keep a little black book that is given to every driver that covers this route. Most of the houses are off road and UPS's heavy trucks can't get through. The drivers- there is a steady stream of different ones- call the person at home and we will meet them at the nearest paved intersection. They cannot leave packages in our mailbox but they can leave packages in a separate box for UPS/FedEx/etc. if one wants to risk that- I don't and I don't see anyone else doing it. It has been a pain in the butt. We sometimes pay an express delivery- for semen for example- that a company charges us automatically but we don't get it before our regular delivery time, which has been as late as 7:30 pm. I wouldn't mind if I didn't have to pay for the premium service but we have been charged that premium on several ocassions because of company contracts with UPS. We have no guarantees out here- no shipping times are guaranteed at all. I stopped shipping with UPS because they will not pick up out here (and be courteous at the same time) so I had to travel at least an hour each way to drop packages off. It got to be an expensive proposition that my customers didn't want to pay for and it has had a negative impact on my business. The experience has opened my eyes to the monopoly UPS has in parcel delivery. I shop online a lot and now refuse to buy from anyone who exclusively ships UPS. Fed Ex on the other hand, has been outstanding in every way. Our Fed Ex driver is the cream of the crop. Before she ever had my cell phone number she came out to my house with a smile- several times. After expecting so little with one company, Fed Ex is like a touch of civilization in the boonies. To be fair every area has its outstanding couriers- here IMO, it is Fed Ex. They even guarantee early morning service.
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The actual way is slightly different from one region to another - you can assign a different delivery point, drop-off at the neighbor if you aren't home, or leave on the porch/ mailbox. Sometimes they do this even if you don't want. Generally you can set up the rules for your address & generally that will be followed. If they can't get there or can't find anyone home to sign, you may have to go pick up at their nearest dropoff point.
But in general UPS is very good at rural deliveries, and will make it work for you. Other carriers have a much shabbier reputation for anything but delivering to a city block. Specifically Speedy is horrid won't even _try_ to leave a town, and Fex-Ex leaves a lot to be desired, in my Minnesota region. Things could be different in your particular region. --->Paul |
OK, thanks guys, sounds like I may be able to get delivery from UPS...amazing that they travel so far.
the mailboxes are just whatever anyone puts out at the road, private type, NOT from the post office...come to think of it, I don't even know which little town the mail comes from! Delivery at work? Home will be the work! I guess I will have to register our cell phone # for them to call - the last 2 miles of the road are not maintained by anyone but us, and will be treacherous after every storm. Which I actually like! Don't feel like company? Don't maintain the road, hahaha. Have packages left with neighbor? What's THAT? HAHA closest one will be miles away. We will be at the end of the road, literally. A great BIG empty. We got 40 acres of the empty! no power, no water till we get the well in, no nothing! And we are 57! Must be crazy...can't wait to get there! Since we have horses, and it is 10 miles in on the private dirt road, we are going to call it "10 Mile Ranch". ooohhh I'm so HAPPY :) :) :) |
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No drop by relatives for you!!!!! :p |
I am leery of UPS deliveries. I had mortgage refinance paperwork that had to be signed the next day sent to me by UPS rather than USPS -- the UPS guy left the package with my neighbor's children. I got it okay, but I thought that was a lot of responsibility to ask of a nine year old ... (his mom doesn't speak English, the kid said the driver gave the package to him and didn't talk to his mom).
My other neighbors are adults and were home all day, so the package could have been left with them. The FIRST time I had UPS sent to me, tho, they couldn't find my house and I had to drive 70 miles to their distribution center to get it. Leva |
Some people set up a lock box of sorts that is inside their property that is specifically labeled/set for UPS and FedX deliveries, so the delivery person can place the package in the box in case you are not home or so they don't have to deal with the dogs protecting the place, LOL, this insures delivery and the local UPS and FedX guys really like this set up.
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I have a long narrow steep private access road shared with up to two other households depending if Chuck the drunk is living in his trailer or if anybody is living in trailer just below Chuck. UPS used to force me to go to UPS center 40 miles one way to get all packages. Then they got to putting them in bag and hanging them on tree behind mailbox. Then they got to putting them in bag and walking them up driveway out of sight of county road (I preferred that method although I had driveway to myself at that time). Now ups guy insists on leaving them with Leroy, my neighbor down by mailbox. Its funny, when I check tracking number, they will say delivered to front door. They mean Leroys front door. Only hassle with Leroy is he's an old gossip, loves to talk and tell wild stories, so its sort of a couple hour process to get package and and then get away again.
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Do make sure that the local EMS knows where you are and any pertinent medical information is on file with them, also reponse time to your place, hope you never need it, but best to be prepared, especially that far out.
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UPS is a great company, Standard shipping I get my Packages in less than one week. They only had troubles a few times finding the home.
FedEX, much is Desired, anyone remember when FedEx delivered on Sundays? that didn't last. Airborne Express, much, much, much is desired, avoid using the service. |
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I plan to wear a fanny pack at all times when out of the "house" with emergency cell phone, some first aid supplies (emergency blood stopping etc) and a loaded firearm...since I will be "alone" (big dogs etc) during the week for some time... aaahhh ya can't live life afraid of everything that "may" happen, just be prepared to handle the worst on your own if you can... :) |
I guess it all depends on perspective. :) Really doesn't seem all that far out, & lots of my neighbors have driveways over a mile long. (Everyone in the township is a neighbor, aren't they?) I've heard of all the problems & solutions with rural deliveries. The lock box deal is good if your UPS goes along with it.
Another thing is that your regional UPS is just fine & normal with delivering to your front door, but the 'from' regional office can't locate your address in the computer because it's not in a town, so I've heard of some problems with that (won't use Speedy agian - that is their issue). But in general, it works well. It's going to up to your regional office, if they are familiar with a rural area or not. --->Paul |
UPS will deliver to us but FedEx won't.We can't get Propane Delivered here.Had to get a Dozer to get a Well Driller back here.Thought we could get a House Trailer in here,but no way.
Thats bad thing about here it took an Hour and a Half to get me to an Ambulance one time.Had a Fire Truck turn over,after another one got stuck. :eek: big rockpile |
I am glad that you all have had good experiences with UPS but I haven't. Everytime I see their commercials-- I just want to gag! I live 1/2 mile and two turns off of the main highway and they rarely can find me. Been here 5 years and had shipments from various places at least once a week and sometimes twice--- they still can't seem to find me. I will have a delivery one morning and get a postcard in the mail from them the next day saying they are unable to locate me. I have spoken to every level of management possible and had my directions put into more computer systems that I am really comfortable with-- and they still can't find me...... I just had a delivery about 10 minutes ago and the guy complained that he had been looking for me all day---- in a town of less than 250 people-- everybody knows where we live!!! Heck-- I have gone on line and found a map to my house!!
Fed Ex is a joke. It takes 4 days for them to get a package 12 miles...... Tana Mc |
Tana out there in Kansas alll they should have to do is stand up to find you :haha:
big rockpile |
:eek: WOW compared to you i'm a city boy. All the best. What spirit. God bless.
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Well, I think DW and I probably had one (actually some) of the most interesting experiences. Not too long after moving to our place we placed an order for something and it was supposed to be delivered by UPS. We were wondering what happened to the order after a couple weeks but we were all busy in our new place so we didn't follow up right away. About a week later we got a little postcard telling us our address didn't exist.
If you haven't guessed already, the address they mailed the postcard to was the same address they said didn't exist. I ended up going to their distribution center to pick up the package. We still have problems with deliveries, not just UPS. We aren't that far out, we are surrounded by the Cleveland Metroparks. You get to our house over a one lane covered bridge and our nearest neighbors are 3/4 of a mile. You just get used to it (Sort of). The price a person pays for being unique. Mike |
"Wow. This guy remembers the deliveries & converstions from 18 months ago. And how many packages & computers has he delivered to people in all that time? And he can remember???? And be exactly right?"
Yeah, United Parcel Service is a great company, tho the higher gas prices is making shipping and handleing charges a B.I.T.C.H |
I live so far out the sheriff dept. won't drive a unit back my drive. I gotta meet them at the twp. road. U.P.S. did try once and I had to pull them out. Now they call me and let the packages at the post office. I also use my work address for them to deliver to. :cool:
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Ask your neighbors (the ones with boxes by yours) what they do for UPS-type delivery. You are not suspose to just put something in another mailbox without a canceled stamp on it. You are allowed to put something on the outside of the box, such as between the box and the flag or in a bag hanging from the flag.
I have been in the local post office when UPS had dropped off packages for them to delivery. Clerk said they had an agreement with the post office they just pay the local package rate (perhaps with a discount). Apparently, at least locally, UPS has a computer system which locates every delivery in the truck and determines which ones should be left at the post office. Say that day they have two others out your way, so they will delivery. If you are the only one that day, they may leave it at the post office. Ken S. in WC TN |
I get a phone call that asks in a really hopeful voice if I might be coming into town that day. I usually tell him to throw it at Dick our neighbor who lives 1 1/2 miles and is in town every day. He gives it to us one his way home. If he can't get either one of us he will deliver. UPS & FedEx put packages in the garage. I'm 12 miles from town. Sometimes I tell them to leave it at one of the stores in town. Local stores are used to it and are very good about it. Now really large things that come freight are another story. They ALWAYS want to leave them in town somewhere. Learned not to do that. If something comes damaged you have a big problem as the package was accepted by someone who you authorized to do so. They whine they have a semi and may not be able to turn around etc. Well, the fully loaded cattle trucks can get in and out with no problem so I think you can too - deliver it. I got lied to by a freight driver about leaving a package and it took months to straighten it out. If delivery to your house is not an option, get the company to tell you when they are coming and meet them in town. Some companies are real good about telling you in advance when they are going to deliver.
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I have had a couple of heavy freight packages (on pallets) delivered to the local farmers' co-op. I do enough business there they will use one of their fork lifts to take it off the truck and put it on the back on mine at no change. By prearrangement, of course.
Most freight drivers will likely tell you unloading isn't their responsiblity. They just deliver to the site. Ken S. in WC TN |
Wow...
ups has a hard time getting to me and I'm nowhere near as far out as you all are.Though I would be if at all possible! A 10m driveway sounds like heaven to me. Ups has actually done better recnetly but I still get better service from Fedex. During the snowstorm last year fedex delivered to the door while ups said it couldn't get here. Go figure. If I have a choice I use fedex.
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"You are allowed to put something on the outside of the box, such as between the box and the flag or in a bag hanging from the flag."
No, you're not--no one except a letter carrier (or someone you have personally authorized to pick up your mail like you're neighbor while you're away) is supposed to touch your box. No postage, can't go in the box, or on the box, or hang from the flag or the door. The Avon and Tupperware types get dinged on all the time for it. Someone hangs something on the box, you may as well assume they're stealing your mail too--and they've given you cause to think that, leaving clues. Don't you think your local water/electric/gas utility would just love to do the same thing? They would if they could. |
This is from the Domestic Mail Manual, just so people know and don't get in trouble.
1.3Use for Mail Except under 2.11, the receptacles described in 1.1 may be used only for matter bearing postage. Other than as permitted by 2.10 or 2.11, no part of a mail receptacle may be used to deliver any matter not bearing postage, including items or matter placed upon, supported by, attached to, hung from, or inserted into a mail receptacle. Any mailable matter not bearing postage and found as described above is subject to the same postage as would be paid if it were carried by mail. Here's the page, if people want to look it up (the exceptions refer pretty much to newspaper boxes). Sometimes if it is just a few, they'll let you off with a warning. But if every carrier in an office brings them back, they'll be sending you a bill. http://pe.usps.gov/text/dmm/d041.htm#Rbi31049 |
We live quite a ways out on dirt roads, but most of the time the road is decent.
Our UPS driver generally brings the package in and lays it on the dining room table if we aren't home. |
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