Springy6

Sent all our police checks, certified certificates etc to our attorney 10 days ago using Royal Mail International Tracked and Signed for.

The tracking status states that it arrived in Los Angeles last Wednesday ready for delivery but hasn't yet been delivered. Anyone any ideas on how I can find out what is happening now - the Royal Mail are being there usual helpful selves!

Really want to find the documents - the delay in getting more certificates and police checks and the expense of a new set for a family of 4 will be a real pain.

md95065

Next time use FedEx ...

USPS isn't at all good at providing any kind of intermediate tracking results

Pulaski

Based on previous posters' experience, the Royal Mail tracking service pretty much stops when the mail arrives in the US, the tracking service is not "plugged in" to the USPS tracking service.

As advised above, next time use FedEx, or UPS, because they provide end to end service.

Sally Redux

USPS gripe of the day.

Last time I moved, filled out the form for forwarding mail at the post office, they didn't start the process on that date. "You should have done it online."

Did it online this time, they didn't start the process on that date, "You should have filled out the form at the post office".

Oh and 'effective date' doesn't mean that's when they start.

Springy6

Thanks for all the replies - clearly USPS is as reliable as the Royal Mail. They've got until end of play Monday and then I'll start the whole process of ordering certificates and police checks again - the time delay caused is a real pain in the ...

Will look into Fedex/UPS for round 2.

lansbury

Last time I did it in reverse US to UK I was able to put the US tracking number into the Royal Mail web site. Have you tried the UK tracking on the USPS site, might work, might not.

Springy6

Thanks for that. Have re-googled and finally found a USPS site that accepted our tracking number. Says it's out for delivery - fingers crossed.

scrubbedexpat091

While the USPS is better then other countries (compared to Canada USPS is cheap, speedy and efficient.) but if you have something that must be there and accurate tracking, you gotta fork out the extra money for Fedex or UPS despite their cost, but there is a reason for the cost.

That said, I've never had an issue with the USPS other then slow tracking, but Canada Post and USPS is pretty in sync with one another, so the tracking is accurate, and speed is good. In fact mailing something to the US is faster then mailing something within Canada, go figure.

Michael

The only problem I've had with USPS is that I live in a mid rise condo and they won't walk the hallways when a signature is required but will leave a note in the mailbox that the package is ready for pickup at the post office.

When USPS is used by ecommerce web sites that I order from, tracking information is updated quickly and the package is it moved at a quick or quicker speed then the other carriers for normal shipping. If the other carriers uses USPS for final delivery (FedEx Smart Post and UPS Mail Innovations), the package can move slowly but if the package is turned over to USPS before 5 am, it'll be delivered that day.

I suspect for overseas packages, the carrier may indicate that the package was sent to USPS but that may just mean that the carrier initiated the process by filling out a form for the transfer of the package. The same thing occurs for ecommerce web sites where you are notified that the package is shipped for any of the carriers but it may not be until a day or more later that a date/time track is indicated that the carrier received the package.

scrubbedexpat091

Canada Post has been doing the not delivering thing to condos and apartments for a few years now, if it can't fit in the mailbox, needs a signature etc, then gotta go pick it up at the post office, they don't even attempt to deliver it, goes right to the post office.

I was impressed with the package I sent to the IRS, sent Wed from a drop off box, delivered Saturday.

But it only spent 1 day in Canada, once something gets into the US it moves quickly.

Fedex and UPS are hit and miss domestically in Canada, more reliable then Canada Post, about on par with USPS, and way behind their US service, but the US has a way more efficient network of transportation so no surprise the service is slower here.

g1ant

USPS isn't good at anything.

yellowroom

I suspect it is highly variable and depends on your local post office/sorting office, and who is dealing with it within that office. I filled my moving form out at the post office as it was to an international address. I never received a written confirmation that they had received it, but I happened to see my postie before I left and he wished me good luck in my move and confirmed the date with me. I was pleasantly surprised to receive some US mail redirected to the UK last week, so it does appear to be working.

scrubbedexpat091

Move somewhere with a bad postal system and you will change your tune...lol

I'd take the USPS over Canada Post any day, USPS is leaps ahead of what we have in terms of speed, cost, and overall service.

g1ant

I already did. I moved to central Texas.

Michael

USPS Tracking Information:

• December 27, 2014, 12:57 pm, San Jose CA US Delivered
• December 27, 2014, 7:27 am, San Jose CA US Out for delivery
• December 27, 2014, 6:28 am, San Jose CA US Package arrived at a carrier facility
• December 27, 2014, 3:50 am, Newark CA US Package has left the carrier facility
• December 23, 2014, 8:11 pm, Phoenix AZ US Package has left the carrier facility
• December 23, 2014, 1:42 pm, Phoenix AZ US Package arrived at a carrier facility
• December 23, 2014, 8:11 pm, Phoenix AZ US Package has left seller facility and is in transit to carrier

USPS got the package on the truck 5 hours after it left the seller facility and when it arrived in Newark CA at 3:50 am, it was sorted and delivered to the San Jose post office by 6:28 am, was on the truck for delivery by 7:27 am, and delivered at 12:57 pm.

UPS Sure Post Tracking Information:

• December 30, 2014, 4:43 am, San Jose CA US Package arrived at a carrier facility
• December 26, 2014, 5:01 am, Hodgkins IL US Package received by carrier
• December 23, 2014, 11:08 pm, US Package has left seller facility and is in transit to carrier

UPS Sure Post didn't get the package on a truck to San Jose for 3 days after it left the seller facility and after it was received in San Jose yesterday morning at 4:43 am, it still hasn't been turned over to USPS for delivery. Since the guaranteed delivery date is next Monday, the package often sits in the UPS sorting facility until the morning before that date and then is turned over to USPS for delivery.

Both packages are a polo shirt with free shipping.

Who is it that you said wasn't any good for anything?