Addresses and Deliveries

Okay I've got to voice it now. I've had it up to my eyeballs with Kootenai County's address issues and residence as well. They keep changing addresses and names of streets. I feel sorry for anyone needing an ambulance in certain areas of Coeur d'Alene. I know it's a pain for the residence as well. But I've got to tell you many of you are not making the situation any easier.

It's amazing to me how many people order things online with their new address. Then when their package arrives and the driver can't find them I have to look them up and give them a call. I've gotten responses like, "We are in the same house we have always been in." or "The old numbers are such and such on the home. They changed the numbers on our street, but we haven't moved." I feel like saying "Yea, so, what does that mean the next new driver is suppose to be psychic and just know where the last driver, he is filling in for vacation, delivered the last package to you?" Or one night I asked if the numbers were visible on the home, the response was "Yea, but a bush is probably covering them a bit." So I gave the driver a description and guess what it came back again the next night. I didn't bother calling the guy again. He knew we had a package and that we needed to see the numbers on his home. If he couldn't go out and remove enough of the bush so the numbers could be seen then he could come to us to pick it up.

Or I love this one "Well my numbers are on my mailbox, I don't know what your guys problem is." I feel like saying, "Oh yea I forgot we aren't the POST OFFICE! We need to deliver to the right home, and since your mailbox is across the street with a few others we are suppose to get out and knock on every door to find you???? Yea right!!!!!!" you aren't the only stop of the day. Some drivers may only have 150 stops while others may have 600-700 stops in a day between their pickup and deliveries. If you want good service then please make their lives a little easier.

Then my favorites are the people who live at the top of a mountain. In bad weather when the little dirt road they live on is muddy and icy they get mad because our driver won't go up their little dirt road. Well put yourself in his shoes. When you are a driver in this big huge truck and all you see is a little dirt path that has ice and potholes trust me you don't go down it because if you can't see a place to turn around you don't even want to take a chance at getting stuck.

I just want to scream some nights when I get chewed a new one by someone who orders a next day air item that they just had to have that day, but they weren't home to sign for it or they don't have the numbers marking their home. Gee what did you think would happen?

So if you are expecting a package here are a few things that can be done to make all of our lives easier.

1. Clearly, in plain view FORM THE ROAD, mark your home with the correct numbers. If they can't see it from the road they may not deliver your package. Mailboxes are not sufficient, especially if they don't clearly show which home to go to.
2. If you live at the back of a home or down the alley make sure there is a sign out at the street that clearly points to where you are.
3. Request that the shipper place your phone number on the outside of the package in case anything does go wrong we can reach you. If it isn't then we are opening your package to find the number on the invoice inside. Some of you don't even want to know the things I have seen.
4. Oh yea and no PO BOXs. We must deliver to the home. We can not deliver to PO Boxes. Again we are not the post office.
5. If you are not going to be home to sign for a signature required package then have it sent to your place of work, or grandma's house. If your shipper will not allow that then call the 800 number to have it rerouted after the first delivery attempt. If you live in an apartment we wont just release your package you must be there to sign for it, so the same applies for you.
6. If you want to pick up a package PLEASE CALL the 800 number so we can have it pulled and ready for you. DON'T just SHOW UP!!!! Talk about driving me crazy. If you call ahead then I can send a message to the driver to bring it to me when he comes in so I don't have to go digging through their truck, especially in the heat or the extreme cold. I know the 800 number isn't that fun to deal with, but trust me your experience will be much better if you take the time to do that and then let me call you when the package arrives on my counter.
7. If you are having it delivered to your place of work then make sure the shipper includes the business name and the suite number (if applies)on the label or you still won't get your package the first day.
8. Talk to your neighbors about getting the correct address on their homes as well. There is nothing as frustrating to a driver to go down the street and see 2805, 7508, 2806, 7509, 7610........ So what is he really on the 2000 block or the 7000 block???!!!!!!
9. If you live on a dirt road and a place that is hard to find even if you think your driver knows where you are, don't assume you will always have that driver. Our drivers do take vacations, they need it. So make sure we have in our system directions on how to get to your home so the second attempt will be successful.
10. If you are shipping: include names, address (which are common) phone number of receiver (this is important if something goes wrong so we can still get them their package), and properly package it with at least 2" of cushioning around the item if you want it to get there with out breaking. That one also amazes me when I get something like a light fixture or a mirror and they put packaging around the item, but placed the item directly on the bottom of the box, with no packaging on the bottom. Yea that'll work. When the box gets set on a cement floor you'll find out how not protected it is, especially it it's heavy.

Also think about this if the UPS Driver has trouble finding you what do you think will happen if you need an ambulance. They don't drive the streets daily like we do. You get mad about not getting your package, but it should make you think, what if your child was chocking. If we can't find you what make you think the ambulance can?

Now I know we aren't perfect there are drivers who will bring packages back and discuss them with other driver who have had their route in the past and then realized they did see your home and didn't realize it, so we get it back out to you. Other times yes things do get loaded onto the wrong truck, our sorters are human. Again your home may be marked but if your neighbors have our driver confused with their numbers then he may have given up before he got to you. These things happen, but you can help us to get your package to you safely and quickly if you take the time to follow these steps.
Thanks for your help and consideration from your local delivery person.