How are these two items tracking almost identically through USPS?
Summary: authentic*vintage shared a concern about two USPS packages, one light and one heavy, that are tracking identically through distribution centers in Ohio. bashort suggested that enroute scans might be based on expected transport rather than actual physical presence, which authentic*vintage found alarming. tobaccocardyahoo explained this tracking method reduces the risk of lost or damaged items, while authentic*vintage mentioned filing a missing package report. fullers_uk humorously compared the situation to a mystery for fictional detectives. Another participant recounted a past experience where automated tracking scans continued even when a package was physically unattended and lost at the curb.
I figured out the answer to this already - this must be batch uploaded data which gives the same time stamps but this had me baffled on aa Saturday night
I have two items shipped the same day, both going to different towns in Ohio.
One weighs about 5 ounces, the other weighs 11 POUNDS
Here is full tracking for the first package so far:
Arrived at USPS Facility
COLUMBUS OH DISTRIBUTION CENTER
October 1, 2026 9:30 AM
Departed USPS Facility
CINCINNATI OH DISTRIBUTION CENTER
October 1, 2026 7:23 AM
Arrived at USPS Facility
CINCINNATI OH DISTRIBUTION CENTER
September 30, 2026 4:00 PM
Arrived at USPS Facility
COLUMBUS OH DISTRIBUTION CENTER
September 30, 2026 11:21 AM
Departed USPS Facility
GREENSBORO NC DISTRIBUTION CENTER
September 30, 2026 11:05 AM
In Transit to Next Facility
September 30, 2026 9:06 AM
In Transit to Next Facility
September 30, 2026 6:14 AM
Arrived at USPS Facility
GREENSBORO NC DISTRIBUTION CENTER
September 29, 2026 12:32 AM
Departed Post Office
LEXINGTON, NC 27295
September 28, 2026 5:26 PM
USPS picked up item
LEXINGTON, NC 27295
September 28, 2026 2:41 PM
Shipping Label Created
LEXINGTON, NC 27295
September 27, 2026 4:05 PM
Now here is full tracking for the second package - pay extra close attention to the TIME STAMPS on these abd tell me how this is possible for these 2 packages to be time stamped identically through the loops they are taking in Ohio
Arrived at USPS Facility
COLUMBUS OH DISTRIBUTION CENTER
October 1, 2026 9:30 AM
Departed USPS Facility
CINCINNATI OH DISTRIBUTION CENTER
October 1, 2026 7:23 AM
Arrived at USPS Facility
CINCINNATI OH DISTRIBUTION CENTER
September 30, 2026 4:00 PM
Arrived at USPS Facility
COLUMBUS OH DISTRIBUTION CENTER
September 30, 2026 11:21 AM
Departed USPS Facility
GREENSBORO NC DISTRIBUTION CENTER
September 30, 2026 11:05 AM
In Transit to Next Facility
September 30, 2026 9:06 AM
In Transit to Next Facility
September 30, 2026 6:14 AM
Arrived at USPS Facility
GREENSBORO NC DISTRIBUTION CENTER
September 29, 2026 1:21 AM
Departed Post Office
LEXINGTON, NC 27295
September 28, 2026 5:26 PM
USPS picked up item
LEXINGTON, NC 27295
September 28, 2026 2:40 PM
Shipping Label Created
LEXINGTON, NC 27295
September 27, 2026 3:22 PM
bashort
·2 days agoThe way that the USPS now operates makes acceptance scans very important.
It used to be that a missed acceptance scan item would get scanned at the next stop.
I recently handed a rather long item off to the actual postmaster at our small po headed for Hawaii.
Never got a receipt because I trusted him
It never got a scan until it was out for delivery 20 days later and the buyer got the $200 item free.
I asked the postmaster a couple days after the drop off what the deal was and he said he remembered that package, it was to long to get on the counter scale to scan so he did not scan it, don't worry he said, it will get a scan shortly
onlinecentral
·3 days agoI walked to the blue collection box 5 years ago to deposit packages. A package from the previous day was laying next to the curb. It was somewhat soaking wet. I walked home, taped a reprinted label on a new box and put the dry merchandise inside. Then walked back to the blue collection box to deposit it.
Later, I looked at at the tracking. The letter carrier had scanned the label and then dropped the package. The scans after that were automated showing the package traveling through distribution centers. These scans were ficticious since the package was laying in the street for a day in reality.
bashort
·3 days agoI think that a lot of USPS enroute scans are based on the item is supposed to be on that truck or in that container
authentic*vintage
OP3 days agoThat's frightening
tobaccocardyahoo
·3 days agoIt is actually less likely to get lost or damaged if it is not unpacked and repacked for scans.
USPS has been using this method of tracking for years.
authentic*vintage
OP2 days agoWell, I filed my missing package search this morning on both. Hope they pop back onto the radar soon.
fullers_uk
·2 days agoMail items are scanned into a container then the item number is scanned to the container,when the container hits a hub they just scan the container and all the numbers appear but are the items in the container, that’s one for Mulder and skully.