Packages/mail are sorted, usually by a sorting machine that reads the address, rarely by hand. These are put in a container of items going to the same final distribution center, with a Routing Label placed on the container that Mail Handlers are expected to read so they can place the container in the correct Staging Lane.
The Routing Label lists all the Distribution Centers that the container will route through. Staging Lanes are for specific distribution centers, such as the Indianapolis STC, Southern Area (TX) STC, etc, where the container will be sent for forwarding to another national, regional, or local distribution center (for delivery to local post offices).
Occasionally a container will be placed in the wrong Staging Lane by a Mail Handler. Unless the loading Mail Handler or driver catches the mistake, the container then goes to the wrong distribution center. Recent software updates help to catch mistakes, as the container, when scanned, will trigger an error that the loading Mail Handler will catch when he scans the package if he’s trying to load it on the wrong truck.
Rarely, but it does happen, the Mail Handler will read the label, see the originating Distribution Center, and assume that this is the destination Distribution Center. This is likely what happened in your situation; the Mail Handler unwittingly assumed that the Container was leaving the St. Paul P&DC destined for MA, when in fact it had left MA destined for the St. Paul P&DC to then be sent to a local Post Office for delivery.
This is human error.
It likely ended up in New Hampshire because a Mail Handler at the MA Distribution Center read the Routing Label incorrectly and then put it in the wrong Staging Lane.
We have issues here with mail going to Oklahoma City. It can be routed through the Kansas City, Memphis, or Southern Area (Dallas) distribution centers. But it’s put in a Staging Lane that says “Oklahoma City.” The problem is, there is no truck going directly to Oklahoma City, so the mail is sometimes delayed because Mail Handlers are waiting for the Oklahoma City truck (doesn’t exist) to arrive for loading. I got into a debate over this with an employee who works in the traffic department at this specific Distribution Center. He assured me that there is a truck that goes direct from there to Oklahoma City. There hasn’t been since they built the new facility. In spite of my efforts, and his inability to find documentation supporting his stand, and the fact that all the Routing Labels on the respective containers route the mail through KC, Memphis, or the Southern Area STC, he’s still convinced that there is a truck going direct to Oklahoma City.
