How can USPS tracking be trusted?

[packratville]

I ordered an item (not from eBay) that was scheduled for delivery tomorrow but it arrived today - yes, happy about the early delivery. However, the postal carrier didn't scan it when it was delivered around 1:15 pm. It was placed just outside my door on the porch. I saw the mail truck parked outside on the street and retrieved my package as soon as it drove away.

So, at 5:14 pm today my phone beeps and I have a text message saying that particular package was delivered in/at my mailbox at 5:13 pm.

My regular mail carrier is awesome, but I've had other problems when substitutes are used, for example when they failed to deliver a package when scheduled they fudged by stating it was delivered to an agent (then delivered the next day).

Yesterday the carrier scanned one small outgoing media mail package but failed to scan the large outgoing priority mail package, which had me very nervous until it finally showed up scanned in the mail stream hours later.

My point is, if a postal carrier can scan a package as delivered at a time and place it wasn't, how can scans be trusted? It could have just as easily not been delivered at all but still scanned late (probably when the mail carrier returned to the post office) showing it was. If it was an eBay transaction, I'd have a buyer saying they didn't receive the package and I'd be saying it was scanned as delivered. And each of us would be thinking the other is a scammer.

Actually, I've had the same type of thing happen with FedEx, so it's not just limited to USPS.

[packratville]

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@johnrj1226 wrote:

@packratville 

Even with the most  basic tasks people will make mistakes,  some times boredom sets in.

Recall my summer  jobs working at the Ford Dearborn Assembly plant building  '64  to '67 Mustangs at the rate of 68 per hour or about 1  every 58 seconds  working 11.5 hours/day 5  days a week and 10.5 on Saturday.  Very redundant & boring work - similar to  delivering & picking up mail every day - rain or shine.  Will guarantee you I made some mistakes  plus I never received all 100% on my exam or term papers all the way thru High School & 4.5  years in College.  The paychecks were nice at $2.54 to $2.67/hour and paid for all of my college expenses (tuition,  R & B, books and minimal spending money - like $5 a week.

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@johnrj1226 

So, you might have assembled my old '67 Mustang (purchased in 1970, I think, and regrettably sold in 1973)? Your paychecks were comparable to mine too... I just shredded some old pay stubs from that era I found stashed in a box.

Like I said, I've made and make my share of mistakes, but whether it's USPS, Fedex, or any other carrier, it scary when scans can be manipulated. Scan information being uploaded late is not the problem. It's having the scan say a package was picked up at 5 PM for example, instead of an actual pick-up time of 1 PM, plus at a different location (mail box as opposed to porch). That also makes a difference if I happen to review security camera footage based on scan times.

Also, since the Priority box wasn't scanned on pickup, if it was stolen by the carrier or off the truck by someone, or if the carrier had an accident and the package was destroyed or stolen, I'd have no proof whatsoever for an insurance claim.

But I'm not bashing USPS... I think overall the carriers do a phenomenal job, and I've been blessed to have some awesome carriers, both at home and where I worked handling the mail there.