USPS ISC NEW YORK and ISC CHICAGO delays: a complete disaster

[endovellicvs]

It seems that all packages arriving from abroad to ISC NEW YORK or ISC CHICAGO go through two quarantines. When a package arrives, it takes about 2 to 3 weeks (or more) to be processed (scanned) and after that it takes another 3 to 4 weeks to be released from the ISC and then it will go on its way without delay across the country.

I know that we are going through difficult times but this coronavirus crisis does not excuse everything. I ship from Europe to all over the world and there are obviously delays that are nothing compared to what happens at the USPS ISC (International Service Center).

For instance, a shipment from Europe to Canada takes less than 1/3 of the time, compared to the US, to be delivered.

Is this on purpose for political reasons or is it simply poor management?

I take the opportunity to leave a warning to all US buyers who buy from international sellers: please be very patient because the problem of delays is not in the reduced number of flights or Customs but mainly in the USPS ISC NY or Chicago. I think that no package will be lost but everything will be delivered with a huge delay.

[pooh333piglet]

Yes it is pretty much a giant political mess in the US. It affects EVERYTHING

[div_style]

I'm awaiting a package from Europe that arrived at ISC Chicago April 16 and has not moved as of May 16.  Other packages from Germany, mailed in March, finally arrived last week, with no tracking info until they got to Seattle.   I suspect it's going to get worse before it gets better.

[orangehound]

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@endovellicvs wrote:

Is this on purpose for political reasons or is it simply poor management?

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Neither.  It is due to staff shortages because (a) people are sick, (b) people who have been in contact with someone who is sick is on a 14-day quarantine, (c) 6-foot social distancing, and (d) prioritization of domestic Express, Priority and First-class mail.  The USPS has safety protocols to protect its workers.

[lja440]

YES IT IS POOR MANAGEMENT. But it's not USPS, it's the government. We have someone running the government that called the virus a HOAX until it got well out of hand. Hopefully in November we (The USA) can start getting back our common sense and common decency. 

I work for USPS and on top of this there has been a great increase in on-line buying. Literally I only had one day this past week that I didn't have to run a few packages out on my own time after work. I try to find ones that are very large and are not too far off my way home. This usually only happens a couple times a week at Christmas time now it's an everyday occurrence. 

Combine this with an office that has only two substitute carriers. One is off due to her being pregnant  (she was put on leave during the first cut of high risk workers), Now the sub in a neighboring office is off due to her husband testing positive. So Rachel our sub is working in their 2 routes (tiny office) into the rotation of getting us a day off here and there.

[anma_138491]

Yes, she did say it was a hoax and for everyone to come down to Chinatown in San Francisco, didn't she? Huge amounts of the virus after that in California! But the problem is that the USPS is severely shorthanded due to the virus and the mail volume is extremely high also due to the virus.

[southern*sweet*tea]

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@anma_138491 wrote:
Yes, she did say it was a hoax and for everyone to come down to Chinatown in San Francisco, didn't she? Huge amounts of the virus after that in California! But the problem is that the USPS is severely shorthanded due to the virus and the mail volume is extremely high also due to the virus.

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@lja440 wrote:

She? I was referring to tRump. More of a it or a what rather than a he or she.

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Nancy Pelosi (although she didn't come out and call it a hoax) 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/27/chinatown-san-francisco-coronavirus-fears-empty-distri...

"The concern was enough that the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, made a publicized stop this week in her home town’s Chinatown to implore people to “please come and visit and enjoy Chinatown”."

https://abc7news.com/sf-chinatown-pelosi-san-francisco-coronavirus-fears/5964696/

"SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made a point of taking a walk through San Francisco's Chinatown on Monday to show that it is safe, after some merchants have seen a 50% drop in business as some fear they could be exposed to the coronavirus."

"The Speaker says there's no reason for people to live in fear."

[dirk12955]

All the collections I'm buying from Germany are taking 30+ days to get to me.

I buy quite a bit from the Czech Republic.    Those orders are taking 60+ days.    One particular package took 78 days.

And not a single thing I can do about it but wait. 

[yuzuha]

ISC NY seems to be fine; I've had two packages come in through there in the past two weeks and both of them were in and out within a day.

Both from Japan, I should add.

[penguins_dont_fly]

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@orangehound wrote:

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@endovellicvs wrote:

Is this on purpose for political reasons or is it simply poor management?

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Neither.  It is due to staff shortages because (a) people are sick, (b) people who have been in contact with someone who is sick is on a 14-day quarantine, (c) 6-foot social distancing, and (d) prioritization of domestic Express, Priority and First-class mail.  The USPS has safety protocols to protect its workers.

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The OP also said

I know that we are going through difficult times but this coronavirus crisis does not excuse everything. I ship from Europe to all over the world and there are obviously delays that are nothing compared to what happens at the USPS ISC (International Service Center).

For instance, a shipment from Europe to Canada takes less than 1/3 of the time, compared to the US, to be delivered.

So, In addition to orangehound's response, I would like to add …All of the ISCs are in heavily populated areas (most attached to the largest International Airports) … NY and Chicago have been hit very hard by this pandemic.

There is also the fact that the sheer volume of packages coming into the US on a daily basis is a bit larger than coming in to Canada or any EU country.

Plus … there are Customs delays, too.  the US CBP is also affected by staff shortages and social distancing safety rules (and volume)

The thing to understand is that the ISC is part of the post office. Customs is totally separate. What happens is that packages from overseas come into the ISC, the ISC transfers those items that have to go through customs over to the Customs folks, who then clear it for entry into the U.S. and then transfer it back to the ISC, which then puts the package into the domestic mail system.

[herecometheplayas]

I have had two domestic packages go through the distribution center in Pontiac, MI and both stayed there for 10 days before moving on to their destinations 10-30 miles away. It's happening at a lot of places

[canyontopher]

I have a package from Canada that was marked as processed through Chicago ISC on May 14.  It's now May 22 and there have been no updates.   It's probably sitting in a row of pallets with a thousand other packages waiting on a truck to take it to Chicago  Distribution Center.  Nothing I can do but wait as patiently as possible.  Opening a case with USPS will have no effect.

[futurespast1113]

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@dirk12955 wrote:

All the collections I'm buying from Germany are taking 30+ days to get to me.

I buy quite a bit from the Czech Republic.    Those orders are taking 60+ days.    One particular package took 78 days.

And not a single thing I can do about it but wait. 

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I'm glad you posted this. This is such a huge mess!

I got a package I am waiting to be delivered here in New York coming from Hungary that was shipped out on May 7th that eBay said is supposed to arrive: Mon, May 18 - Tue, May 26. Does this mean that I should file an Item Not Received Claim if I do not get it by the 26th? How long and what date do I have to file a claim by to still keep my buyer protection? The tracking has not updated since May 8th and there has been no movement since.

[redschoolhouse]

 You have 30 days from the estimated delivery date to inform the seller that you didn't receive your item.

So check your purchase history and wait a few day since the mail is slow in the US and probably slower through customs.

If you have a tracking number, check to see if the package is moving. Unfortunately, I have a book that I mailed the beginning of April and it is still in transit---but the last scan was April 15th. I learned that it's probably in a large media mail container in Jersey City and they probably won't get to it for a while.

Hopefully your package will have better luck.

[futurespast1113]

Thanks so much for your helpful info. My package is not moving at all and is still in Hungary apparently. The USPS website doesn't recognize this tracking number. The last scan it had was on the 8th of May when I clicked on it on ebay and it said that it was being prepared to be shipped abroad. It was being shipped via small packets. I am just hoping it comes eventually.