USPS General Delivery

[hemsteadc]

39 minutes ago, vermilye said:

Might be nice if the Post Office in Quartzsite learned from them!

x2.  What a nightmare that place is.  Glad I never get paper mail.  

I doubt the OP's problem has anything to do with Dejoy.

[pjstough]

2 hours ago, vermilye said:

Might be nice if the Post Office in Quartzsite learned from them!

I cant imagine working in that post office! Although, when there are that many snowbirds coming there through the winter is going to cause problems no matter what, but the problems there in winter cold be alleviated with better management!  For the life of me I dont understand why management does not allow more clerk hours than they do. Not sure if it is the local Postmaster that is the problem or management higher up that likes to see the chaos that is the Quartzsite post office in the winter.

If you want to know what DeJoy did, imagine almost all post offices like Quartzsite in winter all year round as far as mail transportation and delivery.

[sandsys]

3 hours ago, vermilye said:

Might be nice if the Post Office in Quartzsite learned from them!

It's only a 30 minute drive from Q to Parker. Since I did my grocery shopping in Parker, anyway, I always had my mail sent there. Guess I shouldn't say always since I had it send to Blythe once but I liked grocery shopping in Parker better than in Blythe.

Linda

Edited September 12, 2020 by sandsys

[Blues]

On 9/11/2020 at 8:17 PM, Barbaraok said:

I never ask, I go to the USPS website, take the city I want to use and type in General Delivery for the street address, and ask for the zip code.  You can then look of the location for that post office zip code.  There is usually only ONE post office in each major city that accepts General Delivery, usually downtown.  

I found a post office on the USPS website that listed general delivery among its services.  I typically call to confirm, but nobody ever answered the phone.  But the website said general delivery and I checked other post offices nearby and they didn't say general delivery, so I assumed the "general delivery" was accurate and not just applied to every location.  So I had it sent to the one that listed general delivery among its services.

I showed up to pick it up and they said they don't accept general delivery.  The package went to the main post office in Denver.  Great.  But when I went there to pick it up, turns out they held it for two days before returning it to the sender.  I insisted on an explanation for holding it only two days, and nobody could explain it, and I was promised a call from a supervisor, who of course didn't call.

I tried your method for the post office that STILL says on the website it accepts general delivery but actually doesn't (using "look up a zip code") and it says "general delivery" isn't a valid address.  Then I tried it for a post office I know accepts general delivery (also in the Denver metro area), and believe it or not, it gave TWO addresses--both "general delivery" but with different zip codes.  I recognized the one I'd used before (given to me when I called), but if I didn't, which should I use?  Arrrrgggghhhh.

So I'm going back to always calling to confirm.  I've had some want me to use the street address of the post office in addition to "general delivery."  And once when I didn't call, I got chastised by a tiny post office in Kansas because I hadn't alerted them that I was having something sent via general delivery. 

I call and ask if they accept general delivery, and then ask what address I should  use.  I used to ask just for the zip code, but I'm not confident that's enough any more.

 

[Barbaraok]

I don't look for what is listed on the USPS website for services at post offices near me, I use their Zip Code Lookup page, type in General Delivery in the street address and then the city, state and then search for the zip code.    I have never had two addresses come up for the General Delivery street address, only one with a special extended zip code.  

For example, for Phoenix there is only one:

GENERAL DELIVERY

PHOENIX AZ 85034-9999

As far as I can tell, the General Delivery usually has the -9999 as the end of the zip code.   

Of course I always have it sent Priority Mail and don't go to get I until I receive the text that tells me it available for pickup.   I love that you can track the Priority Mail and be notified by text each time it moves - - you would be surprised at some of the routes packages take to get to you.😱

 

[Twotoes]

I am a full timer and use the Escapees mail forwarding service. Most cam grounds allow me to receive mail in their camp ground. The only time I tried to use a Post Office General delivery was once when I was staying long term at the Escapees Co-Op in Benson. The Benson PO told me I could only use General Delivery for one month and then had to pay for a PO Box. Fortunately the Co-Op allowed me to have a mail box in the camp ground. 
Also, I have found out that the Escapees mail forwarding center in Livingston has a special rate for FedEx that is only about $1 more than Priority Mail and most FedEx drivers will deliver right to your camp site so you don’t even have to go to the office to pick up your mail. You also get a tracking number for FedEx. 

[Blues]

17 hours ago, Barbaraok said:

I have never had two addresses come up for the General Delivery street address, only one with a special extended zip code. 

Here's what shows up when I type "general delivery" as the street address for Westminster, Colorado.  For the record, the second one matches what I was told to use when I'd called just asking for the address (i.e., not what I would have guessed).

 

Quote

 

• GENERAL DELIVERY

  WESTMINSTER CO 80031-9999

•  

  GENERAL DELIVERY

  WESTMINSTER CO 80036-9999

 

 

 

 

Edited September 14, 2020 by Blues

[Barbaraok]

Interesting.  

[Greg112]

We've had our experiences too. After Surprise AZ losing our mail for awhile (and me seeing that they handle a LOT of forwarded mail in the winter) I learned to go with the smaller post offices. I think we used El Mirage. Following that principle we used Vail in Tucson but last year we wheeled in there to be told they kept a package we'd had sent as a favor since it was Christmas but we should have done a form. So things change. Best to verify IF you can get a post office on the phone and then give you a correct answer. Its part of the adventure thats for sure - shouldn't be that way but it is. 

[Kirk W]

48 minutes ago, Greg112 said:

I learned to go with the smaller post offices.

It has been a while since we had occasion to use general delivery, but I remember that in many larger communities, only the main post office would accept it. One of my first experiences with it was in San Bernardino, CA, where we had to use the main post office and I found myself in line mostly with homeless people. 

[hemsteadc]

On 9/12/2020 at 5:28 PM, sandsys said:

 Since I did my grocery shopping in Parker, anyway, I always had my mail sent there.

I used Ehrenberg.  These days I don't see why anybody gets paper mail, with the possible exception of medical bills which are stuck in the 19th century.

Edited September 15, 2020 by hemsteadc

[Barbaraok]

41 minutes ago, hemsteadc said:

I used Ehrenberg.  These days I don't see why anybody gets paper mail, with the possible exception of medical bills which are stuck in the 19th century.

Our medications come by mail.  But if the mail service gets worse, we will have to move everything to Walgreens, slightly more expensive, but better than trying to figure out the delay in getting needed maintenance meds.

Our registration stickers for our vehicles.

Driver's licenses

Replacement credit cards.

Social Security Statement - is in the law that they must send out paper statement each year.  

Renewal Passports

Christmas Cards

[hemsteadc]

Medications.. yeah, I can see that, if you are not near any drugstore.  Registrations.. what, once a year? My DL is good for 8 years. replacement credit cards?  Can't even remember the last time that happened.  SS statement.. that's online.  Passports.. very infrequent. Christmas cards? Ok.

  I guess I was more referring to things people need the post office for on a regular basis.

[Dutch_12078]

19 minutes ago, hemsteadc said:

Medications.. yeah, I can see that, if you are not near any drugstore.  Registrations.. what, once a year? My DL is good for 8 years. replacement credit cards?  Can't even remember the last time that happened.  SS statement.. that's online.  Passports.. very infrequent. Christmas cards? Ok.

  I guess I was more referring to things people need the post office for on a regular basis.

Your credit cards never expire?

[Barbaraok]

20 minutes ago, hemsteadc said:

Medications.. yeah, I can see that, if you are not near any drugstore.  Registrations.. what, once a year? My DL is good for 8 years. replacement credit cards?  Can't even remember the last time that happened.  SS statement.. that's online.  Passports.. very infrequent. Christmas cards? Ok.

  I guess I was more referring to things people need the post office for on a regular basis.

Actually there is a once a year statement that includes your 1099 that SS has to send by mail.  There is a plan to move it to on-line but it takes time.

I don't know about you, but every once in a while we have cards that are compromised, never mind those that expire.  So about once a year, between the two of us, we have at least one card that is replaced..

The medications isn't just if we are traveling - with our Part D insurance (thank you UT System) our medications are cheaper through Express Scripts than at Walgreens.  And they are shipped free to us, but only if we don't request 'enhanced' shipments.  Thus it is taking longer and longer to get refills, but insurance will only refill so many days before we are scheduled to run out.   

Most of our friends who use the VA have all their meds shipped to them via USPS.

A lot of items that I order online are shipped via USPS and FedEx, UPS, DHL, etc., use USPS for the "last mile" for an awful lot of smaller items.  

I am making masks for my daughter (who teaches special ed classes) her aide and other teachers at her school.  So every 3 weeks or so, I ship another batch off (with new seasonal theme) via flat rate Priority Mail.  

DL only good for 6 years in Texas.  

 

[hemsteadc]

Hmm..I was pretty sure my SS 1099 was online.  Yes, my cards do expire.  Again, I was thinking more of things that are frequent as the OP seems to indicate.

Edited September 15, 2020 by hemsteadc

[Barbaraok]

Well our 1099s from SS weren't.  And we have everything marked ONLINE for Social Security.  

Again, if one buys a lot of things, especially smaller items, then a LOT of them will be shipped via USPS.    Everyone has different things sent to them.   

[Kirk W]

3 minutes ago, Barbaraok said:

Well our 1099s from SS weren't.  And we have everything marked ONLINE for Social Security.  

The same for us. We also order a lot from Amazon and most of the small items come via USPS. 

[hemsteadc]

8 minutes ago, Barbaraok said:

Well our 1099s from SS weren't.  And we have everything marked ONLINE for Social Security   

Yeah, just checked, my 1099 is there.  Not sure why yours wouldn't be. Looks like my medicare deduction went up.

Yes, amazon has been using the post office more. Around here the big stuff  goes there, the little stuff comes to my house via UPS.  Go figure.

Edited September 15, 2020 by hemsteadc

[bigjim]

I don't order on line much but even some things I have ordered from Walmart have come by US mail.

[Kirk W]

1 hour ago, hemsteadc said:

Yeah, just checked, my 1099 is there.  Not sure why yours wouldn't be. Looks like my medicare deduction went up.

I just went on my SS account and found my earnings records and also my record or SS paid to me, but no sign of the 1099. I am wondering if you know of somewhere to look that I do not??  Tell me more about where and how you found yours as I am set for electronic communications but I know that my 1099 was sent by USPS last year since I still have the origional.

[Blues]

5 hours ago, Kirk W said:

It has been a while since we had occasion to use general delivery, but I remember that in many larger communities, only the main post office would accept it. One of my first experiences with it was in San Bernardino, CA, where we had to use the main post office and I found myself in line mostly with homeless people. 

I think Greg meant finding a smaller town near a big city, not a physically smaller post office in the city.  Like the example he gave--using Vail instead of Tucson.  Vail is its own town on the far southeastern edge of Tucson.  I checked online using Barbara's address lookup method and it gives a general delivery address for Vail, so you'd think all you'd have to do is have the mail sent there.  But as Greg found out, they require you to fill out a form in advance (which happened to me once). 

That illustrates the need to call to confirm.  I ask, "Do you accept general delivery mail?"  If they say yes, then I ask, "What address should I use?"  I used to just ask what zip code, but have changed to asking for the full address, even though it's probably just "general delivery."  I figure this shows that at least the office is aware of general delivery and most likely will accept it and will tell me at that point if I need to set it up in advance.

It can be a real trial getting someone to answer the phone, but I'm not going to do it again without a person at that post office telling me it's okay.

I think requiring a form for general delivery is an anomaly, but these days, when it's gotten so much harder to just flit about without plans, I want as much assurance as I can get that my mail isn't going to throw a big wrench into things.

[hemsteadc]

20 minutes ago, Kirk W said:

I just went on my SS account and found my earnings records and also my record or SS paid to me, but no sign of the 1099

Earnings record, replacement document, Scroll down to Tax form

[Kirk W]

18 minutes ago, Blues said:

I think Greg meant finding a smaller town near a big city, not a physically smaller post office in the city. 

I agree and the post was an example of one reason for that. 

[Kirk W]

3 minutes ago, hemsteadc said:

Earnings record, replacement document, Scroll down to Tax form

Never thought of it as a replacement document, but it is there. Yet I know that my original was paper.