Hazmat shipment and fedex

[8thPaladin]

Yesterday I am working in the basement on the computer, hear a large vehicle drive off, then get an email notice that fedex tried to deliver a package. I am right below the front door upstairs... I hear no doorknock, doorbell, nothing, and I can hear when someone uses the doorbell as it is loud!
Run upstairs and have a door tag on the door saying they tried to deliver my rocket motors. Call fedex and tell them there was no knock nor doorbell and could hear their delivery truck pull away. The customer service rep takes my info, my phone number, and instructions they are to call prior to delivery so that I am ready at the door.
Today, a notice pops up in my email that they attempted delivery, again no knock, no doorbell, no phonecall... Call them again today and tell them, no knock, no doorbell, nada... I was again working on the computer downstairs, waiting for them to call so that I am ready... She takes my info again, writes the center where the truck is based, and hopes that they will try a second delivery this evening... If not tomorrow, which is a problem because I have to go to work in the afternoon... Lucky for me I have been able to work from home Tuesday and Wednesday, but I have to go in tomorrow as I can't run my class tomorrow from home.
To say I am a little frustrated with fedex is an understatement...

 

[Antares JS]

I had a similar situation, except the delivery driver left the box of HP motors on the front porch, in the rain, giving us no indication that he was there. It was evening and everyone was home. The box was also opened, and some of the cardboard tubes the motors were packaged in were wet and falling open. I was livid.

 

[heada]

They fill out the door tag in the truck before they even try to bring the package out. If you're not there waiting on them then they just put the tag up and bolt.

Update the shipment to be held at FedEx for pickup. You can then go pick it up from them at a time of your choosing. For hazmat shipments it may be only allowed at the local depot but for everything else, you can have it held at a FedEx Office (aka the old Kinkos stores) location which might be closer to you.

 

[dr wogz]

Had a similar issue with the post office / post man..

ordered a plane kit (Sig Smith Miniplane) and had it delivered to work. At they time, worked with my dad in his small company; about 7 of us. I had the package delivered COD.

Package never arrived. Called, and it was shipped. On an unrelated matter, I was talking to teh money person / GM, and I noticed a mail delivery attempt card.. I ask. No name, just the address.. She has no idea, but was in our mailbox. 2+2= my likely missing package. I head to the post office, and sure enough, for me. I pay teh COD and return to the office. A little miffed, I call Canada post to complain. Complaint noted. I did mention we are in an office building, and there is no way we would have missed him; we do see him occasionally, at our door.

Within about an hour, his "manager" calls me, directly, and starts to lace into me. Why did I make a formal complaint against the guy?!! And that COD packages are the worst, as no one every has exact change.. He assumed. I did have it (teh $$). And, I'm in an office.. with other people. If I needed an extra 27 cents, I'm sure I could have asked for it. Besides, I also had the key to the petty cash box..

Sadly, some are lazy. and some ruin it for others..

 

[PayLoad]

"Fed Ex - We'll get it to you when we are damn good & ready"

 

[Art Upton]

I have not used them for Hazmat, but I ship quite a bit. FedEx ground/home good service and stuff is not lost or broken. UPS, many times less cost for certain items. USPS, items lost , stolen [I have stories on that] , broken. During the last part of 2020 and early 2021 I refused to use them it was so bad, paying more for FedEx that arrived on time. However, if I go to the post office 9 miles away instead of 1/2 mile away, i don't wait in 30 min lines to get my prepaid package receipt and they are delivering much better now.

 

[Troy3003]

I had to change a fed ex delivery today for a motor that has to be signed and it cost me $12 to change delivery address. I have no choice but I think thats expensive when there is probably little to no user input on their end.

 

[cerving]

I've had a private mail service box for over 30 years... it comes in very handy for packages (of which I get a lot nowadays...) Originally, I got it to have my bills sent to, because I don't like the idea of that stuff sitting in my mailbox; most of the unsolicited credit card offers end up there too, which keeps them out of the mailbox.

 

[jadebox]

We had issues with FedEx Home for a while after moving to our new home a few years ago. At the same time, we never had anything but outstanding service from FedEx Ground. About a year ago, FedEx started responding to our complaints, actually sending someone to our home to explain that he had watched the videos of the deliveries and talked to the drivers involved. Since then we have had no issues.

I don't know if it is just our local FedEx office that has been more responsive or if it was a national change.

BTW, I found that the easiest way to submit a complaint was through a message to their Facebook page.

 

[afadeev]

FedEx delivery quality are reliability depends 100% on where you live, and whether the last mile delivery is performed by a FedEx employee (best) or a sub-contractor (crap shoot).
In the rural areas, FedEx usually outsources deliveries to sub-contractors, who may add extra days, or weeks to the last mile delivery segment of the journey, or not bother coming at all. Also, FedEx ground is extremely unpredictable and can take 4x the estimated time of delivery, with zero warning or explanation. I've once had a package take 14 days to travel 300 miles, by FedEx ground. It went back-and-forth between two legs of the journey, a few times. It can be THAT comically bad.

However, in more densely populated areas, FedEx is excellent, and their status updates are timely and accurate.
FedEx is also just about the only dependable option for high-priority international shipping, if cost is no object.

a

P.S.: I should note that I <usually> ship FedEx for work, and our corporate shipping rates are lower than anything I could personally get from USPS.
P.P.S.: The last package I received was sent via USPS, and took exactly 3 days to get to NJ from Cali. I was very impressed.

 

[Woody's Workshop]

We had issues with FedEx Home for a while after moving to our new home a few years ago. At the same time, we never had anything but outstanding service from FedEx Ground. About a year ago, FedEx started responding to our complaints, actually sending someone to our home to explain that he had watched the videos of the deliveries and talked to the drivers involved. Since then we have had no issues.

I don't know if it is just our local FedEx office that has been more responsive or if it was a national change.

BTW, I found that the easiest way to submit a complaint was through a message to their Facebook page.

I would say that putting things on FB where everyone can see it, and them loosing business over it, would get greater attention than a private Email or phone call that has no record keeping data. If the person on the other ends chooses not to record it. A time where social media can be your best choice to get a better outcome...

 

[cbrarick]

I hate feeble expectorate and all it stands for.

I had a drone (DJI phantom pro when they first came out)... tracked it all the way to the local depot, verified it was scanned in, and guess what? It got "lost" while in the depot. Anything haz they won't even come out, they just send a guy with a hang-tag (I was working on my trailer and said, just give it to me...he looked at me in horror with that stupid hang tag in his hand. Go to the depot, sure, I'll do your job. The phone at the pedestrian entrance has been broken for years, so hang out by the gate for someone to come in or out, then walk all the way to the non-employee entrance. After 45 minute wait, vola! 3 boxes each 75 pounds. Do you think those adalpated nin-com-poops would even let me use a hand truck as the walking distance to the closest parking space was a little over .4 mile? If you guessed no, you'd be right. Sat on their butt and watched me hump those damn boxes, giving me **** for leaving 2 while carrying one.

now, brown can always do for you, never a problem here. Nice drivers, even smile and wave at you. Boxes on my covered porch up against the house, well out of any possible weather. my ups guy gets a nice tip every Christmas.

 

[teepot]

We live in a rural area. The property is fenced and gated. There is a large plastic trash can with 4" letters that says packages inside the fence. UPS and USPS put the boxes in it. Fed EX won't. He was putting them outside the fence. He told me they weren't allowed to drop things over the fence because one of their drivers threw a TV over a fence and it was recorded by a security camera. Smashed TV. When I found a Fed Ex box across the street because of the wind I read him the riot act. So he starts dropping them over the gate. We would come home, open the gate from 100' and the boxes would get smashed between the gate and the motor housing or I would run over them if I didn't see the box.. Again the riot act. Now he drops them beside the can rather than in it. I try not to use Fed Ex when ever possible.

 

[dhbarr]

I live outside town. All my delivery drivers are pretty great people who apparently try hard -- the services are essentially interchangeable for me, and I generally have no idea who delivered what.

 

[prfesser]

I live outside town. All my delivery drivers are pretty great people who apparently try hard -- the services are essentially interchangeable for me, and I generally have no idea who delivered what.

I live in a small town, and it's exactly the same here. Smashed or damaged parcels are few and far between.

And if it's usually the same person delivering from USPS/UPS/FedEx, consider leaving something out for them -- homemade cookies, fresh roll, donuts. Or offer a tip (put it in an envelope, taped to door). We do that sort of thing periodically with our delivery people and it's amazing how they will bend over backwards to help track a package gone awry, etc.

Best -- Terry

 

[8thPaladin]

Well yesterday, I got a text saying it was out for delivery, so I got a comfortable chair, opened the blinds, and watched the front of the house... 2+hours later, I open the door as he is walking towards it, he looked a bit surprised. gave me my package and left, no signature...
I am just glad I have my order!!!
Thanks and shout out to Bill at BMS (Balsa Machining Service) for the great prices on motors!

 

[cwbullet]

FEDEX history of deliveries with me is troubling. They just cannot get it right. Forget rocket motors. They cannot get Homefresh to my door within 48-72 hours of the date. Spoiled food is concerning. If they can't get that right, how are they gonna get hazmat and rocket motors right.