There was a big row a few years ago about the poor level of service at the Peachtree City Post Office. As I recall most of the complaints concerned the long wait times at the counter. Since then the furor seems to have died down, although I can’t say I’ve noticed any improvement.
When I’m required to go there, I often wait in long lines with only one, or at best, two postal employees working behind the counter. This is aggravating and patience-trying, but it’s far from the worst service delivered by today’s USPS.
I’m referring to their scandalous treatment of our personal property, i.e., the items we entrust them to move from here to there or there to here. Attached are two photos of a package I received a few weeks ago. This is far from the only time I’ve received a damaged package, a crumpled magazine or a mangled letter from the USPS, but the damage to this one was so egregious that I decided to go to the PTC post office to find out what could be done to prevent its recurrence.
I needn’t have bothered. I was informed that a) it arrived at the PTC post office in that condition (I never accused them of damaging it), b) the sender was at fault because it should have been shipped media mail instead of priority mail (as if the shipment method somehow excused the damage) and c) there was absolutely nothing anyone could do about it.
I refused to swallow these tired refrains and eventually demanded to be put in touch with someone who could do something about it, at which point they threatened to call 911 and have me removed from the premises.
A few days later I filed a complaint with the Atlanta regional office and soon received an email response informing me that the USPS is protected by federal law from any liability arising from damaged items entrusted to their care; i.e., they can lose, damage or destroy your property without any fear of legal consequences.
Perhaps this explains why I have personally observed workers at the PTC post office sorting packages by throwing them into bins for loading on delivery vehicles.
I’d never understood the business model whereby a customer is required to purchase insurance to protect a service provider from their own malfeasance as one is with the USPS, but now this scheme makes sense.
I know I’m not alone in having this problem with the USPS and their complete refusal to take ownership of the issue is outrageous and inexcusable.
Incidentally, I also tried to communicate with Congressman Ferguson about this issue, but I didn’t even get the phony courtesy of an automated email response.
Alan T. Millsaps
Peachtree City, Ga.
