I work for the USPS. Been a rural carrier there since ’09. So if you need a punching bag, go ahead and swing away. LOL
Some of what’s been said here is accurate, some not so accurate. How it happens that packages make their way around the country (or world I guess) is beyond me. That’s not my department. All I can say on my part is that when it gets to me, it’ll get to you….almost always by 1pm if you were to live on my route. 
What is true though is the long hours for subs, the 7 days a week, the holidays, being denied time off for vacations, weddings, graduations or even critical doctor appointments, and the less than desirable treatment by those in charge.
Also true is the lack of employees. We could use at least 20 more people where I’m at….25 would be better. It’s not the attractive job it maybe once was. The pay isn’t great, it’s a labor job where you’re out in all the elements from extreme hot to extreme cold. Antiquated equipment doesn’t help attract people either. I could go on and on.
The money situation, there is little to nothing we as carriers (or clerks) can do about. That’s congress and the higher-ups. It seems they’re making an effort to save money though by cutting our rural carrier wages. I make $5k/yr less because I work too fast. Others lost $20k/yr because they didn’t set their route up correctly in the computerized pay system, and other reasons.
My customers know that when driving conditions are favorable, they’ll have their mail by 1pm or earlier depending on if they’re at the beginning or end of the route. When mail comes to me, it goes out to them. But I can’t give you what I don’t have. I’ve had people blame me for not delivering a package, losing a package or once even stealing a check….only to find out days or weeks later that they got it from FedEx, UPS or some other delivery service. It never came to the USPS/me in the first place.
Many of us try to be timely and accurate. But the other problems like parcels going around the world, or costs, are beyond the control of folks like myself. Hopefully we get more employees. They’re needed badly. Properly trained, that would at least improve the delivery service and make it more reliable for customers….not to mention the morale of those already working there.
