Ship-shape: Deadlines near for packages to arrive in time for holidays
Postal carrier Mindy Kern unloads collected outgoing mail at the Altoona Post Office on 11th Avenue on Friday afternoon. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
Outgoing packages are collected at the Altoona Post Office on Friday. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
Postal carrier Trevor Peterman unloads collected outgoing mail at the Altoona Post Office on 11th Avenue on Friday afternoon. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
Postal carrier Mindy Kern unloads collected outgoing mail at the Altoona Post Office on 11th Avenue on Friday afternoon. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
Outgoing packages are collected at the Altoona Post Office on Friday. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
Postal carrier Trevor Peterman unloads collected outgoing mail at the Altoona Post Office on 11th Avenue on Friday afternoon. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
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As the song says "Christmas can't be far away," and the chance to send cards and packages is even nearer.
Nearly 12 billion packages and mailed pieces were processed by the U.S. Postal Service during the holiday season last year, so for those who plan to send gifts and cards to family and friends this year, delivery providers are urging a "send sooner rather than later" approach.
Deadlines to ensure items make it to their destinations by Christmas are rapidly approaching, officials said, with Dec. 16 being the deadline for USPS Ground Advantage and first-class packages and letters; Dec. 20 for Priority Mail and Dec. 21 for Express Mail.
Mark Lawrence, spokesman for the Atlantic area, which includes central and western Pennsylvania as well as upstate New York, said USPS expects at least the same number or more of packages and mail as previous years.
FedEx and United Parcel Service
also expect to be quite busy with both timely deliveries and last-minute ones, too.
Customers can get items delivered on or before Dec. 23 through a variety of options at UPS. The 3 Day Select deadline is Dec. 19, the UPS 2nd Day Air deadline is Dec. 20 and the Next Day Air is Dec. 21, said spokeswoman Regina Dalton.
"Every year we see a significant increase in volume during our peak season, and we expect to have healthy peak volume again this year," she said, adding that "experts are predicting an increase in holiday sales this year over last."
FedEx, too, has numerous deadlines with FedEx Ground ranging from Dec. 15 for five-day shipping to Dec. 21 for one-day shipping. FedEx Ground Economy deadlines range from Dec. 15 for five-day shipping to Dec. 22 for one-day shipping.
Brie Carere, FedEx executive vice president and chief customer officer, said the company has been planning all year to make sure customers get their packages delivered on time.
Pack correctly
Between now and Christmas, all delivery services will be busy and that means customers need to have their packages prepared properly.
"Don't guess on a ZIP code or street number," Lawrence said. "If you are not sure, verify the address. ... It is the most important aspect of your mailing."
In addition, customers need to print legibly and provide a return address. Also, don't use ink that will smear, Lawrence said, as a package with a smeared address may be delivered incorrectly or returned to the sender.
While using wrapping paper to wrap the package prior to sending might look nice to the recipient, packages that are brown wrapped or are in wrapping paper can be a problem if the paper tears off. "We may be unable to identify it without the address or return address attached to it," Lawrence said. An option could be to wrap the present and place it into another box to send the gift.
Recycling is great, officials said, but when reusing a box, make sure the previous addresses and barcodes are removed so the package isn't inadvertently delivered to the wrong location.
Thanks to tracking software and digital enhancements, FedEx offers Picture Proof of delivery, where customers receive a photo confirmation that their shipment arrived at its destination. The service is offered for all FedEx Express and FedEx ground residential, non-signature package deliveries without requiring an account or login.
Fed Ex also offers FedEx Delivery Manager, which allows customers to track their package every step of the way via text and email update and an Estimated Delivery Time Window that provides a four-hour window for almost all incoming deliveries in 48 countries.
UPS offers customers UPS My Choice, a free service, to track packages, leave special delivery instructions for drivers, and redirect their packages to a relative or neighbor who is home during the day, or to a nearby UPS Access Point location, Dalton said.
The best advice all delivery providers can offer is "send early."
By sending items early, customers can avoid the last-minute rush. It "allows you to relax and enjoy the holidays, too," Lawrence said.
Mirror Staff Writer Walt Frank is at 814-946-7467.