Coins not received

I appreciate your understanding of how the postal system should function, but I believe you'll find practices differ from your understandings.

The Domestic Mail Manual which cites all generally practically utilized regulations, I believe you'll find is no longer available in postal "stations", available "on-line", and generally often unknown even to the station Postmaster.

I found the clerks, and even the Postmaster to be unfamiliar with the actual regulations. Upon being verbally accosted on multiple occasions, having shipments rejected by even the ill-informed Postmaster when I quoted a specific DMM regulation number, I would return with a regulation copy, requesting prominent station posting of the regulation for personnel edification.

I've had a long standing relationship with postal inspectors, who don't respond as you've indicated, but must generally generate a large portfolio before initiating a legal "action". This generation process may consume many years.

In the relatively recent past, I sent a $12,000 registered shipment through the system. Knowing the fallibilities of the system and employees, I insured for the full amount, and purchased "Signature Confirmation" which normally would allow some semblance of tracking.

I generally always personally deliver my shipments to the local postal station, and request a receipt of acceptance, which many Postmasters refuse to supply a customer. After weeks of non-delivery, and no tracking information posted, other than the original post I had requested, the customer had become veeery excited. I contacted the Postmaster to intercede and locate the shipment. She spent yeomans futile efforts in unsuccessfully attempting to locate the shipment. She was informed that the shipment couldn't be located. I never did receive shipment or tracking confirmation from the postal system.

Eventually the customer informed me that the shipment had arrived, and I forwarded the information to the Postmaster, who verified same. The idealistic Postmaster retired the following month.

I believe you shouldn't expect reliability from U.S.P.S..

JMHO

 

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Not quite correct, in my experience. When registered mail is dropped off at the post office it is initially placed in the distribution bin with all other mail/packages. From that point it may receive special handling. When the item arrives at the destination post office it is put on the carrier's bulk items shelf along with other packages. The weak part of the system is the handling at the post office. Temp help and low paid regulars are the weak spots.

 

I was a window and registered clerk for over 30 years and I trained clerks in registry. You can't get registry unless you do it thru a window clerk and registered numbers can only be obtained at the window. Those numbers are red. Begic with the Letter "R . You definitely not sending registered. You even get a unique RECEIPT.

 

You can't drop off registered mail, you have to get the unique number only available at the window. You are not sending registered.

 

I use stamps.com because I can use all the classes of mail, the limit for insuring is $5000, That said, if you are sending registered you don't need to get signature confirmation because signature is automatic with that service. You can't drop off registered mail. If you are sending priority in bulk from their website, you print out the manifest and automatically enters your tracking numbers. The DMM Domestic Mail Manual tells you so and it also explains the procedure for registered.

 

The manifest gets scanned and given back to you.

 

You can't get insurance for $12,000 on line, it has to be registered by a window clerk and it takes longer to get there.

 

When I said, "...dropped off at the post office..." I meant presented at the counter with an interaction with the clerk and with the proper forms completed. In my local post office there are two mobile bins behind the counter - one for packages and one for mail. Any piece of mail presented to the clerk is processed (weighed and appropriate postage applied) and then put into either the letter or package bin. At regular pickup times (when the outside dropoff boxes are emptied at noon, 3:30 and 5:00) the bins are wheeled to the back where the initial sorting takes place. At that point registered mail is put into the proper tracking system.

I have picked up registered mail at this post office. When I presented the proper ID, the mail was retrieved from an open shelf in the back which was visible from the front and which contained various other items, mostly small packages.