Mrs. dpnewell
7 years ago
Here in South Jersey, Amazon delivers many of my packages by their own delivery service. They have implemented technology that makes the post office look like the old pony express.

If you try to track a package that's "out for delivery", you will see the GPS location of Amazon's delivery vehicle along with how many more stops before your delivery.

I just run across another technological advancement today. I asked Alexa where my stuff was. She said my package had been delivered. I went to my front door and there was no package. I immediately went to Amazon's site and clicked the tracking link. Up came a photograph of the package on my front porch as proof of delivery. I ran outside and sure enough, the package had blown off my porch and was in my driveway. Wow, not only real time GPS tracking of the delivery vehicle, but photographic proof of delivery. Amazing. If Amazon can do it, why not the others?

David
Gene363
7 years ago
Here they deliver directly to our local PO who brings the package to the house.

Lately some UPS package tracking information includes a map of where the delivery truck is in our neighborhood right up to delivery.
opelmanta1900
7 years ago
We got the picture confirmation the other day for the first time... My guess is, if you find your package has been stolen and they've got that picture, you're out of luck... Not their problem...
victor809
7 years ago
It's a pretty well developed system. But there are some interesting articles about the labor involved.

This is jobshop type work, that's apparently pretty bad for the guys doing the driving. Had a large box delivered the other day and the dude had it stuffed in the back of his small car, with Lyft and Uber stickers on the window. Looks like his jobs are basically to either drive people or packages depending on what app he fires up.

I have mixed feelings about these sort of things. This is essentially the next version of migrant labor. The companies (Amazon/Uber/Lyft) are making bank on the systems they put in place (as they should)... But the systems are running because of a lot of people who don't seem to have any other opportunities are willing to do a lot of work for not a ton of money.

Fortunately I don't need to give it too much thought, since self driving vehicles or drones will soon be able to replace that labor (which will create another problem)... But it's important to keep it in mind while applauding the systems these companies have developed.
Mrs. dpnewell
7 years ago
Victor, around here they seem to be using a variety of jobbers and their own vehicles. I've had deliveries by folks in private vehicles, as well as new large white vans with "Amazon" painted on the sides.

David
tonygraz
7 years ago
USPS sends me a list and picture of all the mail due to be delivered that day along with a printed description of any packages to be delivered. The service is called "informed delivery" and it's free, tho I'm not sure it's available in all areas . I'm sure it could be the basis of an Amazon like system
danmdevries
7 years ago

USPS sends me a list and picture of all the mail due to be delivered that day along with a printed description of any packages to be delivered. The service is called "informed delivery" and it's free, tho I'm not sure it's available in all areas . I'm sure it could be the basis of an Amazon like system

tonygraz wrote:



They do this, but not the photo on the porch thing.

I wish they would though, but the man hours involved would be too great. My mail lady routinely delivers my packages to other peoples houses, and other people's packages to my house. About twice a month I redeliver packages to other houses in my area. Would love to see a picture of my package, at the wrong address. I've met her at the mailbox 3 times to let her know a package was marked delivered 30 minutes before she got to my mailbox. She usually turns around and comes back shortly with my package. The mixed up deliveries are similarly numbered addresses. I'm 8823, and things mostly go to 8233, and 8238.

There's a handful of Amazon delivery people that have dropped stuff off. Seems like it's just another app delivery service like the uber eats and stuff. But they do make a big deal about taking the delivered picture. Met them in the driveway a few times and they will not hand off until they have a picture of the package and visible address. I said just take a picture of me holding it, they said it wasn't good enough, had to have the address on the house in the picture.

Fedex does something similar by me. Got one dude with a Budget rentatruck, another with an old Ford extended van, and another with a high capped pickup that makes deliveries for Fedex to my house. Very rarely will I get a FedEx truck unless it's freight.
Mrs. dpnewell
7 years ago

USPS sends me a list and picture of all the mail due to be delivered that day along with a printed description of any packages to be delivered. The service is called "informed delivery" and it's free, tho I'm not sure it's available in all areas . I'm sure it could be the basis of an Amazon like system

tonygraz wrote:



Yes, I have that too, but many times it ends up at the Apartment building 2 blocks away. Maybe 2 to 3 dozen times a year, USPS states that a package was delivered, and I have to run down to the Apartment building to retrieve it. Every time I order something online, I include "SINGLE FAMILY HOME - NOT APARTMENT BUILDING" in the address, but they still end up down there.

David
Mrs. dpnewell
7 years ago

They do this, but not the photo on the porch thing.

I wish they would though, but the man hours involved would be too great. My mail lady routinely delivers my packages to other peoples houses, and other people's packages to my house. About twice a month I redeliver packages to other houses in my area. Would love to see a picture of my package, at the wrong address. I've met her at the mailbox 3 times to let her know a package was marked delivered 30 minutes before she got to my mailbox. She usually turns around and comes back shortly with my package. The mixed up deliveries are similarly numbered addresses. I'm 8823, and things mostly go to 8233, and 8238.

There's a handful of Amazon delivery people that have dropped stuff off. Seems like it's just another app delivery service like the uber eats and stuff. But they do make a big deal about taking the delivered picture. Met them in the driveway a few times and they will not hand off until they have a picture of the package and visible address. I said just take a picture of me holding it, they said it wasn't good enough, had to have the address on the house in the picture.

Fedex does something similar by me. Got one dude with a Budget rentatruck, another with an old Ford extended van, and another with a high capped pickup that makes deliveries for Fedex to my house. Very rarely will I get a FedEx truck unless it's freight.

danmdevries wrote:



My mail carrier scans the packages when she removes them from her truck and puts them in her bag (we have a walking route). Therefore I get the "delivered" text message 15 to 20 minutes before they are actually delivered. My sister lives a few towns over, and her walking mail carrier will not scan the package until he is at the actual address. He told her the scanner has GPS, and records the exact address the package is delivered to. I don't know if it's true.

David
Speyside
7 years ago
Dave, I am pretty sure those Amazon trucks are actually independent contractors. I read an article about 7 months ago that Amazon was setting this up. The rules, regs, territories and such are very similar to a franchisee contract, but they are independent, not franchisee.
danmdevries
7 years ago

He told her the scanner has GPS, and records the exact address the package is delivered to. I don't know if it's true.

David

Mrs. dpnewell wrote:



This would fully explain why when I tell her the package was marked delivered, but wasn't delivered, that it ends up delivered shortly afterwards.
danmdevries
7 years ago

Dave, I am pretty sure those Amazon trucks are actually independent contractors. I read an article about 7 months ago that Amazon was setting this up. The rules, regs, territories and such are very similar to a franchisee contract, but they are independent, not franchisee.

Speyside wrote:



They are. Basically like uber drivers and such.

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