Don't use UPS for livestock shipments

[billsreef]

A lot has to do with the individual employees along the way. I routinely recieve livestock shipped by UPS, FedEx, and other carriers. For the most part most of the people I have dealt with handled the packages with care. The worst problems I encounter have more to do with how the livestock was boxed. Though I did tell one FedEx driver that hoped his truck would rot out after he complained about a box of clownfish leaking, after all if he kept "This side up" up the bag never would of collapsed from the weight of the ones over it and it never would have leaked.

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Bill

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[Rob]

Please pass this on to your friends and suppliers.

I have had several livestock shipments killed by UPS. Their contractual obligation to deliver overnight is meaningless, and once they know that it is livestock, they backpedal and say that they "aren't responsible" for livestock shipments.

UPS have no real sorting facility in my city, just a bunch of old abandoned trailer trucks with flat tyres that never leave the loading docks? These trucks are out in the sun all day... and the people who "work" there just sort throw packages into these trucks, and the local drivers pick them out... the company's major investment in my city seems to be a tall fence with razor-wire, no doubt to keep irate customers out.

This is why even packages addressed to me (which arrived on time) nevertheless arrived hot to the touch.

Compleat details of this nightmare can be found at:
http://www.reefland.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/001176.html

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Cheers,
Rob

[Larry M]

Actually, overall I've had better luck with UPS than Fed Ex or any others. But I think it has a lot to do with the local facility, and it doesn't sound like yours is too good. Mine is about ten blocks from where I live, and I have been there many times. They go out of their way to do a good job, IMO.

Sorry to hear of your problems.

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Larry M

"My Dad could build--or fix--anything. Just give him a hammer, a saw, a piece of wire, and a stick. Then get the hell out of the way."
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[wally]

Well after I chewed the drivers butt about being so rough with the boxes and having the place I ordered from do some chewing I havent had a problem since.

[Aescleah]

ups is not bad around here if you have a good driver .my old driver was rough several boxes though did not get hurt, but the worse thing he did was ring the doorbell and practically running away and sometimes he didnt bother to ring the doorbell. thank goodness he never did that with live fish if he thought i was gruppy then ....!!!
but we moved .i really like fedex the delivary person is on the ball. ups is good through i did get a damaged package the other day but the driver is much better.

hehe i think that other driver was happy i moved i must have reported him once a month

Ashley

[Smitty91]

UPS? In our area? Not for live shipments!! I only use them for dry good orders as they have failed me one too many times.

They've gone from marking a package 'Attempted deliver, residence not home' with no yellow tag on our door stating so when we were in fact home all day to losing shipments up to 2 - 3 days on more than one occasion. :mad:

We use Fed Ex who is always prompt. If Fed Ex is not an option, I do not order. Fortunately, we have RSA rather close by for any livestock purchases.

Smitty

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[jimhobbs]

For all my outgoing xenia/ministar shipments I've been using the Airborne Express terminal at the airport...They allow dropoff up until 8:00pm, allowing min time sitting around...From there, it is loaded on the plane :) They also have the "Bill to receiver" feature, which frees me from dealing with the exchange of postage funds...

Best regards...jim

[plankton]

Actually, get better service here with UPS then with FedX. Out of two FedX shipment both were DOA BECAUSE of poor handling. Once, a shipment of 30 SPS frags sit stranded in Texas on a hot tarmak (spelling) because they're lifter broke down. Do you know what a box of SPS corals smells like after an extra 12 hours in 110 deg F sunlight? Was not pretty. So, I definitely don't recommend FedX; especially if the shipment involves a layover in Texas.

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