Smoky smelling mail delivery.

[Ara Ann]

I have a question for all of you.

I received a delivery today, via USPS... My mother had ordered a Christmas gift for my baby nieces (mom is in Florida, I am in MI, with baby nieces) and had it delivered to my house and I will pass them along on Christmas Day.

I picked the box up off my front porch about five minutes after the mail carrier dropped it off. As soon as I brought it into my house, I smelled cigarette smoke and some kind of stinky air freshener odor. It was very strong.

I opened the box, concerned about the state of the 'gifts', as I knew my mom had ordered 'rag' style dolls and they are made from cloth and was afraid they'd be stinky too. Thankfully the dolls are sealed in a plastic bag, but the cigarette smoke odor HAD permeated the box and it smelled bad inside too. Had the dolls not been in plastic, I would have not been able to give these as gifts, to two babies!

Should I call my post office and tell them the mail carrier is smoking in the van and possibly ruining other Christmas gifts? I thought about other people's gifts and they may not be as fortunate as I was, in that their gifts may reek of smoke when opened.

Should I 'blow this off' or call and tell someone about this?

 

[somethingshiny]

I've wondered this same thing. It happens nearly every time I order something that's delivered through UPS. There is probably more than just the carrier or delivery person who comes in contact with the packages though so you really can't be sure WHO the actual culprit it. That being said, I always hope that my items are sealed in plastic.

 

[waterlilly]

Did the order come from a company or an individual? If from an individual, perhaps that person smoked and that is why the box smells outside and inside. I don't think the truck driver smoking would cause the box to smell that badly...

 

[Ara Ann]

The items were purchased through QVC, so no chance of the smoke smell coming from them. IMHO, it had to be the mail carrier, as it smelled like fresh smoke, mixed with air freshener (as if she was trying to cover the smell), rather than old, if that makes sense.

The box was delivered later in the afternoon, so if the box was near her seat, as she smoked all day, it was enough to make it stinky.

I mean, what if people are having clothing or food items delivered, ya know? Just not a pleasant smell to have on packages, let alone Christmas gifts.

 

[Tuckins1]

Totally gross and unacceptable. I would report it to the post office. Even if you can't prove who it was, it should go on record so they can watch.

 

[radiantquest]

I live in a small town and our maillady drives her own vehicle. Although I wouldnt like items coming smelling like smoke I would rather that than not at all. I dont think they can tell her not to smoke in her own vehicle.

 

[Ara Ann]

Radiantquest, she drives a USPS mail truck...so it's not her private vehicle.

I wonder if they are allowed to smoke in the mail trucks? I have never, ever received anything else, from any carrier service that smelled of fresh cigarette smoke/air freshener.

 

[Ara Ann]

Wow... After doing a few searches, I have found out that mail carries CAN in fact smoke in USPS vehicles. Just wanted to share with those of you who were wondering about this...I certainly had no clue!

I found several complaint postings from non-smoking mail carriers forced to drive in smoky smelling vehicles as well...

I am not a fanatic, I am a non-smoker, but if all government facilities ban smoking, why wouldn't that also cover government owned vehicles? I mean, this is also a potential safety/fire hazard...since mail trucks are filled with paper and flammable materials...not to mention, who wants to receive stinky mail?

 

[Dancing Fire]

Radiantquest, she drives a USPS mail truck...so it's not her private vehicle.

I wonder if they are allowed to smoke in the mail trucks? I have never, ever received anything else, from any carrier service that smelled of fresh cigarette smoke/air freshener.

i know a carrier got caught having sex inside the truck,but the USPS can do nothing about it since this was during his lunch break.

 

[DivaDiamond007]

Ewwww. The mailman we have at work is a smoker and our mail always stinks when it arrives at the office.

 

[Jessie702]

That seems silly to me, that they can smoke, since some people might have an allegery to it, or might be asthmatic, like myself, and smoke just makes it worse. Seriously...this is so stupid.

 

[reader]

You think that's bad? Try working with the smokers. I'm a clerk now, not a carrier, and 85% of my tour smokes. Both of my supervisors smoke. They also turn a blind eye to the extra smoke breaks that the smokers have, but woe betide the non smokers who text! Write ups galore for 'time wasting practices'.

When I was a rural carrier, I drove my own Jeep instead of a USPS vehicle. One supervisor knew I had a smoke allergy and would purposely smoke just to amuse himself with my coughing. I took to cracking the gas cap and telling him that my Jeep had a slow leak I couldn't find. He got too scared to light up around my vehicle anymore.

 

[Ara Ann]

I was just surprised to find out they are allowed to smoke in the government owned vehicles. The vehicles should be seen as an extension of the workplace/office, where smoking is not allowed.

Some of the posts I read in my search were from people who ordered books. etc. and they arrived smelling of smoke also...sometimes the smoke smell will go away, but sometimes it doesn't. Just makes me mad to think the smoking carriers can in effect legally damage brand new goods while they are delivering them...people have paid good money for products and expect them to arrive in good order, not smelling like smoke. I just really can't believe this is acceptable to the USPS.

And I guess this is a wake up call for anyone who ships packages, etc., to wrap them well, you never know who is handling the goods en route.

Reader, what a creative solution to your rude co-worker's bad manners!