CHAMBLEE, Ga. — A United States Postal Service customer who had been waiting for months for a package said he finally received it.
11Alive has been tracking postal problems in Georgia since early March after issues with staffing and transportation caused major mail delays linked to the new regional processing and distribution center in Palmetto. 11Alive has received nearly 3,000 emails about the issues and to some Georgians about the problems.
Crew Heimer was one of the countless wondering where his packing went. He had been waiting on a shipment sent in late February when it started looping around the country. This was right around the time the new regional processing and distribution center launched in Palmetto.
"It went back to Salt Lake City, and it came back to Atlanta," he said. "And went back to Salt Lake City."
It eventually came back to Atlanta, but Heimer said it seemed to disappear. So, Heimer tested a solution offered by the postal system by requesting to intercept his package.
When eligible shipments are not yet out for delivery or haven't been delivered, customers can request the destination post office hold the item or return it to the sender. If a shipment is intercepted, Heimer agreed to pay a fee.
RELATED: Mail delays: Metro Atlanta man says he tried to intercept his package at USPS Palmetto facility
"To work, the package has to be scanned," he said.
Weeks later, 11Alive heard from Heimer again. He said the intercept process didn't work for him, but he eventually received his package about two months after the last tracking on it.
It was resent from the mail recovery center, which is like the postal service's "lost and found."
There was a note claiming the package was undeliverable as addressed, though Heimer said the original info was, in fact, correct.
"Apparently, it got damaged in the processing," he said. "My guess is that you had some fine-tuning in the new machines, and it got busted up. Of course, it didn't help that it made two trips to Salt Lake City and back."
Heimer is among some of those who told 11Alive that mail sent from as far back as February is starting to arrive as the postal service works to improve service from the Palmetto facility impacting the state.
Heimer said he was surprised to see the package show up after so much time.
Data from the USPS dashboard shows that nearly 64% of first-class mail is arriving on time, compared to a low 36% in mid-March.
Those experiencing delays or who have not received mail can contact the newsroom with your concerns as we continue to cover this story. Fill out our online form below, and someone from our news team will follow up with you.