Napping at Red Lights

Last night at five til midnight, I was awakened startled, my internal alarm raised by my dogs who alerted me that someone was at my house.

My doorbell hasn’t rung, no knocks on the door have been heard (the dogs would have barked if there were) and no visitors were expected at this late hour, so at this point I really starting to panic.  Do I have a prowler?

My husband also alarmed leaps from the bed to glance out our second story window.  He discovers a FedEx truck in front of our house.

But by the time my husband got downstairs to the front door (still clad in his nightclothes), the driver was creeping down the street in his truck, leaving only an illegible door tag with the First Delivery Attempt box checked.

Delivery attempt?  How can that be an attempt, the driver never even knocked?  And who delivers to a residence at midnight?!

The driver didn’t knock because he knew it was wrong.  Heck even telemarketers aren’t allowed to call after 9 p.m.  What makes it okay to deliver packages at midnight? 

The door tag left was in rough shape.  It looked like someone had spilled some liquid on it and then air dried it.  The red ink was faded and smeared.

I had been expecting a package – a new computer that requires a signature.  In fact, I’ve been waiting all day for that package.  The tracking number had indicated it would be delivered that day, but before we went to bed at 10 p.m. we checked the tracking website and it said it hadn’t even been loaded on the truck and was still at the facility in Ashland, VA.

Thank goodness a signature was required or my computer would have been left sitting on my porch all night long.

Awake and very angry, we called the FedEx customer service line.  The call was less than helpful, but we learned three very interesting things.

First, we aren’t the only family complaining about late night deliveries.

Second, deliveries into the wee hours of the night are indeed a current business practice of FedEx.  Despite the fact that the website lists delivery times for residences as Tuesday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

And thirdly, FedEx contractors take their trucks home at night where the truck and its contents are parked in an unsecure location.  Makes you feel real good about the safety of your package, right?

But a half hour on the phone didn’t even get us an apology for the inconvenience.  I still didn’t have my computer, I got the wits scared out of my by our late night visitor and I’ve lost half a night’s sleep (who can get back to sleep after a scare like that). 

This morning we finally got in touch with the fleet manager at the Ashland facility and have finally got an apology and my computer delivered.  But the fact remains that these late night deliveries should not be allowed.

I checked with the local sheriff’s department and apparently there is no law preventing these late night deliveries.  But there should be!

I like to ask everyone to boycott FedEx, but you don’t always get a say in who delivers your package.  However, if you are sending packages, I ask you to ponder the safety and reliability of FedEx before using them.

And if you are the recipient of one of these late night visitors in an “attempted” delivery I ask that you do two things.  First contact your local police and complain.  If enough of us complain maybe they’ll put a stop to it.  Secondly, contact FedEX and let them know that deliveries to residences after 8 p.m. are unacceptable for the safety of our families!