Business owners and lawmakers pressure USPS over delayed service and missing mail
Davin Gray of GG Arthouse Studio provided News 12 with two videos of two USPS carriers picking up two Fedex packages that has previously been delivered to the Gray family's home in Walden, as the labels indicated.
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A small business owner in Orange County is trying to track down hundreds of dollars' worth of important supplies that were taken from his porch by mail carriers with the United States Postal Service.
Meanwhile, some lawmakers are pressing USPS leaders for explanations for complaints about missing mail and late deliveries their offices have received.
Davin Gray, of GG Arthouse Studio, provided News 12 with two videos of two USPS carriers picking up two FedEx packages that had previously been delivered to the Gray family's home in Walden, as the labels indicated.
One supposed mix-up was on April 26. The other was on Friday.
The packages contained materials that Davin Gray and Hillary Gray needed to complete special orders for customers of their new home decor business.
They sought help from the post office, the postmaster and the police without much success. They eventually heard from a USPS customer service representative about the two carriers who are new to the job.
"They said, 'Oh, we'll talk to them and try to get them better training, the carriers,'" Davin Gray said, "But no one even suggested there was a chance of getting the box back."
Both boxes contained spools of colored plastic and parts for the 3D printers the family uses to create various in-home items, including bases for lamps and personalized decorations.
One of those boxes did eventually come back. It was filled with close to $400 worth of goods.
"I was a little worried," Davin said, "because it's been a slow season and I don't really have the money to just buy it again."
Rep. Pat Ryan said his office has also received complaints about delayed service and missing packages. He wrote to Postmaster General David Steiner seeking answers.
"I am demanding from you a full accounting of what has caused these disruptions," Ryan wrote, "and a concrete plan to restore service across the district."
Davin Gray simply hopes the carriers receive whatever support they might need, "because what do you do if you don't have the cooperation of the carriers? ... I need a long-term relationship with them to get to these customers."
A USPS spokesperson told News 12 Wednesday afternoon that staffing in the area is "adequate" and declined further comment.
The president of the local chapter of the National Association of Letter Carriers said Wednesday he is aware of some pockets of the mid-Hudson region where there are mail disruptions. He said he has been inquiring with USPS administrators who set schedules and handle training.
The Gray family said they had to cancel multiple special orders due to the package mix-ups.
