HOUSTON – For over a year, Houston-area residents have voiced their frustrations over missing mail, lengthy delays, and lack of support from the United States Postal Service (USPS).
From lost birthday cards to cashiers’ checks stuck in limbo, the complaints are growing louder as postal service issues persist.
MORE: KPRC 2 examines USPS efficiency with real-time package tracking experiment
To uncover how long it takes for packages to arrive, KPRC2′s Rechelle Turner experimented by mailing care packages with AirTags to three of our sister stations, allowing viewers to track their journey and reveal how severe the delays truly are.
Turner mailed three packages through Priority Mail on September 11. The items were supposed to be delivered on Friday, September 13. As of this writing, the package sent to KSAT in San Antonio has not arrived.
According to the tracking information, the package will be delivered by 5:35 pm Wednesday.
The items sent to WJXT in Jackson and WDIV in Detroit arrived on Tuesday.
Since the experiment, Turner has received nearly 30 emails from viewers who are still having problems with the post office.
Missouri City Resident Waits 7 Months for Birthday Card
Missouri City resident William Henderson described his frustration with USPS:
”The mail situation in Missouri City is totally out of control. My brother in Tucson, Arizona, mailed me a birthday card and gift at the end of February 2024 so I would get it before March 5th. Guess what? I never received it! Seven months later, and the postal service in Missouri City is beyond a joke.”
Weekly Missing Mail in Southwest Houston
Another viewer, Harvest Child from ZIP code 77083, has experienced consistent issues.
”At least two to three of my letters are lost, stolen, or misdelivered every week. I signed up for USPS informed delivery, but I’m constantly reporting lost mail, with no resolution. I see the envelope posted online, but it never arrives at my centralized delivery.”
She added that neighbors used to help by dropping off misplaced mail, but that sense of community has faded.
Priority Mail Delays to Detroit
LaVerne Hollins Guillory shared her experience with a delayed priority mail package:
”On September 7, 2024, I mailed a letter to Detroit with a delivery estimate of September 9. But when I checked the tracking, it hadn’t moved. Finally, on September 14, I saw that it was still sitting in the Houston Distribution Center, with no new delivery date given!”
Cashier’s Check Stuck for 11 Days
Spring resident Billy Stewart is still waiting for a cashier’s check he mailed on September 4th. He says the package has been stuck at the post office in The Woodlands for 11 days.
”I’ve been tracking it, and the post office says it’s ‘in transit,’ but they don’t know where it is. All I have is a confirmation number with no update.”
Water Bill Delays in Spring, Texas
Lisa Stout, also in Spring, has seen extensive delays with her water bill.
“The water company mails the bills on the 24th, but it takes over 10 days to get to my house, and then another 10 days to mail it back.”
Stout also shared a frustrating experience with a package she ordered in July. Despite the fact that Hurricane Beryl had passed, her package was routed through multiple distribution centers, causing significant delays.
”It took over two weeks to arrive, and they blamed the delay on the storm—even though I ordered it after the hurricane!”