New UPS program limits deliveries to rural areas

BOX SPRINGS, Ga. (WTVM) - Earlier this year, the United Parcel Service or UPS launched the “Rural Deferred Program” in other parts of the country. This is happening in phases and places in our neck of the woods could be affected.

Through the Rural Deferred Program, UPS is working to combine deliveries in rural areas because it cost more to deliver to these places compared to cities or suburban areas. According to UPS deferred deliveries will affect less than half of one percent of daily deliveries, but News Leader 9 spoke with a few people who still have concerns.

For Box Spring residents, like John Sparks, seeing a UPS delivery driver daily will be limited to three times a week under the “Rural Deferred Program”.

“I seldom have a day that I don’t see a FedEx driver or UPS come through. Most of the time one comes daily.”

UPS says the consolidated deliveries to rural areas keep shipping costs from rising for customers in these areas.

In a statement from UPS Communications Manager Alida Velez, the consolidated deliveries are:

“To help our drivers more efficiently serve our customers. UPS shipments to these ZIP codes will spend an additional day in transit. Customers will still have certainty about the delivery date of packages and our delivery guarantees still apply. This affects less than one half of one percent of our deliveries every day, so the vast majority of our customers will not experience any difference in the service they receive.” said Velez.

“I procrastinate a lot anyways so a package being a little late for me doesn’t bother me at all, but I don’t know about the other neighbors in the neighborhood,” said Sparks.

Limiting of deliveries may not be huge news to Sparks, but owner of Box Springs Package Plus Balwant Singh begs to differ.

“No I don’t like it. They do a good job and I like UPS. I need fives days at least, we can’t go lower than 5 days, I need them.”

Velez shares with News Leader 9 that the company is deploying the service in phases.

“The affected ZIP codes may change over time as we determine the effectiveness of the project so we are not releasing zip codes at this time,” said Velez.

One viewer says he’s been told the delayed service will be limited to rural areas such as Upatoi, Box Springs, Buena Vista, Richland, Lumpkin, Omaha, Preston, Weston, Shiloh, and Woodland but UPS has not confirmed the zip codes.

The Rural Deferred Delivery system will not change critical health care deliveries.

The company also adds, “We are constantly evaluating and modifying our network, and we remain committed to providing our customers with the most reliable and efficient service wherever they live and work.”

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