Ashland residents upset Amazon packages left at post office

ASHLAND, Neb. (WOWT) - Residents of a lake community not far from Omaha have been frustrated that a delivery service has left their packages miles from the front door.

The inconvenience has cost them time and money and they want to know why important deliveries have fallen short.

Another Amazon package was dropped at a front door, but for nine months Jeff Schakat says he’s been his own primary delivery driver.

“I was on the phone again yesterday for about an hour to get them to finish their deliveries but they won’t,” Jeff said.

Amazon says it contracts with a network of partners like the U.S. Postal Service to get packages to customers as quickly as possible. They told 6 News that the USPS was not delivering packages in accordance with Amazon policy.

But Jeff and many neighbors in the Horseshoe Lake community have been forced to pick up Amazon packages at the Ashland Post Office and drive six miles on streets, highways and rock roads to deliver their own packages back home.

Jeff says he makes the roughly 12-mile trip a few times a month.

“Oh, three to four times a month a least. I’ll let them pile up until I get enough there.”

And he’s not alone. 6 News discovered Amazon boxes stacked up in the Ashland Post Office. Brian Ahl says he shouldn’t have to drive six miles for packages he expects to be delivered to his front door.

“You get off work at five o’clock then you are not going to get it until the next day, and I don’t know how people who work can get to the post office in the time frame that they give you,” Brian said.

“Save a lot of money, a lot of mileage, a lot of time and a lot of worry,” Jeff said. “A lot of changing schedules around just to get the packages.

Sunday, a Postal Service vehicle drove into the area near Horseshoe Lake on the way to a delivery. Jeff, his girlfriend and neighbors will make postal workers delivering Amazon packages feel at home in their area.

The Postal Service says when mail service issues occur, steps are taken to quickly resolve customer concerns.

A Postal Service statement to 6 News says the Ashland postmaster is aware of package delivery issues and is taking steps to rectify the situation.

The United States Postal Service says its official Twitter account, managed by the Social Media staff at USPS HQ, can also provide help. Customers can tweet @USPSHelp for customer service. Customers can also send a private message on Facebook.

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