Why is USPS Tracking Not Updating in Transit While Sending Mail from Canada?

Why is USPS Tracking Not Updating in Transit While Sending Mail from Canada?

USPS Tracking Not Updating in Transit: 4 Steps to Take to Solve USPS Tracking Issues

The United States Postal Service (USPS) has been up and running for several decades, having an excellent reputation in the mailing industry. This world-renowned postal organization delivers hundreds of billions of mailpieces yearly. The postal service has a significant value even among us Canadians.

Unlike 20 years ago, you now get a tracking number on most USPS mailing services. It helps track your items as they move along the USPS system and keeps you updated. However, sometimes, USPS tracking not updating in transit can be a real problem! After all, an organization processing millions of items per day tends to run a little slow or face some issues now and then.

The USPS also issued a notice stating its deliveries have been slower than usual because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Since 2020, it has been hiring several temporary employees to help fulfill ever-surging demands.

But, Canadians may want to track their items urgently or get an item delivered as soon as possible. The USPS not updating tracking can be frustrating and worrisome at such times. So, what can you do in such situations? What are the reasons for USPS tracking not updating in-transit problems for Canadians? This blog will answer your queries and help you know your mail status effortlessly. Let’s get right to it!

What is USPS Tracking?

The United States Postal Service enables you to track mail and packages from one location to another during shipment. They can gather information regarding package status, its date and time, delivery date, and other updates during transit.

Canadian customers rely on USPS to monitor their packages to ensure they reach their destination on time and safely. This tracking facility is available for various mail and packages, including First-Class Mail, Priority Mail, Priority Express Mail, and even international shipments.

To take advantage of USPS tracking, Canadian customers can visit the official USPS website or use their mobile app and enter their tracking number to receive up-to-date information.

Features of USPS Tracking

USPS enables customers to avoid fear and anxiety over the status of their shipments. These are some key features of USPS tracking that customers enjoy.

Real-Time Tracking

Canadian customers can get real-time updates on the status and location of their shipments. They gain complete information on when their package was ready for pick up, its journey through various USPS locations, and when it left the last facility for final delivery.

This transparent visibility of the delivery process helps businesses win their customers’ trust and loyalty.

Notifications through Emails and SMS

Canadian customers can receive tracking updates through email or text messages to keep track of shipments. Furthermore, they can customize these notifications to get updates on specific milestones in the shipment process.

Delivery Confirmation Update

It is essential to inform customers about delivery confirmations instead of leaving them in oblivion. USPS tracking confirmation emails and notifications with the delivery date and name of the recipient. It gives peace of mind to their customers expecting these shipment deliveries.

Signature Confirmation

Tracking by USPS allows customers to determine whether their packages require the recipient’s signature for delivery.

Thus, this tracking not only adds the recipient’s name but also keeps their signature in the system.

The Shipment History

Similar to Canada, the American postal system goes through a long chain of complex processes. USPS tracking allows you to track a package throughout its entire journey. It is possible to determine the location of the mail item throughout its journey.

Tracking with Multiple Options

The USPS tracking facility is available for various mail and package types in Canada. Customers can track their First-Class Mail, Priority Mail, Express Mail, and even international shipments. Thus, they have a wide range of options to suit their needs.

The Precision of USPS Tracking

Canadians often have huge concerns about the precision of USPS tracking. Above all, USPS is famous for updating the tracking numbers whenever a package reaches one of its facilities or trucks.

Thus, location tracking is quite precise as it tells when a package enters or leaves a facility or truck. However, customers can’t track every package’s real-time movement.

USPS Tracking for International Packages

It is also effective for tracking international shipments. However, there could be a few shortcomings that might make the tracking get stuck.

Firstly, the parcel might be going through a customs clearance process to start its journey for delivery in another country.

Secondly, the parcel might get stuck if the sender didn’t put the correct address. The package is either returned to the sender or stuck in the mailing ecosystem. Moreover, the COVID-19 global pandemic also reduced the number of international flights. Thus, international mailing speed is witnessing a significant drop.

Private shipment and courier services like FedEx and DHL have their transport fleet with trucks and planes for international shipment. International mail doesn’t have direct routes like regular mail, so it might take significantly longer to deliver international mail.

Also Read: International Address Verification Services

The tracking might be sufficient for sending a local post to a recipient. However, it won’t track the mail during transit to another overseas location.

What if USPS Tracking Number Doesn’t Work?

The USPS tracking number should work on the USPS server at any cost. However, if a tracking number is not working, there could be an error at the USPS end. Their servers could be down, or USPS might have problems updating its tracking information. In some cases, USPS may need help discovering your package from the start.

Time Necessary to Update USPS Tracking

Updating the USPS tracking information might take between 24 hours to 5 days, depending on what’s happening behind the scenes. In this regard, users must remain patient while USPS tracking stops updating.

If it still needs to satisfy the users, then they can contact the team of USPS to learn more about USPS tracking problems. Additionally, they can keep checking the tracking system by following these steps;

To check the status of the tracking system, users can go to USPS – Track & Confirm, find their mail piece using specific criteria, and provide additional details according to the label. Then click “Track” to check whether the USPS tracking number is working.

If they feel that the USPS tracking updates need fixing, they can reach the customer support team to explain their problem. The support team might ask several questions to verify their identities. They will provide users with the right solution or suggest waiting a few hours.

How to Track Your Package When USPS Tracking is Not Working?

Many people need help with tracking numbers not working or updating problems while using USPS tracking. These problems usually take place during special occasions like festivals or sales.

They receive a large number of packages to process. To increase the pace of the delivery process, they avoid scanning the barcode and directly delivering the package.

USPS often skips package scanning during the peak season to save time. You must be well aware of the Canadian winters and festival rush in the US.

Thus, you don’t need to worry about updates on the tracking information. However, you can still implement the following method;

You can wait until they update the tracking information.
Send a text message using the USPS Text Tracking features with your tracking number to 2USPS (28777).
Call USPS customer support to learn about the current package tracking status.

There’s no need to have anxiety or fear if you cannot track your package. You will get your package soon, right at your doorstep.

Also Read: Who Does Usps Use In Canada

Why is USPS Tracking Not Updated?

If USPS tracking is not updated, make sure you have entered the exact same tracking number. USPS has a tracking number for each shipment, so you must use the correct number. If the problem persists, there may be a problem on the carrier’s end.

There can also be more than one reason you aren’t getting your tracking updates on time. Most of these reasons are minor, and you should be able to start getting notifications again soon. However, it is still better to understand how long it takes for USPS to update tracking to help you prepare to handle such scenarios.

Unforeseen Weather Conditions

Harsh or extreme weather, including flash floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, etc., can be a prominent reason for USPS tracking updates being delayed. Such unforeseen weather conditions can slow down the mailing process and stop your mailpieces from moving ahead of the USPS infrastructure. Thus, your items may be kept for a longer time at a postal facility than expected, leading to the tracking updates staying the same for a couple of days.

For example, if you mail something from Brampton to New York City, there are multiple stops on the way. In this case, your mailpieces have to battle several weather conditions, from sunny days to excessively cold temperatures. Thus, it is not unlikely that your mail may take longer than usual to reach the destination, getting stuck at some points for several days. Therefore, it is advisable to know the climatic situation of the place you are shipping to prevent yourself from worrying about USPS tracking not updating.

Another way inclement weather conditions hinder the delivery process is through damaged barcodes. If your package barcode is damaged and the USPS worker cannot scan it further, there are higher chances of your first-class tracking not updating on time.

Mail Not Updated or Scanned

The USPS workers may miss out on scanning a package, which could be why the USPS tracking is not updating. It is also possible that the carrier may not change your item information every step of the way. Thus, the tracking details may get updated only at a few stops. This rarely happens; you can still expect it to be a common reason for your USPS tracking updates being delayed.

The USPS does an excellent job of scanning every mailpiece at every facility. Yet, there are still a few items left behind. Using batch scanning, the USPS updates the details of different groups or pallets of mailpieces together.

Furthermore, postal employees do not always scan your items upon their arrival at a postal outlet. They might do it at the time of departure, causing delays in updating the delivery statuses. If you send out items via Priority Mail or Priority Mail Express and your USPS tracking is not updating, try to check back again after a few hours. You can sign up for a USPS account and get regular email and text notifications.

Package Delayed or Not Moving

We often get the query- how often does USPS update tracking?

The short answer is 24 hours, but we will cover more on it shortly.

Though the update time is as less as 24 hours, it is not what happens throughout the year. During the holiday season, almost every individual and business send holiday greetings. Companies may also send season sale coupons, discount offers, etc., to persuade their prospects and drive sales. Therefore, the USPS faces a significant rise in demand during the holiday season, from Thanksgiving to New Year’s.

Naturally, the USPS works faster throughout October, November, and December to meet the growing demand. Still, it is impossible to process every item as soon as they reach the Post Office. Hence, if your USPS tracking is not updating, there are chances your item hasn’t started moving yet.

Apart from a logjam, there are many more reasons for an item to be delayed, like:

Truck malfunction
Driver’s illness
Flat tires or other similar setbacks, etc.

The USPS remedies such issues as the earliest, but it may impact the delivery process for at least a few hours. Therefore, your mailpieces may start moving later than usual, leading to your first-class tracking not updating.

Also Read: PostGrid and Zapier Integration.

Mailpiece Lost In Transit

Unfortunately, USPS cannot deliver every mailpiece to its destination. Some items get lost in transit or are misplaced, especially when you ship items with an incorrect address. Mail with inaccurate or invalid addresses gets lost more often as they don’t have a proper destination. They can confuse postal workers and lead to several problems like delays and mail returns. However, you may not get lucky sometimes, and your items may get lost because of incorrect address information.

Therefore, lost mail items can be another reason for USPS tracking not updating. You can avoid it by double-checking your mailing addresses with an address verification API like PostGrid, ensuring deliverability. It can help you standardize and validate your database beforehand to speed up the delivery process and prevent your items from being lost because of inaccuracy.

Remember, your packages may also get lost owing to some uncontrollable reasons. They might fall off the USPS’s conveyor belts or get destroyed by the postal equipment. If such things happen, your mailing status may not be shown on the website and lead to first-class tracking not updating.

Mailpiece Already Delivered

If your USPS tracking has not been updated for a long time, the reason could be that the item is already delivered. Typically, your carrier needs to update the item status as ‘Delivered’ right after handing it over to the resident or dropping it off at their mailbox. But, it is common for postal workers to forget to update your delivery status.

The USPS tracking not updating but delivered is not a big problem as the status would get updated eventually. You can wait for the website to show ‘Out for Delivery’ in a couple of hours. Or, you can contact the recipient personally and inquire if they got your package.

Apart from forgetting to update your status, it is also possible that the carrier was unable to scan your item because of a damaged barcode. Hence, keep checking your tracking status a few times before taking further steps.

Moreover, the USPS also states that some items are scanned only after delivery. Therefore, we Canadians may not get any updates throughout the journey and directly receive a delivery notification once they are delivered. It happens, especially in the case of First-Class Mail, a mailing service that does not offer to track envelopes. If you want to track First-Class Mail items, you need to pair them with Certified Mail or Registered Mail.

Also Read: Bulk Batch Address Verification Services

Why Is My Item Marked Delivered But Has Not Reached the Destination Yet?

It can be frustrating to see your USPS status not updating or showing as delivered when the item has not reached you yet. But please note that it may happen a few times as a mistake by the USPS workers. They may update the status as ‘Delivered’ instead of ‘Out for Delivery.’ In that case, wait for a few hours for your carrier to show up and hand over the item to you before you call up the Post Office from Canada.

However, if your tracking status says ‘Delivered,’ looking around your house to check if someone received it is not a bad idea. The carrier could have dropped your item in the mailbox or placed it on:

The porch
Garage
Exterior doors
Other places where the postal worker can place your item safely, etc.

Also, check your mailbox twice as some mailpieces are kept separately from regular mail. If you cannot find the item anywhere and it has been 24 hours since the USPS tracking did not update, you can email a service request to the USPS.

How Often Does USPS Update Tracking?

All mail items are updated every time they leave a postal outlet. Hence, you can expect the carrier to scan your items when they:

Reach the Post Office
Arrive at every postal facility spread across various cities (depending on the mailing distance)
Reach your local Post Office
Are out for delivery
Reach the destination

If you are mailing over a long distance, your item will have more stops. Thus, you may get more notifications or updates than usual. On the contrary, if you mail items locally, you may get an update directly after the delivery.

As said earlier, First-Class Mail items do not get scanned if you don’t purchase an add-on service. Hence, while mailing First-Class Mail items, you cannot expect to receive any tracking details.

After scanning, the USPS system may take up to 24 hours to update the details. If your USPS tracking is not updating for more than this time frame, the reasons we discussed in this blog could be the culprit.

What to Do If Your Package Is Stuck for More Than 7 Days?

Contact the Recipient Immediately

You should be proactive about handling the blowback from package delays. Contact the recipient to inform them about the delivery delay and apologize sincerely. Ensure they have the assurance that you will be doing everything to find the package. You can also promise to issue a refund or ship a replacement in a few days.

Contact the Local Post Office

Sometimes shipments get stuck at the local Post Office. Keep the tracking information on hand and contact them. The Post Office supervisor might help you find out what’s wrong and where your package is.

Submit a Search Query Online

If the postal employees can’t solve the problem, you can use the USPS online portal to find the missing mail. The postal service will launch an inquiry and search its mailing infrastructure to find where your package is and email you the results. It will look through computer systems and physical locations to locate your package.

Take Follow Up

In most cases, USPS can locate your stuck shipment and get it moving again. You might hear from them within a day or two of your online query. However, you should update the recipient immediately if they cannot locate the package. If the shipment was insured, file a claim online with USPS. You can also consider shipping a replacement item later.

What Do USPS Statuses Mean?

USPS’s tracking system enables merchants and customers to monitor their mail or package status online, providing peace of mind and decreasing customer service inquiries. The postal service will provide different types of updates throughout the mailing journey. Here’s a complete breakdown of USPS tracking statuses and their meanings:

Pre-Shipment Statuses

Label Created, Not Yet in System: The shipment’s label has been generated, but USPS has yet to scan it into its system.
USPS Awaiting Item: The users cannot access tracking information because the USPS system has yet to scan the item label.

In Transit Statuses

Arrival at Unit: The mail package reached the destination post office on the day of its scheduled delivery.
Departed USPS Facility: The package has left the sorting facility indicated by the city, state, and ZIP code.
Arrived at USPS Facility: The package arrived at the sorting facility, as indicated by the city, state, and ZIP code.
Processed at USPS Destination Facility: USPS has processed the package at the destination facility, indicating the city, state, and ZIP code.
Arriving Late: Your package arrives later than the initially scheduled date by USPS. If this status doesn’t update for at least seven business days, we recommend you report your missing package.
Outbound- Out of US Customs: US Customs handed the package to USPS, and now it is ready for international shipping.

Out for Delivery Status

Out for Delivery: The package is out and expected to be delivered within the designated date.

Delivered Statuses

Delivered: USPS has successfully delivered your package to the intended recipient without problems. The time and date of delivery were also recorded via a delivery scan.
Picked Up: The recipient has retrieved the package from their local Post Office.
Delivered to Agent: USPS workers have delivered the package to an agent of the residence or institution.

Accepted

Acceptance at Destination: The mail item has reached the destination USPS processing facility or Post Office.
Origin Acceptance: USPS received the package at a sorting facility with the attached ZIP code where you’re shipping.
Accepted at USPS Facility: USPS has received the package at its facility and entered it into its system using a designated ZIP code.
USPS in Possession of Item: USPS has picked up the package scheduled by the shipper.

Available for Pickup

Available for Pickup: The recipient picked up the package at the post office or another USPS facility.

Delivery Attempt

Held at Post Office Customer Request: USPS is retaining the package at the destination Post Office due to the recipient’s request.
Receptacle Blocked: Some physical condition blocked the path to the delivery receptacle.
Recetable Full/Item Oversized: It means there wasn’t any room left in the delivery mailbox, or the package was simply too big to fit.
No Secure Location Available: The postal workers couldn’t find a safe drop-off location to deliver them, and there was no endorsement to ‘leave if no response’.
No Authorized Recipient Available: No one was available at the delivery location to accept the package (typically applicable for packages with Signature Confirmation service).
No Access: The USPS worker could not access the delivery location, an example of a gated society requiring an access code.

Alert

Awaiting Delivery Scan: A delivery attempt wasn’t made within 14 hours of the package being marked as “Out for Delivery”.
Refused: The recipient had refused to receive the item at the time of delivery.
Unable to Deliver Problem With Address: The USPS could not deliver the package because one or more address elements were incorrect.
Forwarded: The recipient has activated mail forwarding service, and USPS sent the package to a new address.
Dead Mail/Sent to Recovery Center: The USPS can’t deliver, forward, or return the mail item. Instead, they will send the package to the Mail Recovery Center in Atlanta, GA.

Return to Sender

No Such Number: The address has some missing or invalid components, like an incorrect apartment number.
Insufficient Address: The provided address has inadequate information for USPS to deliver the package.
Moved, Left No Address: The recipient has moved recently without updating the address or using a forwarding address.
Forward Expired: The recipient’s forwarding order has expired.
Addressee Unknown: The recipient is unknown at the address specified on the package.
Vacant: The delivery address is vacant, with no recipient.
Unclaimed/Unspecified: The package is returned to the sender for unknown reasons.

What to Do If USPS Tracking Not Updating?

Here, we have mentioned some quick and simple steps that you can undertake to inquire about your mail item if your USPS tracking has not been updated in Canada.

Contact the Post Office Customer Service

The easiest and fastest way to inquire about your USPS tracking not updating after drop-off is to call the Post Office directly. This option is also viable for those mailers who have several additional queries or need to offer extra details about their package.

The USPS asks mailers to call the number—1800 275 8777 to get in touch with their customer support team. It enables you to discuss your situation in-depth, give your tracking number, and let them provide you with some information regarding your mail. The USPS representative on call may ask you to wait for a couple of minutes or even tell you that they will update you in 24-48 hours. It depends on the available tracking information they have at their disposal.

There are two more phone numbers where you can call—1800 344 7779 for technical support and 1800 222 1811 for delivery tracking. Calling on any of these numbers or emailing at the email address provided on the USPS website can help you understand why your USPS tracking is not updating.

Wait a Few Days

Often, there is no need to worry about the USPS tracking not updating today. As discussed above, the reasons can be minor, like delayed scanning. Thus, if your status isn’t updated at the moment, it might be done after a few hours. You can check back later to see if there have been any changes.

It is advisable to wait for at least five working days before contacting the USPS regarding the USPS tracking not updating in transit arriving late. Your mailpiece may likely show up in a few days, or the tracking information may get updated at the very least.

Visit Your Local Post Office

If you want to have a face-to-face conversation with a postal worker, going to the Post Office is your best bet. Canada Post works with the USPS to ensure smoother and more accurate tracking.

Some people may prefer this option as they might feel that they might get more speedy answers this way. Furthermore, it is a good option if you have a Post Office not far away from your residence or office.

But remember to carry your mailing receipt to help the person behind the counter provide you with your package details. Without a tracking number, they cannot search for your item on their system and tell you where it is.

If you don’t have the time to visit the Canadia Post’s post office, you can stick with the above two options. Either way, try to be patient as the USPS deals with a large volume of items each day, and a few drawbacks should be negligible.

Ensure That You Are Entering the Correct Tracking Number

Having the correct tracking number is crucial to knowing your delivery status. Often, we enter an incorrect tracking number mistakenly, which is why your status shows as invalid or not updated. Therefore, if your USPS tracking is not updating for a week, cross-check your tracking number and see if you have been entering the correct one on the USPS website.

Always refer to your confirmation email and USPS mailing receipt to check your tracking number. It should be a 20-22 digit long number without any alphabet or symbol. The tracking number for an Express Mail item begins with two alphabets and ends with ‘US.’ Also, remember that Express Mail tracking numbers are only 13 characters long.

If the carrier cannot deliver your item, they might leave an orange slip on your doorstep. This slip also contains the tracking number, which you can enter on the USPS website to learn your item’s delivery information. Look out for such notices if your USPS tracking is not updating for several days.

Luckily, PostGrid’s direct mail API helps you track all your sent mail in one go and offers a consolidated view of your delivery statuses. Hence, there is no scope for any manual mistake, and you can access accurate information at any time you need.

When Is a USPS Mailpiece Considered Lost?

After you contact the Post Office about your USPS tracking not being updated, you should wait for seven more days. If there aren’t any updates regarding your mailpiece till then, the USPS considers the mailpiece to be lost.

You can then file a Missing Mail Search Request on the USPS website. While doing so, take care to submit all crucial details about your item, like:

Recipient’s mailing address
Tracking number
Mailing service
Contents of the package
Dimensions and weight, etc.

To prevent your mail from getting lost or damaged, use sturdy packaging and verify your mailing information carefully. PostGrid’s direct mail services can help you do all these things by only clicking a few buttons on your device. Hence, you don’t have to deal with USPS tracking not updating or any such problems by yourselves.

How USPS Tracking Compares to FedEx and UPS

USPS tracking has dramatically improved over the past few years, but it still lags behind UPS and FedEx. These private courier companies are the global leaders in logistics and courier services. This global presence gives them superior tracking information, especially in international deliveries. At the same time, USPS tracking might face issues due to missed scans, extreme weather, system delays, or handoffs.

What If the USPS Delivers Your Item to the Wrong Address

Unless you don’t contact the Post Office with your tracking number, it is hard to know if the USPS delivers your item to the wrong place. If the USPS tracking is not updating and the mailpiece doesn’t reach you, you can call the Post Office and inquire about it.

Since postal scanners use GPS technology, a USPS supervisor can trace the location of your item’s last scan. However, if your mailpiece wasn’t scanned recently, there is nothing more you can do about it. Thus, you can only hope that the recipient calls the Post Office and reports the item. Hence, we cannot emphasize further how crucial it is to write the correct mailing address to help postal workers complete the delivery accurately.

How Can PostGrid Help You Ship Items Efficiently and Precisely?

PostGrid’s automated direct mail management services can help you avoid problems like USPS tracking not updating right from the beginning. First, PostGrid assists you in drafting your mail items. It offers several pre-built templates for marketing and transactional items to suit your needs. Hence, you don’t need to hire a designer or negotiate editing rates to get your artwork ready according to your requirements.

Then, PostGrid helps you get your items printed and enveloped with Intelligent Mail Barcodes (IMBs) and verified mailing addresses. Hence, there are fewer chances of your mail getting misplaced or the USPS tracking not being updated for a month because of inaccuracy issues.

Also read: 18 Proven Ways to Reduce Printing Cost and Save Money.

Furthermore, PostGrid’s print and mail API also ships off your items with USPS in only two business days. You can log into your PostGrid account and access real-time mail updates through your dashboard. Along with the mailing statuses, you can also view your campaign analytics by navigating your dashboard.

Conclusion

USPS tracking not updating is a minor issue and should be resolved within a few hours or days. There are several reasons for your tracking status not being updated in Canada—most of which are unpredictable and uncontrollable by the USPS.

Hence, sometimes, the best thing to do is sit back and relax for the status to update or for your item to arrive. Otherwise, you can always get on a call with a USPS supervisor and ask them to give you the details.

To help you, PostGrid assures that your mail items are headed to valid, accurate delivery addresses. It also assists you in presorting your mailpieces and shipping them speedily—helping you ditch the USPS tracking not updating problem. Click here now to learn more!

FAQs

Can a Package Still be Delivered Even if Tracking Information Never Updates?

Yes, the postal service might successfully deliver a package without tracking details on the website. It may happen if the barcode was not scanned during the mailing journey due to oversight or peak demand seasons.

Do Different USPS Mail Class Update Tracking Statuses Differ?

Yes, USPS Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express provide highly detailed tracking information. However, don’t expect the same accuracy and detail with First Class Mail. Parcel Select Ground provides an even lower level of detail and may be left unscanned for days due to its low priority.

Can I Get a Refund for Delayed Tracking?

USPS will only refund for tracking delays caused by their service. Weather conditions and other exceptions don’t make you eligible for refunds. This refund is only available for Priority Mail Express.

Is USPS First-Class Mail Subject to Delays?

USPS provides estimates instead of guaranteed timing regarding shipping with First-Class Mail. You get the fair idea that the mailer might arrive before or after the specified date. Usually, mailings sent via USPS First-Class Mail take 1-3 business days to reach the intended recipient. However, waiting up to five days is advisable before contacting customer service.

USPS Tracking Not Updating in Transit

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