The does it again thing was this:
I had a package containing 1,000 rounds of ammunition delivered to my apartment by FedEx today, it was marked with the required marking used for ammo. I was waiting at home for it and preparing something in my kitchen when it was delivered. If not for my WADAS (Woofing Alert Delivery Alarm System - my dog) suddenly barking loudly, I would not have known the package had been delivered unless I opened my door to go outside and then possibly would have tripped over it as it was on my doorstep. Well, when I opened the door, I caught the FedEx driver getting into his truck and asked why he had not rung my doorbell or at least knocked on my door among other things like getting my signature which I had wrongly thought was required on this package (I confused it with another one). He apparently got angry and replied that if I want a delivery wherein someone knocks on my door, I should use UPS. I got pissed off and cursed him out and regret I did so but that does not make his failure to alert me to the delivery any less serious, especially with the current amount of package thefts that is ongoing in the USA. So, I am going to take his advice. In the future, unless there is an urgent need for me to get something and FedEx is the only available shipper, any purchases I make online will be restricted to companies who do not use FedEx for shipping but who instead use UPS or the USPS as appropriate for whatever I am buying. Today, I made an official complaint against the driver.
That is my first official complaint with FedEx as best I can remember but it is not the first time a FedEx driver has failed to ring my bell or knock on my door. On the other hand, UPS and USPS drivers almost always knock or ring, it is rare that they do not, to let me know my package has arrived and to place it in my hand. They also do it with a smile on their faces. I do not often get packages delivered by FedEx but this is about the fifth or sixth time they have not even used the minimal amount of energy nor had enough respect for a me, the package recipient, to ring my bell. Five or six times of this, as best I can recall, amounts to the great majority of FedEx deliveries to me over the past year and few months at my current address, so it seems to me they have failed the majority of times. As I said it is not the first time they have done this but it is the first time one has told me to have my packages shipped via UPS and thus the first time I made an official complaint.
In fact, I wrote a post about delivery companies last year when it seemed UPS employees were going to strike. I mentioned in that post my dissatisfaction with FedEx for much the same reasons. This is what I wrote about Fed Ex deliveries back then (source):
"I shudder to think though that if they do strike and I need to order something that usually is shipped via UPS - it may wind up being shipped by FedEx. At least in my personal experience, FedEx damages packages more often than UPS. Luckily the damage usually only has been to the shipping box. My local FedEx delivery folks also rarely ring my bell or knock on my door when delivering to me but instead just leave the item on my doorstep; luckily I don't recall anything going missing (as in being stolen) when they've done that. On the other hand, UPS delivery personnel almost always knock on my door and or ring the bell, it is a rare delivery when they do not.
"Yes the photo is part of the quote.
As I said, it is FedEx drivers who usually do not knock or ring my doorbell and just stealthily leave packages on my doorstep; the UPS and USPS folks have a lot better delivery etiquette and good manners and are usually very polite as well. In my opinion, FedEx is the worst possible choice anyone could make to ship a package. I wholeheartedly believe UPS and the USPS put them to shame.
