>Sorry, worked in this industry, and I have to defend UPS and FedEx here.
>The reason they have to charge brokerage is because they're not government
>agencies, and don't have quite as streamlined a process as the postal
>service.  In a way, the government agency you are touting is the reason that
>FedEx and UPS have to charge higher fees.
>
>Also, FedEx and UPS offer insurance and trackability, so you can always find
>your Vanagon parts (RVC) when they get lost.  FedEx and UPS are two of the
>most reliable common carriers on the planet, and you get what you pay for
>99.9% of the time.

UPS has a well-known reputation for smashing items they carry.
They're not known as Universal Parcel Smashers for nothing.

One listee I bought some items from (he'll be reading this) told me
he thought UPS was a decent outfit and had used them before. He was
shocked when he went to the UPS depot to hand my items over, and saw
some UPS driver THROWING packages into the back of his truck. And I
am on Macintosh lists and have heard quite a few firsthand stories of
destroyed computers being delivered by UPS, as well as others saying
to avoid these characters like the plague.

UPS & their agents' handling fees to New Zealand are horrific too...
far worse than Canadians'! And there is no difference whether it's
expedited or not, you still pay, nasal hairs and all.
--
Andrew Grebneff
165 Evans St, Dunedin 9001, New Zealand
<andrew.grebneff@stonebow.otago.ac.nz>
Seashell, Macintosh, VW/Toyota van nut