News : \'In transit:\' Post office getting calls from customers of competitor

Several local residents report that when they look at a Fed Ex packing tracking shipping status on their computer, the page seems to indicate that the package information has been sent to the United States Postal Service. However, the USPS does not yet have the package, or any information.

The Vinton post office has received several calls, but only from Fed Ex customers. Local employees of the U.S. Postal Service are not authorized to speak to the media.

A USPS media spokesperson explained that the phrase "in stansit" indicates that the USPS has not yet received a package.

"There are a number of places where FedEx uses the Postal Service to deliver packages the last mile. They bring us the packages and we deliver them to the customers. However, this label says it’s 'in transit' which means the Postal Service hadn’t yet received it. When the Postal Service accepts the packages, a postal employee scans the barcode and the customer can begin tracking from our side," says Sue Brennan of the USPS public relations office.

Anyone who has a package that is not yet delivered should contact the company which picked up the item to deliver it.