You’re expecting a package delivery and your tracking shows that the USPS package arrived in your city and then left again.
Has something gone wrong with the delivery? Has USPS made a mistake?
Let’s take a look…
Summary: USPS Package Arrived in my City Then Left
A common reason for this scenario is that the package was sorted incorrectly at the destination facility and ended up leaving again in the wrong direction. It may also have been miss-sent in the first place, and an out-for-delivery scan triggers an update showing the destination location, when in fact the mail item is in the wrong location.
USPS Package Arrived in my City Then Left – Guide
If the summary above is confusing, more information may be required.
There are two common reasons behind a situation where your tracking shows the item as being close by, only to be told later that the package is in a completely different city.
1. Sorted Incorrectly at Destination Facility
The first is a situation where the package has legitimately made it to a USPS facility in your city.
The physical package has made it! (Strong arm emoji)
Alas, however, during the sorting process inside your local USPS facility, the mail item has ended up being dispatched incorrectly, rather than sorted for final delivery.
The next update you receive is showing that the package has now arrived at a facility further away from your city.
An outcome that is both frustrating and time-consuming as it will cause a delay in the delivery.
- Related Content: Why Did My Package Go Farther Away – USPS Tracking
2. Arrived at the Wrong Facility
Another scenario that can lead you to see your USPS package arrive in your city and then leave again stems from combined tracking anomalies and the item being in the wrong place.
For example, if your package arrives at a facility far outside of your city (could even be in a different state) by error, and is bulk scanned with other items as out for delivery, your package will show as being in the destination facility even though it is miles away.
In short, the out-for-delivery alert will always correspond to the destination location for the package, rather than its actual physical location.
However, it clearly cannot be delivered because it is in the wrong place.
- Related Content: What Does USPS “Reminder to Schedule Redelivery” Mean?
Once USPS is aware of this, it will receive another scan and update (in order to be dispatched to the correct location).
As far as your tracking goes, this will show as an “out for Delivery” alert in your city (when in fact it wasn’t even in the vicinity), followed by an update that shows the actual physical location.
Again, your package will likely be delayed as it makes its way to where it should be.
- Related Content: USPS Package Went Back to Distribution Center
What to do if Your USPS Package is in Your City and then Leaves?
Unfortunately, there is little you can do to mitigate the situation if your tracking shows the package as being close and then far away.
If either of the situations described above has occurred, your package is currently in the wrong place.
However, you can sometimes speed up USPS’s reaction time to the error, by contacting customer services.
Should you not have the nerve to go through that process, the good news is, USPS will know about the situation and will be making efforts to get the shipment back on track.
If, however, no new updates are provided with positive progress, you will need to contact USPS to speed things along.
- Related Content: USPS Package Looping – Why it Happens & What to Do
I’m a 25 year veteran of USPS. I’m retired now, but as the editor of Mailbox Master, I can’t quite remove myself from the carrier industry just yet. 🙂
