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SALT LAKE CITY — UPS is experiencing delivery delays across the country, and it isn't even in the holiday crunch-time yet. Instead, inclement weather is the problem.
Some frustrated customers have been waiting weeks for their orders. Tiffany Christenson is still waiting for orders she put in at the end of October and mid November.
"I'm crossing my fingers UPS will come today," she said.
Every day for the past few weeks Christenson has been disappointed every time she's checked her front door step.
"They should have been to me by Nov. 24, 25 at the latest," she explained.
But when she pulls up her tracking order she sees a problem.
"This one says it was delayed at the origin hub and then it was forwarded. Then it says 'out for delivery,'" she said.
Christenson said she's had to cancel shipments, reorder, and upgrade from ground to overnight delivery. She's spent a couple of hundred dollars in shipping alone.
"It's probably about $1,000 worth of stuff," she said.
Inside her overdue eight boxes are costumes, glitter, and makeup kits for little ballerinas. Christenson runs a dance studio and its annual Christmas dance concert is coming quickly. She said she'll find costume replacements but it's not so easy for the gifts each girl is expecting to receive.
"I've already sent notes home saying we're probably going to have to go without," she said.
Christenson isn't the only frustrated customer. A UPS spokesman said the delivery delays are due to the extreme weather across the country.
Large chunks of ice fell onto a car in Texas. Slick roads caused dozens of vehicle to crash in Wisconsin. Even California is facing a second round of snow.
UPS has meteorologists on hand, according to its spokeswoman Susan Rosenberg, tracking weather systems. When storms move in they can make alternate plans.
"It could be rerouting in our road and air networks, using railroads for longer distances," she explained.
Rosenberg also said because Thanksgiving came late this year, there are fewer days to deliver packages. To help with the holiday demand UPS has hired 55,000 seasonal workers.
But customers like Christenson who have a deadline don't want an explanation. She wants her orders.
