Contract change clogs Norwegian parcel post

Packages sent through the US Postal Service (USPS) for years have been handled by the Norwegian postal service (Posten Norge). Not any more. As of January 1, the USPS contracted with a private company, General Parcel, to handle its parcel post to Europe.
A few packages are still coming through the local post, but more and more will now be handled through General Parcel and its local agent in Norway, Nor-Cargo Pakke-Trans.

That means recipients in Oslo, for example, have begun getting delivery notices that potentially involve a trip to Nor-Cargo Pakke-Trans’ terminal in Groruddalen. Not exactly as convenient as a trip to your local post office to pick up that birthday present from an auntie in America.

A spokeswoman for Nor-Cargo told Aftenposten Multimedia that all packages from the US to Europe now are sent first to a General Parcel receiving station in Germany. From there, the packages are routed to their country of destination.

The problem is that, although packages often arrive in Germany quickly, it can take weeks before they’re sent on to, for example, Norway. That means the sender who paid so-called “air mail” rates at his United State post office isn’t getting what he or she paid for.

Moreover, Nor-Cargo Pakke-Trans doesn’t disclose on its delivery notice that delivery to the recipient’s home or office can indeed be arranged, thus eliminating the need for a trip to Groruddalen. Rather, the notice states an ominous warning that if the package isn’t picked up at the Groruddalen terminal within 20 days, it will be returned to its sender.

Home or office delivery is possible, but it involves a fairly long wait on Nor-Cargo Pakke-Trans’ customer service telephone line to arrange, and another few days before the package finally arrives. Anxious recipients are advised via a recording to rather send an e-mail (to “[email protected]”) or consult Nor-Cargo’s web site.

One customer service representative at Pakke-Trans apologized for the delays and inconvenience, admitting to “teething trouble” with the new contract and conceding that Nor-Cargo Pakke-Trans needs to improve its systems with General Parcel.

In the meantime, Nor-Cargo Pakke-Trans is bracing for more customer complaints. “We know,” sighed Aina at customer service, who didn’t give her last name. “We have to sharpen up.”