# How does one get an address entered into GPS systems and the USPS database?



## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

I recently moved into a newly constructed home in a newly constructed subdivision. My address is not in the USPS database (yet the USPS delivers mail here with no problem) at all, and it's not showing up in any GPS system, including Google Maps. This causes a problem, because companies from pizza deliveries to my credit card companies show my address as "not valid." I have to pick up local things, as delivery won't work, and my credit cards I couldn't update online; I had to call them in. I've mentioned this to the builder, but they said it's out of their hands.

Is there anything I can do to get this resolved?


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## Mark Holtz (Mar 23, 2002)

How to Report a Mapping Problem Affecting GPS Devices, Apps, and Maps. Be aware that it can take a year for a map update to process.


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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

Unfortunately as the link above states, is up to each mapping company to update their own software, is not the government's job. Fortunately, smartphones makes this easy to report. For iOS you can shake the device while using the app to trigger the the "form" to submit changes request to the developers. This works for Apple and Google Maps as long as the shake feature has not been disabled. 


Sent from my iPad Pro using Tapatalk


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## trh (Nov 3, 2007)

Mark Holtz said:


> Be aware that it can take a year for a map update to process.


If it takes less time, you're doing good.

I have a friend who owned a restaurant and even though he had a USPS issued mailing address, the address didn't exists in any mapping software. He was told frequently by customers their smart phone or GPS said the address didn't exist. He spent a lot of time getting his business address listed in the databases. He added a large map with directions on how to get to his business and even the Lat/Long so you so you could navigate there w/o an address.

It took him about 1.5 years to get his address to show up.

Good luck LV.


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## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

1.5 years, huh? Well, maybe that means the Feds, Collection Agencies, lawyers, and other law enforcement related types won't be able to find me. I'm finally off the grid!


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Lord Vader said:


> 1.5 years, huh? Well, maybe that means the Feds, Collection Agencies, lawyers, and other law enforcement related types won't be able to find me. I'm finally off the grid!


The post office found you (even if they are not sharing the address) ... so you're not completely hidden.


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## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

But with the incompetence of the USPS, I'm probably safe. :rotfl:


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## KyL416 (Nov 11, 2005)

You could also try complaining to the companies you're trying to order from. When they renumbered our county, it took over a year for the databases to be updated, so Dominos and others ended up giving me gift cards after I complained about their records being outdated. They also managed to fix it on their end before Google Maps got around to fixing it.


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## tsmacro (Apr 28, 2005)

So delivery companies are incapable of just taking directions from you and then driving there? That's pretty sad if they can't figure out how to deliver something w/out GPS.


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## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

I agree. Some have been cooperative, while others have not.


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## Cholly (Mar 22, 2004)

tsmacro said:


> So delivery companies are incapable of just taking directions from you and then driving there? That's pretty sad if they can't figure out how to deliver something w/out GPS.


Many people are incapable of following written or verbal instructions as to how to find a given address, relying instead on a GPS. If the GPS info isn't up to date, they are lost. I have relatives who can'tread maps and don't know street names despite living in the area for 20 yars or more. They rely on their GPS, which may indeed be several years out of date.


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## dennisj00 (Sep 27, 2007)

My sister had a teacher's assistant that didn't show up for several days. When she did, her excuse was 'the city had the road blocked for water/sewer repair and she didn't know a different way to get to school.'


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## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

I'm old enough to remember using Rand McNally's road maps, including those rectangular ones that unfolded into a huge poster-like map. When I teach World Geography, I discuss the importance of the types and parts of a map. Most of my students are dismissive, saying, "Just use GPS."

These kids would never have survived the pre-electricity days.


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## Mark Holtz (Mar 23, 2002)

Google had a "Google Map Maker" but inaccurate information showed up. I was driving from a friend's house to work one night, and had the GPS on for time estimate only as I know the route by heart. When I approached US-50, the GPS said to go onto US-30. Wait... WHAT? US-30 never went into California, and it's the closest relative, US-40, is now Interstate 80. Yup, bad info.



Lord Vader said:


> I'm old enough to remember using Rand McNally's road maps, including those rectangular ones that unfolded into a huge poster-like map. When I teach World Geography, I discuss the importance of the types and parts of a map. Most of my students are dismissive, saying, "Just use GPS."


So, what are they going to do when the GPS malfunctions or the battery dies? Or.. the ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE.


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## Mark Holtz (Mar 23, 2002)

Mark Holtz said:


> How to Report a Mapping Problem Affecting GPS Devices, Apps, and Maps. Be aware that it can take a year for a map update to process.


In Sacramento, the Lincoln bypass was opened in October, 2012, but my Garmin didn't get the update until the following summer. Google has the update earlier.


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## âêîôû 1 (Feb 17, 2015)

Interestingly, not having a valid USPS address affects eligibility to open a DirecTV account.
I've had DirecTV continuously since 09/94.
For the first 10 years, my account was through Pegasus, the DirecTV contracted "rural" carrier, before those accounts were consolidated into DirecTV in 2005, which is my official customer inception date according to DirecTV.
Not uncommon to rural addresses, especially back then, is nonexistence as far as the USPS is concerned.
As of today, my address is still nonexistent.
I've got some pretty antiquated equipment...
(1) HR22 w/ AM21
(6) HR21's w/AM21's
(2) HR20's [single tuner on each used for PIP and connected to Slingbox 500 and Monsoon Vulkano placeshifters]
on Slimline 5LNB / attic OTA to attic installed external dual SWM8's on an E2 expander
with OTA diplexed on all coaxes [All boxes Ethernet]
which have replaced drop shipped equipment over the years dating back to the 1st generation RCA's.
I've installed and aligned every component / dish I've ever had.
I have never had an installer visit...
because I haven't needed it...
because even though visit(s) were scheduled (and the fee waived) to deliver an HR24...
and now a Genie, which DirecTV refuses to drop ship,
the installers never showed up.
The order would be cancelled by the system because of the nonexistent address...
I've been told by DirecTV that if I were to try to signup for an account today, I would not be able to because of the address issue.
I still get contacted by DirecTV about upgrading...
which they are more interested in doing than I am.
I tell them if they will drop ship the unit, then I will upgrade, otherwise I'll pass.


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## mrknowitall526 (Nov 19, 2014)

Mark Holtz said:


> In Sacramento, the Lincoln bypass was opened in October, 2012, but my Garmin didn't get the update until the following summer. Google has the update earlier.


Near Allentown, PA, US 222 had a bypass built in the middle of corn fields. The GPS used to think you were driving off road until it got updated!

Sent from my 2PS64 using Tapatalk


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## mrknowitall526 (Nov 19, 2014)

Lord Vader said:


> I'm old enough to remember using Rand McNally's road maps, including those rectangular ones that unfolded into a huge poster-like map. When I teach World Geography, I discuss the importance of the types and parts of a map. Most of my students are dismissive, saying, "Just use GPS."
> 
> These kids would never have survived the pre-electricity days.


I'll second you on that. I'm only 29 and teach high school math ... so many students rely on calculators to do basic arithmetic. With state tests and all that, we don't have time to reach arithmetic facts and let them use them. I've discussed with many colleagues and we've come to the conclusion that they need to learn to be successful, so they should have the tools they need to get around the skills they don't know. Totally not ideal, but that's the world we live in.

I remember drawing a freehand map of the state of PA on the board a few years ago, and many students were amazed that I knew the shape. I then asked if they could locate our city on the map. You can guess what happened.

Sent from my 2PS64 using Tapatalk


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

> Totally not ideal, but that's the world we live in.


I suppose math teachers don't necessarily need to know how to
calculate grammar, or do they? That's the world in which we live.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Nick said:


> I suppose math teachers don't necessarily need to know how to
> calculate grammar, or do they? That's the world in which we live.


They may not ever need to diagram a sentence ... but they should be able to spell, read and write at a level befitting their position and education (usually Bachelor or Master Degree).

Basic Math: If someone gives you a $5 bill, a dime and a penny to pay $4.61 one should be able to make change without a calculator (usually two quarters).

Basic English: The math teacher should be able to convey the mathematical concepts he or she is paid to instruct though clear language without stumbling through the grammar.

Basic History: Everybody should know who the old dude in a wig is on the quarter.

Basic Geography: One should be able to find the US on a globe or world map, their state on a US map, and where they live on a state map.


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

When the Earth experiences a significant Solar Event like the 1859 Carrington Event, among the things that would happen *described by National Geographic* include:



> Of particular concern are disruptions to global positioning systems (GPS), which have become ubiquitous in cell phones, airplanes, and automobiles, Baker said.


The problem is something like that could happen next month or not for two centuries. The idea that someone whose job/business requires him/her to find a location along a road cannot do so without a GPS boggles the mind. Of course I'm old and we didn't have any GPS systems on our horse or the wagon he was pulling. :sure:


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## billsharpe (Jan 25, 2007)

The army taught me map reading back in the early 50's, probably the most useful information I got from them. I have yet to use GPS directly although I will look for and sometimes print directions from Google Maps.

Google thinks I live on the alley behind my house. That's OK; my garage opens on the alley, not the street. Until recently Google's street view showed my garage rather than the front of my house.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

phrelin said:


> When the Earth experiences a significant Solar Event like the 1859 Carrington Event, among the things that would happen *described by National Geographic* include:
> 
> The problem is something like that could happen next month or not for two centuries. The idea that someone whose job/business requires him/her to find a location along a road cannot do so without a GPS boggles the mind. Of course I'm old and we didn't have any GPS systems on our horse or the wagon he was pulling. :sure:


Whenever I put an address I haven't been to into a gps I then scan the map on the gps like I would a Thomas guide and see what the route is. It boggles my mind when people can't even look at a map and read it properly.

Of course there are always people like my mom too. She has to have the map pointed the way she's going if she's giving my dad directions on a vacation. Dad always asks if I want to go with them. 

Now their cars have gps but that can still be difficult if you are in a big city you don't know. I get some funny phone calls that start with "do you know what the gps did today?"


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## Mark Holtz (Mar 23, 2002)

From Google Maps Blog:

*More ways to share your street smarts in Google Maps*


> Each day, we make million of updates to Google Maps throughout the world. But it's still not enough to ensure that every single restaurant, shop or landmark worldwide has the most accurate information possible. That's why we've been rolling out new, easy ways for you to help keep the neighborhoods and places where you hang out up-to-date.


FULL ARTICLE HERE


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Lord Vader said:


> But with the incompetence of the USPS, I'm probably safe. :rotfl:


I wonder if you realize the irony in that statement... considering it appears only the USPS is correctly finding your house on a regular basis.

Years ago, when I moved into a new home... I had a couple of credit card companies and UPS (not USPS) keep changing my address back to my old address and trying to deliver things to me there. I had to make several angry calls telling them to quit doing that before it stopped.

The GPS software is a horse of a different color... once your address is properly in the "master database" they should all be picking up regular updates from that... it's nobody's fault but their own for not having their software up to date. That said, it is sad that people are not able to improvise for new addresses not in their system. Pre GPS things like the pizza delivery guy would just have to go out there, map or not, and find the place... how is it that people lost the ability to navigate without GPS?


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## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

That's a very good question, Stewart!


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Heck... I'll go a step farther... I don't use my GPS programs for navigation. The turn-by-turn stuff is cute, but I rarely use that. I like to look a place up and make use of their maps... I plot my own course, and then head out to find a place. I don't let the GPS tell me how to get there most of the time. A few times, the GPS was telling me to take turns that would have taken me away from a place too... like one time I was literally across the street from a place that all I had to do was cross the intersection going straight and be in the parking lot... and the GPS was telling me to turn left!


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## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

This is getting ridiculous! Whenever UPS has a substitute driver, my packages end up being returned to the UPS hub as "undeliverable." Whenever Amazon uses its own delivery service, their courier, the packages are returned as "undeliverable--incorrect address." I've had 4 of 6 packages returned in the last 5 days! I keep trying to tell Amazon what's going on. (I've got two packages scheduled for tomorrow that are supposed to be delivered via Amazon's courier.) I keep calling UPS and telling them what's going on--they use a sub driver at least once a week, and if that happens to be a day on which I'm scheduled for a package delivery, from anyone, it doesn't get delivered. Even FedEx Home Delivery, which was the first service to actually get it right and deliver to my place months ago, screwed up a few days ago when their driver simply was too darn lazy to even try. (I have SkyBell HD, which alerts me to any motion detection or doorbell press, and the day FedEx claimed the driver "attempted delivery but there was no answer at the residence," I caught them in a lie, because [a] I was home that day, and * no one came close to the door. It turns out that FedEx admitted the driver was out late, couldn't find the house, and decided to return to the hub with "several packages as yet undelivered.")

How DID these people operate BEFORE the days of GPS and satellite? Jeez!*


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## trh (Nov 3, 2007)

Same way they are operating now. They memorize the streets in their areas. New streets or substitute drivers don't know the area.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

trh said:


> Same way they are operating now. They memorize the streets in their areas. New streets or substitute drivers don't know the area.


According to other threads and package delivery driver websites, FedEx and UPS do not use GPS for directions. They use GPS for tracking (making sure their drivers are on route and in motion). That brings us back to the true source of the problem ... not the GPS but the maps. Bad maps do not have to be on a GPS.


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## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

OK, that's understandable. However, the address is in the USPS master database and has been for a while. So why then do some drivers deliver but others not even try? That would seem to indicate there are some stupid, or lazy, drivers out there.


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

Lord Vader said:


> That would seem to indicate there are some stupid, or lazy, drivers out there.


Gee, that's awfully judgemental about hardworking Americans ...



Lord Vader said:


> Whenever UPS has a substitute driver, my packages end up being returned to the UPS hub as "undeliverable." Whenever Amazon uses its own delivery service...


... oh, that's right, we're talking about a particular industry and temporary/part-time employee and/or independent contractor subgroups.


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## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

You shouldn't infer that which is not implied.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Lord Vader said:


> You shouldn't infer that which is not implied.





Lord Vader said:


> That would seem to indicate there are some stupid, or lazy, drivers out there.


That personal attack is not inferred or implied ... it is clearly stated.


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## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

There are clearly some stupid or lazy drivers out there. In fact, last week, I received a call from a UPS supervisor, who said that the driver on my route became overloaded with packages and because the time ran late, he decided to not deliver his remaining stock and instead chose to return to the hub with over a dozen undelivered packages. The supervisor apologized to me and told me that is unacceptable UPS policy, and that drivers are to remain out until the last package is delivered or attempted. The woman even told me, "There is no place at UPS for drivers who fail to do their job."


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Yeah... preaching to the choir here about UPS. I've railed on every forum I've ever been a member about poor UPS service.

I've had the "undeliverable" thing multiple times in the past... one time I got a package one day BUT the day before, they returned it saying the address didn't exist! They didn't even try calling my phone number which was on the package to call in case of delivery issues.

One week I had a package go missing. UPS swore it was delivered... but I didn't have it. The same driver came by the house the next day with a different package... took one look at me and my house and matter of factly said to me that he delivered the package yesterday but he didn't deliver it here. I gave him credit for at least rectifying his mistake and owning up to it.

One time, UPS put a package in someone else's garage a few streets over. Not a family that I knew. UPS called me to say they had located the package and that I should go get it. I said, really? *I* should go into the garage of someone else to get my package that you put there incorrectly? Sorry, no, you should go get that package and bring it to me OR pay to have it replaced. The garage in question was closed incidentally. Obviously it had been open the day before when the UPS driver had put the box there, but it was closed the next day. It's one thing for me to go pick up a box in an open area that has my address on it... quite another to open someone else's garage!

More often than not, they would just lose them... never found out where they went... and have to get replacements. It got SO bad I told them to hold all my packages and call me so that I could pick them up at the local hub. So, they would call... I'd go a few hours later when I was off work, and every time it was the same routine. I go into the hub, tell them I was there to get a package. They would say "who told you to come here" and I would say "you did" and they would fumble around... then tell me I had to go across the street to the warehouse. So, I'd go to the warehouse, and the guard there would say "who told you to come here" and I would say "the people over there did" and they would fumble around for a while. One day they lost my boxes inside the warehouse in just those couple of hours since they had called me!

UPS used to leave boxes in cars outside and not tell us... then they would leave them in neighbor's cars and not tell us OR them... my father once got a box from a neighbor that had been there for months apparently! One day, my mother was expecting something... a woman called and said she had our package. This woman, from another neighborhood drove over and gave us the package. I called UPS and asked them where our package was. They said it was delivered. I said "to where" and they couldn't tell me. Of course I knew, because I had it in hand... and I told them as much... but the end of that call was UPS saying to me "why do you use our service if we are so unreliable?" And I said that I don't... not when I have the choice. Sometimes other people give me no choice, but when I choose I choose anything else but UPS.

Oh, and the best story goes along with your last post here... We lived for a while on a street that was disconnected. What I mean is, it went up to a fence and "ended" at the 4000 block... but immediately on the other side of the fence the street began again and numbers continued until the road ended at our house on the 7000 block. It was two neighboring subdivisions owned by different developers and one of them built the fence and never allowed the road to connect. Years later someone finally fixed that and connected the two ends of the street... but prior to that, the last house on the other side of the fence used to frequently get packages for people in our neighborhood because the UPS driver was too lazy to drive around to the other end and come into our subdivision for some reason.


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## Mark Holtz (Mar 23, 2002)

In regards to UPS/FedEx.... for my area, I've found it interesting that they treat business deliveries better than residential deliveries. Dunno why, maybe because the stops are farther apart and less packages per stop for residential verses a business. This, is, of course, a pain if you are running a business out of your own home. Now, if I worked days, I would be getting my package during the day at work around 1 PM. (sigh) At home, packages would be received around 6 PM... when I'm at work. 

Just extremely recently, the Safeway stores in my area added Amazon Lockers, so I can pick up packages there on a weekend if needed. The two closest stores are five minutes away. Of course, Amazon lists the lockers as being open 24 hours.... but they are NOT!


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

Speaking of GPS maps getting updated -

There is a local highway (US401) that previously went through the town of Rolesville. Over a year ago - a bypass around the town was completed. Last night - the bypass FINALLY showed up in both of our Garmins (I do regularly update mine - with Lifetime maps it's foolish not to).

The wife and me both regularly use our GPS's - as a backup / route finder. when we take a road trip - we spend time with online maps / road atlases (and they get replaced every 2-4 years too), and print out maps / directions.


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## trh (Nov 3, 2007)

I'm guessing if you looked at UPS or FEDEX revenues, you'll find that the majority comes from businesses. So why not treat them differently?

Doesn't mean you have to treat residential customers bad though. I've never had a mis/un-delivered package from either UPS of Fedex. 

However, our local UPS store is different. I recently had a return going out and the RMA I received (Newegg, I think), had a tracking #. It was 4 days before the package I delivered to the local store (on a Monday) was actually picked up by UPS. Not sure if that was a failure of the UPS store or UPS.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Mark Holtz said:


> In regards to UPS/FedEx.... for my area, I've found it interesting that they treat business deliveries better than residential deliveries. Dunno why, maybe because the stops are farther apart and less packages per stop for residential verses a business.


Businesses pay the bills. The shipping company's customer is usually a business. And until they provide such poor service to residential customers that the business changes carriers the shipping company can get away with some poor service.

I'd like to see more retail businesses offer end customers the choice between UPS, USPS and FedEx so the end customer who knows how well each delivers in their area can make an informed choice. In my area FedEx is the shipper I would avoid ... UPS is better and USPS is best. A couple hundred miles away from me UPS is worst and FedEx is better. That sort of local knowledge is hard to track for a national retailer.

The larger retailers sign contracts with shippers where they get volume discounts. The more packages sent out on one carrier the cheaper the rest of the packages are to send. If they split their shipments up between UPS and FedEx it would cost more than if they sent everything to one carrier (not to mention the internal processing to make sure the shipments got on the right truck). So even if a major shipper is having problems with UPS in one area and FedEx in another it is cheaper not to pick and choose carriers on an individual package basis.


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