The USPS is great at keeping us up to date on packages we’ve either sent or are expecting to receive. You receive tracking status updates right up to the point of delivery. Some of them are pretty self-explanatory, while others are a little more obtuse. One that might throw you is the “Arrived at Hub” status update from USPS.
I wasn’t sure what this meant, even after phoning a friend who works at USPS, so I decided to do some research to understand the “Arrived at hub USPS meaning.”
Let’s get started!
Contents
What Does Arrived At Hub Mean At The USPS?
“Arrived at Hub” is a notification to let you know your package has arrived at one of the USPS sorting facilities. This message is to let you know that the parcel is still moving and to update you on how far it has traveled. It is here, at these huge distribution centers, that mail gets sorted based on its final destination.
Now, your item might have arrived at a national hub or a regional hub. If it is a regional hub, it means it’s much closer to you (as it is already in your specific region). However, if it is at a national hub, then it will take longer as it more than likely still needs to get to arrive at your region’s local distribution center. After arriving here, and being sorted and cataloged correctly, it’s placed in the correct geographical zone to be delivered to your door.
The journey isn’t over…
Although this is not the end of its journey or your notifications, as it will endure a few more steps along the way. The United States Postal Service distribution centers usually service several Post Offices in a general region. So, depending on many factors, including the volume of mail traveling through that particular center, your mail might take a few more days or more to reach you.
How Long Until I Receive My Mail After it has “Arrived at Hub”?
How long is a piece of string? As much as we wish there could be more specifics given about when our item will be delivered, we simply cannot.
Unfortunately, with this notification, it just doesn’t work that way. Each item varies in the length of time spent being sorted and transported to your local Post Office. Not to mention when it finally gets loaded onto the delivery trucks and out for delivery.
Mail arrives in masses…
When the update states “Arrived at Hub,” this usually means it has arrived en masse at the USPS mail center. It has still got to go through the sorting process. Factors like the volume of mail being received at that particular point in the day and how many staff are working will determine how quickly your item is sorted. Then there are other factors like the weather and if all the machines are working and the time of day your item arrived!
Another factor is what time of the day your item arrived. A USPS truck will pick up the mail from the hub facility, where it will be delivered to the appropriate Post Office.
Timing is everything!
If it’s later in the day and your geographical area’s mail truck has already left the hub. It might take a further one to two days, depending on how frequently your area is serviced, especially if you live in a daily remote area or it’s over the weekend. Essentially, once a mail item has “Arrived at Hub,” you should receive your package within 36 – 48 hrs, although longer if it’s a weekend.
The Process That Takes Place
Your parcel still has many processes to get through before arriving at your door. It will go through the sorting process and end up in your geographical areas with huge USPS trucks on their way to your local Post Office.
Remember there are likely a few different post offices this one truck will distribute to, so this might take anywhere between 12 – 48 hours to arrive. Once it has arrived at your local Post Office, it will be sorted again before being allocated to the mailman specifically responsible for delivering it to you.
Your next notification…
It is at this point you might be updated with an “Out For Delivery” notification. If all goes well, and your USPS driver is on point with his mail rounds. You can expect to receive your package the same day that you received the “Out For Delivery” update.
How Long Does a Package Stay At A USPS Hub?
Again this is a tough question to give a solid answer to, as the length of time spent at a hub will differ for each parcel. Your item will be unloaded with all pallets of mail, scanned, sorted, categorized, and cataloged all within the USPS hub.
If you sent your package through Priority Mail Express or Priority Mail, then these levels of shipping are prioritized and dealt with first. Whereas parcels sent by First-Class Mail (which is regular mail) are the last to be sorted. So depending on how you sent your mail and how busy the sorting facility is, it could be anywhere from 12 hours to three days. Probably more so over the busy holiday periods as well.
Can I Pick Up My Mail From A USPS Hub?
In a nutshell, no. The USPS hub is a sorting and distribution center, not a Post office. They are solely responsible for getting your mail to the correct Post Office and are not open to the public.
Nor do they have any staff or a customer relations space available to hand you your package. While it may be tempting to think of picking up your package at the hub, especially if it is close to you, pickups are not allowed.
Why Is My Tracking Alert Stuck On “Arrived At Hub”?
If your notification has been stuck for several days, it is possible the hub is experiencing a high volume of post and is backlogged. Usually, this will correct itself after another day or two, but I can understand your frustration.
Examples of what might be causing your parcel delays:
- Technical issues – A machine might have broken down, or something has gone array within the hub facility.
- High Seasonal Volumes – During the holiday season, items getting sent through the post increase exponentially! In the 2021 holiday season, the USPS delivered 13.2 billion packages…
- Staff Shortages – If there aren’t enough staff working to keep up with the volume of mail, it can cause a backlog and means tour item is yet to be sorted.
- Package Missed A Scan – The item may have missed its scan and ended up in the incorrect distribution area. When arriving at the incorrect facility, it will be sent back to the hub. This can add a few days to the delivery time.
- Misplaced Mail – Sometimes, a piece of mail can fall off the pallet or be misplaced within the facility. Once found, it might have been a full 24 hours or longer.
Additional Info About USPS
Take a look at our selection of USPS guides for you, such as Where Can I Drop off USPS Packages, How Much Is A PO Box At USPS, and Can I Use Poly Mailers For USPS, or if you posting official documents, Does USPS Notarize Documents, Does USPS Forward IRS And Other Government Mail, and When Do USPS Trucks Go Out For Delivery?
Secondly, we’ve also covered What Is USPS Liteblue, the difference between USPS Priority Mail Vs First Class, and How Fast IS USPS First Class, as well as What Does Insufficient AddressMean At USPS, what to do when USPS Out For Delivery Never Came, and How Long Does USPS Forward Mail, in 2023?
Lastly, if you’re awaiting a parcel, find out more about What Is USPS Informed Delivery, followed by Does USPS Deliver On Saturdays, Does USPS Have First Class Tracking, and Can You Track A USPS Package Without A Tracking Number?
Final Thoughts
If you have received an “Arrived At Hub” notification, then that means your package has arrived at one of USPS’s distribution centers.
It will still need to be sorted, categorized, and distributed to your local Post Office before it is out for delivery. This step in the mail process might take anywhere from 12 – 48 hours, depending on what class your mail was sent, plus the time of year, among many other factors.
Happy Posting, and I hope your parcel arrives safely!