OnTrac fallout: Crews called in to deliver delayed packages

OnTrac delivery cars and a freight truck arrived at the warehouse in Redmond on Friday to help clear the backlog of packages spotlighted in a NewsChannel 21 story Thursday evening..

The shipping company told us that additional resources from the OnTrac Vancouver, Washington facility arrived on location Friday morning, to assist with delivery and helping customers with package pickup.

Meanwhile, people continue to share their OnTrac shipping experiences online with KTVZ.

One person said the package tracking information would say that the package would be delivered the next day, but it never arrived.

Andy Niedzwiecke lives in Tumalo, and he was so fed up with OnTrac, he canceled his Amazon Prime subscription.

“If enough people told Amazon they were going to quit Prime or they were dissatisfied, maybe it could get some attention,” he said. “But I guess I’m old school. If I’m paying for something and I’m not getting it, then I’m not going to use that service any more.”.

NewsChannel 21 also reached out to Amazon, Nordstrom’s and REI, companies that use the delivery service. We asked them if they were aware that some of their customers were not receiving their packages, but we didn’t get an immediate response.

OnTrac released an updated statement Friday, which reads:.

“Additional resources from the OnTrac Vancouver facility arrived on location this morning and are assisting with delivery and helping customers with package pickup. Weather permitting, packages will be delivered on Saturday and Sunday as well to help alleviate the backlog. If you would like to pick up your package, please call first. This will allow them to process the request, pull the package and have it waiting for you. The facility is extremely busy and all personnel are focused on getting packages delivered as quickly as possible. Again, if you would like to pick up your package, please call 800-334-5000 to schedule a pickup. -OnTrac Vice President of Public Relations and Marketing Laura Peterson

Many people were playing the waiting game on Thursday, hoping to receive their packages by OnTrac shipping.

A businessman in Bend contacted NewsChannel 21 Wednesday about a warehouse in Redmond where hundreds of packages were sitting undelivered, including his shipments.

OnTrac has a warehouse in Vancouver, Washington, and hired a subcontractor to help deliver packages in the Central Oregon area.

Medical supplies, food and hundreds of Amazon packages were sitting in a warehouse in Redmond, while customers pondered what happened to their orders.

Clark Curtis works for the subcontractor and was working Thursday on getting packages delivered. Curtis told NewsChannel 21 that there are seven drivers helping with the backlog of shipping

“We had a lot of people quit right at the Christmas season,” Curtis said. “They were unhappy with the level of commitment this time of year.”

Dale Rasmussen said he was expecting a package to be delivered last Wednesday, so he decided to start looking for his order at the warehouse in Redmond.

Many people chimed in on a post on the station’s Facebook page, saying they’d received emails from OnTrac telling them their packages were lost in transit or the tracking information was not accurate.

Curtis said he understands people are upset and he doesn’t take it personally and tries to explain the situation.

OnTrac sent NewsChannel 21 a statement Thursday about the situation. It reads:

“Severe weather delays throughout the Northwest region are impacting OnTrac services in Oregon. We are working to ensure the safety of OnTrac employees and vendors. Due to road closures, packages are not arriving to customers in the quick and efficient manner that OnTrac is known for. We are aware of these issues and are making every effort to minimize the impact to our customers.

“Currently, the OnTrac facility in Vancouver, Washington is sending additional resources to help reduce the backlog in shipments. Our goal is to make sure that the packages we received first are the first ones delivered. The backlog will take up to a week to clear. If you prefer to schedule a pick-up time at the Redmond location, please call 800-334-5000 to speak to an OnTrac representative.

“As storms and conditions continue to improve, we are committed to returning to our quick and efficient service for the area.- OnTrac Vice President of Public Relations and Marketing Laura Peterson.