By Connie Leinbach
Thousands of UPS packages bound for Ocracoke residents and businesses are awaiting delivery while NC 12 remains closed between the Basnight Bridge and Rodanthe.
According to sources on Ocracoke, UPS has not authorized its drivers to reach the island via the Swan Quarter ferry and stay overnight—even if residents cover their lodging and meals.
Repeated calls to the UPS customer service number yielded no media relations department to respond to discuss this matter.
According to Ocracoke Postmaster Celeste Brooks, there are thousands of packages awaiting delivery.
“They could have sent four trucks on Thursday,” Brooks said in an interview about the volume. It’s not just packages, documents, food, medicines. There’s a lot of stuff. It doesn’t matter what the mail is; it’s all important. (The Berkley Manor Events) had linens for the wedding this weekend. Stuff for the Halloween carnival still sitting. There’s medicines, food boxes. ”
Brooks, too, has called and was able to talk to someone in corporate, who said no because of liability.
“I had obtained lodging free of charge for (one of the drivers),” she said. “Three places offered him lodging. I had a benefactor willing to pay the Swan Quarter ferry fee because they have to pay. I had meals covered. They shot it down. They have no desire to go above and beyond to make this happen; there’s a way to make this happen.”
Friday (Oct. 16), was the last day UPS ground was on the island, she said.
In the meantime, Brooks has scheduled USPS regular mail to come through via the Swan Quarter ferry through Oct. 31.
And, in the meantime, FedEx ground, operated locally by Dave Quidley, who lives on Hatteras Island, said on Friday that he brought over express packages from both FedEx and UPS.
Working round the clock, he said he is delivering express mail Friday and will bring the regular ground packages on Saturday.
FedEx Ground had three tractor trailer trucks at Stumpy Point at 6 a.m. this morning, which were going to him, but there was so much traffic that early in the morning that only two trucks could get on, he said.
“David has been here every day since the ferry at Hatteras began running,” Brooks said.
Modified ferry service between Ocracoke and Hatteras began on Wednesday.
Gov. Josh Stein on Thursday declared a state of emergency, which will help secure federal funding from the Federal Highway Administration to repair NC12 and find a long-term solution.
Randal Mathews, Ocracoke’s Hyde County commissioner, said on Facebook that the state of emergencies declared by Stein and Dare County do not supersede reservations on the Swan Quarter because Hyde is not under an evacuation order.
A second coastal storm on Oct. 16 caused additional damage to NC 12 on Hatteras Island and again suspended ferry service. Dare County declared a local state of emergency on Sept. 26, and again on Oct. 16, and ordered the evacuation of Hatteras Island.
For updated ferry information, click here.
