Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
Went to mail my Blackstone oil sample off. Used the Blackstone Labs mailer, and it was very clean looking.
Went to Post office #1 (Hawthorne, Calif. ) and the clerk asked me what was in it. I told her it was an oil sample to send to the lab for analysis. She said that it was a hazardous material, and they couldnt accept it. I told her that it was double-sealed, and this is the shipping container that is used across the country to mail samples. She took it in the back to have her mgr make a decision. Mgr came out and said no.
I told her this is an official mailer. She told me that if it was punctured, it would leak oil all over the mail. I asked her about how does valvoline, or any major oil company ship oil? In a box full of plastic bottles, basically the same problem with those, only on a bigger scale. I told her this is the mailer that the lab supplies for mailing through the US Post Office. They probably receive hundreds of them a week from the Post office. She didnt buy it. I was polite, & told her no prob, Ill just go to another Post Office & mail it.
Post Office #2. I figured she was basically being overcautious due to our recent situation, and I'd have no problem at this one. Ended up getting the same refusal to accept the container.
If you guys saw this container, you would see it was very clean, and didnt look like its going to leak, and I dont think I looked like "The Mad Bomber" wearing fairly professional clothing.
Funny thing was one of my mgrs was in the line after me, and commented that he didnt think they would accept it either. hmmmm. I told him that there's businesses that rely on these containers to provide the service, and he said that they are gonna have to adapt to changing times.
At that point, was feeling like I was on the wrong side of the battle. He wanted to know why would I send in an oil sample, instead of just change the oil? Did I have some unusual condition? My reply was , uhhh errr, well, ya see... & explained the extended drain interval thing, & so on, but he thought I was reeeeaaaally getting into this oil thing pretty heavy.
If I get a chance, maybe Ill call Blackstone & suggest that they add some wording to the label indicating that the conatiner is "approved" for shipping.
Was just wondering if this has happened to anyone else. . yet?
Went to Post office #1 (Hawthorne, Calif. ) and the clerk asked me what was in it. I told her it was an oil sample to send to the lab for analysis. She said that it was a hazardous material, and they couldnt accept it. I told her that it was double-sealed, and this is the shipping container that is used across the country to mail samples. She took it in the back to have her mgr make a decision. Mgr came out and said no.
I told her this is an official mailer. She told me that if it was punctured, it would leak oil all over the mail. I asked her about how does valvoline, or any major oil company ship oil? In a box full of plastic bottles, basically the same problem with those, only on a bigger scale. I told her this is the mailer that the lab supplies for mailing through the US Post Office. They probably receive hundreds of them a week from the Post office. She didnt buy it. I was polite, & told her no prob, Ill just go to another Post Office & mail it.
Post Office #2. I figured she was basically being overcautious due to our recent situation, and I'd have no problem at this one. Ended up getting the same refusal to accept the container.
If you guys saw this container, you would see it was very clean, and didnt look like its going to leak, and I dont think I looked like "The Mad Bomber" wearing fairly professional clothing.
Funny thing was one of my mgrs was in the line after me, and commented that he didnt think they would accept it either. hmmmm. I told him that there's businesses that rely on these containers to provide the service, and he said that they are gonna have to adapt to changing times.
At that point, was feeling like I was on the wrong side of the battle. He wanted to know why would I send in an oil sample, instead of just change the oil? Did I have some unusual condition? My reply was , uhhh errr, well, ya see... & explained the extended drain interval thing, & so on, but he thought I was reeeeaaaally getting into this oil thing pretty heavy.
If I get a chance, maybe Ill call Blackstone & suggest that they add some wording to the label indicating that the conatiner is "approved" for shipping.
Was just wondering if this has happened to anyone else. . yet?
Does the outside label state anywhere that it is oil? If not, lie!!
. Next thing will be a hazardous material charge, like the ones they place on primers or gunpowder, for shipping 
