subject: What Does "stuck In Transit" Mean? [print this page] Checking the status compulsively of a courier shipment is something that most people are unable to help themselves from doing. Usually, when you log on to the website of your San Jose courier service and check the status of your shipment, you'll see that it is either exactly where it was the last time you checked, or that it has arrived at the next terminal. You might see more precise locations if you are using a courier service that uses GPS tracking, but in nine out of ten situations you won't see anything out of the ordinary. However, this can all change in a second and you might see a courier company update your shipping status with something like "stuck in transit". However, there might not be an explanation right on the site about what a status like that means, and as such, you could immediately begin to panic regarding the status of your shipment.
Stuck in transit is a very broad shipping status, and could mean that any number of things have happened to your package. The important thing to realize though is that this means that your package is no longer progressing to your destination, and until you talk to your courier company it will be impossible to know how long it might stay in that state. The best thing to do if you see a status like this on your shipment without any further explanation is to contact your courier directly. They will be able to tell you what the status is describing and what the situation is with your package. This could represent a large number of different potential situations. Flat tires and traffic accidents are common causes for packages in a shipment to be put on "Stuck in Transit" status, and usually don't take too long to resolve. However, this could also indicate that there has been a problem at a border crossing or customs, which could cause a minor halt or kink in the shipping process.
Once you get a hold of your courier you should have a better idea of how long your package is going to be stuck in transit. This is good because it gives you the opportunity to get in touch with your clients or customers to let them know that their package is going to be late; providing them with the best possible customer service under the circumstances.
