I'm expecting a package today that I ordered with USPS shipping, and it has actually had useful tracking info throughout the process. And it's "only" first-class mail (albeit with Delivery Confirmation).

Originally Posted By: USPS
Label/Receipt Number: 9101 1480 0860 0686 8396 53
Scheduled for Delivery: Wednesday, April 07, 2010
Class: First-Class Mail®
Service(s): Delivery Confirmation™
Status: Sorting Complete

All sorting has been completed at the delivery unit for today's deliveries at 9:25 AM on April 7, 2010 in RALEIGH, NC, 27609.

Detailed Results:
  • Out for Delivery or Available at PO Box, April 07, 2010, 9:55 am, RALEIGH, NC 27609
  • Sorting Complete, April 07, 2010, 9:25 am, RALEIGH, NC 27609
  • Arrival at Post Office, April 07, 2010, 7:38 am, RALEIGH, NC 27609
  • Processed through Sort Facility, April 05, 2010, 11:10 pm, NORTH HOUSTON, TX 77315
  • Electronic Shipping Info Received, April 03, 2010

And that data was actually updated in more-or-less real time.

Maybe someone is actually working on improving the system.
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Bitt Faulk