Purolator tracking status
Purolator “Mechanical delay”: what it means
The short answer
Keep an eye on itSomething mechanical on your parcel's route, such as a truck or a conveyor, has most likely held it up. Purolator's terms treat mechanical delays as beyond its control. It rarely says what failed or gives a new date straight away, and the problem may be far from you.
When to act: If it still shows a mechanical delay with no new scan after 5 business days, file a complaint and we send it to Purolator.
Also shown as: “Mechanical delay - delivery date to be updated once service resumes”
What to do now
- 1
Check where and when the line appears. After 'On vehicle for delivery' in your own city, watch for a new delivery the next day. The fault itself can be anywhere on the route.
- 2
Look for a later 'Arrived at sort facility' line that day, which shows the parcel went back to the depot.
- 3
Plan for the next delivery day. If nobody can receive it, choose a delivery spot or hold for pick-up through the Purolator Your Way link if Purolator texted you.
- 4
When it arrives, check the box before you open it and take photos if it looks damaged.
- 5
Keep screenshots of each line with the date, your tracking number and your order number.
- 6
Still not sorted? File your complaint here. We write it with you and send it to Purolator, so you do not have to chase it yourself.
What does “Mechanical delay” mean?
Purolator does not define this line, but its terms list 'mechanical delays' among the events beyond its control, next to weather and transport disruptions. The line does not say what failed or where. Commenters who say they work for Purolator describe anything from a flat tire or a truck that will not start to a broken conveyor, a power cut or a scanner fault, anywhere in the network, so a breakdown in Ontario can show up on a parcel in Edmonton. People who asked were told about a truck in a ditch and a vehicle in for repair, though one of those commenters says parcels are moved off a broken truck, not left at the shop. He also says that in busy weeks the line can appear on parcels held up by a backlog.
The line can repeat. In tracking histories people share, a common pattern is 'Arrived at sort facility', 'On vehicle for delivery', then 'Mechanical delay' in the afternoon, and the same again the next day. The fuller wording, 'Mechanical delay - delivery date to be updated once service resumes', means there is no new date yet, and it is often dated 5:00 or 8:00 a.m. at 'PUROLATOR', which looks like a general update. The line alone does not mean your parcel is damaged or lost.
Why does Purolator show it?
- A truck or trailer between facilities broke down or went off the road
- A delivery vehicle broke down or would not start
- A broken conveyor or other equipment at a sort facility
- A power cut or scanner fault at a facility
- A backlog left by a breakdown elsewhere in the network
How long does it last?
It often goes out again on the next delivery day, shown as a new 'On vehicle for delivery'. Purolator gives no time. Commenters who say they work there expect a day, or two after a big backlog. In tracking histories people share, the next movement came anywhere from 1 day to about a week, and two posters report their parcels arriving almost two weeks late, one of them outside peak season.
Other Purolator statuses
- Delayed in transit due to disruptionKeep an eye on it
- Delayed in transit due to rail delayKeep an eye on it
- Delayed in transit due to missed connectionKeep an eye on it
- Weather delay - service will resume weather permittingKeep an eye on it
- Tracking not updatingKeep an eye on it
- Shipper created a labelKeep an eye on it
- Attempted delivery - receiver unavailableTake action
- Delivered but not receivedTake action
- Shipment available for pickupTake action
- Item being returned to sender, determined as undeliverableTake action
Who is responsible for a late or missing parcel from Purolator?
If you bought online from a business, the seller chose Purolator and is its customer, so a late, lost or missing order is in most cases for the seller to put right, with a replacement or a refund. Purolator's terms also say that only the party obliged to pay it for the shipment can file a claim, which for an online order is normally the seller.
If you sent the parcel yourself, your contract is with Purolator, under its Terms and Conditions of Service. Its liability is limited to C$2.00 per pound (C$4.41 per kg) of the shipment's weight unless you declared a higher value and paid the surcharge, up to C$5,000 for a courier shipment. A guaranteed service that arrives late may earn the payer a refund or credit of half the service rate. Standard Ground has no guarantee. No refund applies when the delay comes from events beyond Purolator's control, such as weather or mechanical delays, or when Purolator has suspended the guarantee.
Questions about “Mechanical delay”
What does mechanical delay mean on Purolator?
Purolator does not define it, but its terms list mechanical delays as beyond its control. Commenters who say they work there describe anything from a truck breakdown to a broken conveyor, anywhere in the network, so the fault may be far from you.
How long does a Purolator mechanical delay last?
Purolator gives no time. In tracking histories people share, it took from 1 day to about a week, and two posters report parcels almost two weeks late. If it still shows with no new scan, file a complaint here and we send it to Purolator.
Why does my package keep saying mechanical delay?
The line can repeat daily. Shared histories show 'On vehicle for delivery', then 'Mechanical delay' in the afternoon, again and again. A commenter who drives for Purolator links this to routes with more stops than can be finished in busy weeks. Purolator does not explain it, so keep the dates of each one.
Is my package damaged if it says mechanical delay?
Not necessarily. The line is about a vehicle or equipment, not your parcel. Check the box when it arrives and take photos before you open it if anything looks wrong.
Based on
- Purolator Terms and Conditions of Service
- Amendment #1 to the Purolator Terms and Conditions of Service (guarantee refunds, undeliverable shipments, events beyond its control, who may claim)
- Purolator: FAQs for receiving shipments (tracking updates, missed delivery line, 5 business day hold, ID, proof of delivery)
- Purolator: FAQ on Purolator Your Way (text message link, address change, hold for pick-up, delivery spots)
- RedFlagDeals forum, Purolator Shipping Support Thread, page 7 (shared tracking history: 'Mechanical delay' in a shared history)
- Reddit r/purolator (shared tracking history): Mechanical delay - delivery date to be updated once service resumes
- Reddit r/purolator (shared tracking history): the repeating pattern, screenshot, and a driver on overloaded routes
- Reddit r/purolator (shared tracking history): Mechanical Delay for 6 days, told a vehicle was in for repair, and a commenter disputing that
- Reddit r/purolator (shared tracking history): screenshot at 5:00 a.m., told a driver went in a ditch
- Reddit r/purolator (shared tracking history): What even is a mechanical delay, with a commenter who says he works at Purolator
- Reddit r/purolator (shared tracking history): screenshot, Mechanical Delay in Richmond in March, almost two weeks late
- Reddit r/purolator (shared tracking history): mechanical delay twice, and a driver on overloaded routes
- Purolator: Terms and Conditions of Service page (current terms and amendments in force)