MailmanDave
17 Years Experience
Long Island, NY
Male, 43
I am a City Letter Carrier for the US Postal Service in NY. I've been a city letter carrier for over 17 years and it is the best job I've ever had. I mostly work 5 days per week (sometimes includes a Saturday) and often have the opportunity for overtime, which is usually voluntary. The route I deliver has about 350 homes and I walk to each of their doors to deliver the mail. Please keep in mind that I don't have authority to speak for the USPS, so all opinions are solely mine, not my employer.
Congratulations on being hired by the USPS as a letter carrier. We often walk for 4-5 hours per day so it is important to wear comfortable shoes. The shoes that can be purchased with a uniform allowance can easily cost $100/pair. They are usually black leather athletic or walking shoes with a certified slip-resistant grip. You don't need to spend that kind of money on your own for shoes. To get an idea what the shoes look like, do an Internet search for letter carrier uniform shoes. I wear New Balance and Rocky shoes. Since the prices for our uniforms are pretty high, you can search non-uniform websites to see if less expensive shoes are available. I am fortunate to never have had any chronic foot pain from being a letter carrier, so I can't be any more specific as to what to avoid when purchasing shoes. Good luck to you Dee!
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%27m%20about%20to%20start%20working%20as%20a%20Mail%20Carrier%20and%20I%20need%20a%20really%20good%20pair%20of%20walking%20shoes%20but%2C%20I%27m%20unsure%20of%20what%20kind%20to%20get.%20What%20kind%20of%20shoes%20will%20be%20best%20for%20all%20the%20walking%20that%20I%20will%20be%20doing%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15369)
Yes, it's a regular work day for the USPS on the Friday after Thanksgiving. I'm not sure how busy of a day it is, but the online shopping business has been a boom for us so the days following Thanksgiving through Christmas are usually an endless flow of packages to deliver.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Do%20u%20guys%20deliver%20the%20day%20after%20thanksgiving&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16013)
Jason, I'm no expert on the rules and regulations with reference to our union contract (NALC/USPS National Agreement), but I can give you my take on it and anecdotal experience. I feel that if the supervisor hasn't scheduled you before you left work on your previous work day to work your day off you have zero obligation to answer the phone or to come to work. I would probably recommend not even responding if you feel that there will be a conflict if you refuse to go to work. It makes perfect sense that you already had other plans, you are away for the day, had a MD's appt, etc, and you can't come to work. Just to be sure, you never have to tell mgmt what you were doing on your day off. My anecdotal experience is that nothing can be done with regards to discipline for not answering the phone or going to work on your NS day if you haven't been previously scheduled or mandated. I've never heard of an attempt to discipline someone for this.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=What%20happens%20to%20a%20regular%20carrier%20on%20the%20ODL%20if%20his%20supervisor%20calls%20him%20in%20on%20his%20day%20off%2C%20but%20the%20carrier%20doesnt%20answer%20his%20phone.&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14533)
It doesnt sound too common to me though it doesn't surprise me at all when I hear this story. If a carrier has an item that needs a signature or needs to be handed to someone personally then they should make an attempt to ring the bell or knock on the door. If you live in an area where snow or ice would prevent them from getting to your door then it is appropriate to leave the PS Form 3849 in your mailbox. Sometimes the carriers are too lazy or under a lot of time pressure to get done so they may cut corners when it's time consuming to go to one's door. This is not a legitimate excuse, but I'm not surprised by what happens. In my office we are pretty short staffed as of late and I see quite a bit of mail not getting delivered correctly or in a timely fashion. It's pretty pathetic if you ask me. The rough winter in the Northeastern US with a lot of snow, etc. doesn't help matters. On a side note, I'm not a fan of your user name as it denotes profanity which is not very classy. Just my opinion, of course.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=So%20I%20was%20home%20all%20day%20and%20received%20from%203849%20as%20far%20as%20I%20can%20tell%20guy%20never%20left%20his%20truck.%20%20When%20is%20a%20carrier%20supposed%20to%20fill%20out%20the%20form%20an%20why%20did%20my%20working%20doorbell%20not%20ring%3F%20Is%20this%20common%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14593)
Claims Adjuster
Do you ever feel bad for the people whose claims you deny?
Aircraft Mechanic
Did you ever catch something critical right before a plane was about to take off?
Sushi Chef
How do sushi chefs tell when a fish has gone bad? Is it just the smell?
I don't know what is technically the protocol for a carrier reminding themselves that a house is on hold. You make a good point. Most of our carriers have hold notes or cards they sequence in with the mail nearby so when they arrive at the house on hold, they would know to skip it. The note or card is then brought back to the PO for use the next day. I just memorize it from when I prepare the mail in the PO in the AM, but I would usually have no more than 10-15 houses at once who are on hold and their mail usually is left behind at the PO so there would be nothing to deliver even if I forgot the house was on hold.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Our%20carriers%20%28town%20of%207k%29%20leave%20%22HOLD%22%20notes%20in%20our%20home%20box%20when%20we%20request%20our%20mail%20held.%20Anyone%20can%20figure%20out%20which%20houses%20are%20easy%20targets%20for%20theft%20with%20that%20info.%20Is%20that%20protocol%3FThey%20say%20they%20can%27t%20remember%20not%20to%20leave%20it%20otherwise.&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14133)
From what you described there should be no problem in your landlord eventually receiving the check. It's possible that the letter carrier took the envelope thinking it was outgoing mail. Since it had a stamp on it and the landlord as a receiving address, they will likely get the check in a couple of delivery days. If a letter carrier sees an unstamped envelope in a mailbox they will often take it as outgoing mail without looking at the destination address. Thanks for your question.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20left%20a%20letter%20in%20my%20landlords%20mailbox%20in%20a%20stamped%20envelope%20with%20my%20return%20address%20and%20her%20receiving%20address%20when%20she%20checked%20the%20box%20her%20mail%20was%20there%20but%20my%20letter%20wasn%27t%20what%20happens%20if%20mailman%20took%20it%20thinking%20it%20was%20outgoing%20mail&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15530)
I'm not sure why a mailman would want to refuse delivery to a rural mailbox if the lid is open. Most of the ones I see just have flip down lids which aren't secure or they have no lids at all and may have broken off over the years. I don't know the exact rules of what condition a rural mailbox must be in to receive mail. I suppose if the carrier felt the mail wasn't secure they could refuse delivery until the condition of the rural mailbox is rectified. I've never refused to deliver mail due to an open mailbox, but then again, I'd rather deliver the mail then have to bring it back to the PO and re-attempt delivery on a subsequent day. Thanks for your question.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Can%20a%20mailman%20refuse%20to%20deliver%20mail%20to%20a%20rural%20box%20if%20the%20box%20is%20open%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15020)
-OR-
Login with Facebook (max 20 characters - letters, numbers, and underscores only. Note that your username is private, and you have the option to choose an alias when asking questions or hosting a Q&A.)
(A valid e-mail address is required. Your e-mail will not be shared with anyone.)
(min 5 characters)
By checking this box, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to Jobstr.com’s Terms and Privacy Policy.
-OR-
Register with Facebook(Don't worry: you'll be able to choose an alias when asking questions or hosting a Q&A.)
Browse Jobs
Host a Q&A
Search
Submit Your Question
Host a Q&A
Last 7
