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.
I am appalled at these observations of a mail carrier. If they are a city letter carrier, they aren't allowed to do any of the as far as I know. The actions seem completely unprofessional and probably against postal regulations. I would never give someone a ride in my mail truck or even have enough time to talk to one person on the route. If I talk to someone for even a few minutes I start to get anxious that I'll be late returning to the PO from my delivery route. I don't think it is against the rules to take a ride with someone while you are in uniform as long as the mail is secured in the postal delivery vehicle. We are authorized a 30 minute lunch break, two 10-minute breaks, plus whatever bathroom breaks are necessary. I have heard stories like you have told while reading some Facebook Forums or message boards. They are definitely working somewhere I'm not familiar with and with a management who doesn't care to do anything about this. I believe in an honest day's work for an honest day's pay. People like you have observed have probably been ripping off the USPS and the ratepayers for years. There are definitely other USPS workers who would disagree strongly with my comments, but this is how I see it. If you know for sure you aren't getting all of your mail, you could bring it to the attention of the delivery supervisor of your local PO. I would question how you would know you are missing anything. It's possible that your apartment complex residents don't receive a lot of mail. Thanks for writing.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Can%20a%20mail%20carrier%20talk%20for%20hours%20on%20the%20job%282%E2%80%933%29%20with%20just%20one%20person%2Cgive%20people%20rides%20in%20her%20mail%20truck%2C%20and%20take%20car%20rides%20with%20neighbors%20while%20still%20in%20uniform%3F%20This%20is%20the%20worst%20mail%20carrier%20I%27ve%20had.%20Everyone%20in%20my%20apartment%20also%20gets%20few%20mail&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15193)
Tina, when I get a question like this it disturbs me because I have to think it wasn't an innocent error that the item was scanned as "delivered" but no notice was left nor was the item. As an aside, if a notice was left, the package would have been scanned as "attempted". It could've been an error, but I will explain why I think it may not have been. When the packages arrive at our PO in the AM, they are all scanned as "arrival at unit". Then, at the end of the work day, our supervisors are supposed to make sure that each item has an additional scan such as "attempted" or "delivered" or "business closed", etc. I know at our office that if they can't find the parcel as accidentally left behind in the office they may assume the parcel was delivered and enter it as such. Amazon specifically wants their items delivered the day they arrive at the destination PO. In a way this is falsifying and undermining the integrity of our scanning system. I won't say this happens to many items nor do I know if it's widespread. Hopefully what I described above is what happened with your package and it should be delivered on the following delivery day.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Why%20would%20my%20carrier%20report%20my%20package%20delivered%20and%20it%27s%20not%20in%20my%20box%20no%20notice%20left%20I%20live%20in%20apartment%20complex%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15450)
Hello GrannyBlu72! It was fine to drop the letter to your granddaughter in the Priority Express Blue Box on the street. That probably happens all of the time and the letter carrier who collects it would just put that envelope into the regular mail processing stream. As long as you used proper postage for what you mailed and put the correct address on the envelope, the letter will get to your granddaughter. When she receives it, however, is a different story. The letter would likely be collected from that blue collection box on Monday and if sent to the regional mail processing facility (which most mail is sent to even if addressed to the same town that it is mailed in), the turnaround time is usually 2 days. It is likely your granddaughter will receive the letter Wednesday. Until recently, mail within a certain processing area would take just 1-day to reach it's destination.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Dear%20Mailman%20Dave%2C%0A%20I%20went%20to%20mail%20a%20letter%20in%20a%20first%20class%20standard%20envelope%20to%20my%20granddaughter.%20I%20accidently%20placed%20my%20envelope%20in%20a%20USPS%20Priority%20Express%20blue%20box%20on%20the%20street.%20This%20was%20done%20on%20a%20Sunday%20around%2012%3A00%20PM.%20Will%20my%20mistake%20delay%20my%20granddaughter%20from%20getting%20the%20letter%20on%20Monday%3F%20We%20both%20live%20in%20the%20same%20state%20being%20ten%20minutes%20away%20from%20each%20other%2C%20and%20we%20share%20the%20same%20main%20post%20office.%20I%20also%20forgot%20to%20add%20a%20return%20address%2C%20but%20I%20know%20for%20certain%20I%20wrote%20the%20forward%20address%20correctly%20and%20used%20a%20first%20class%20stamp.%20Any%20help%20given%20would%20be%20greatly%20appreciated.&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15208)
I don't know the answer to that. I can't imagine that there are too many situations to get into conflict with a customer. I would usually walk away from most situations that could get out of hand. Anyhow, they shouldn't threaten to stop the mail because of the "words" unless there was a physical threat made by you, which it doesn't sound like. If, by chance, you notice mail not being delivered, you could contact a delivery supervisor or Postmaster or manager to tell them what happened and ask why you didn't receive mail when you were supposed to. I hope that cooler heads prevail. I have a few jerky customers that I deliver mail too, but I don't let it bother me. They continue to get the exact same quality service as everybody else I deliver mail to. I hope that cooler heads prevail in your situation and that the mail service isn't interrupted. Thanks for writing with your q.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=i%20had%20%22not%20nice%20words%22%20with%20a%20substitute%20driver%20the%20other%20day%20and%20she%20threatened%20to%20stop%20my%20mail.%20%20Can%20she%20really%20stop%20it%20because%20we%20had%20words.&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15733)
Obstetrician Gynecologist
If a baby has health complications resulting from a difficult delivery, do you ever feel guilty?
Zookeeper and Animal Trainer
Why are some people so protective of endangered species?
MBA Student
Is business school a party compared to law or med school?
Saturday is Nov. 29 and Priority Mail in the continental 48 states is usually 3 days maximum for delivery. The packages are usually in transit 7 days a week so I would say there is an excellent chance your package will arrive by Saturday. USPS Priority Mail is a superb service in my opinion. I often look at the mailing dates when I deliver a Priority Mail item and it has rarely taken more than 3 calendar days from origin to destination.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=My%20package%20is%20being%20shipped%20to%20GA.%20Currently%20it%20says%20November%2025%2C%202014%20%2C%208%3A24%20pm%20-%0AArrived%20at%20USPS%20Facility%0ACITY%20OF%20INDUSTRY%2C%20CA%2091715.%20It%20was%20shipped%20via%20Priority%20mail.%20Do%20packages%20still%22travel%22during%20thanksgiving%3F%20Will%20I%20get%20it%20by%20Saturday%3F%20Thanks%21&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/13961)
I don't know this answer since I don't work in the hiring area and don't know what the conversations are like. My guess from what I've seen is that it's not likely that a 4-day schedule will be allowed and then 2 days at school. The CCAs in our office have to sometimes work on Sunday delivering Amazon.com packages. I think that CCAs are supposed to be available on a very dynamic schedule so I don't know if you could get an agreement from the USPS to guarantee no work on the days you'd like to go to school. It doesn't hurt to ask and just because I haven't seen it done doesn't mean it's not possible. Good luck.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20have%20an%20interview%20Thursday%20to%20be%20a%20city%20carrier%2C%20is%20it%20possible%20for%20me%20to%20carrier%20four%20days%20and%20go%20to%20school%20the%20other%20two%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15505)
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)
-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
