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 think I understand your question. You are asking if an item that is insured or signature confirmation can be signed for on a 3849 and left out by the customer for the item to be delivered without the customer present or do they have to sign for it at a PO. In the area where I deliver mail, it is sufficient for a signed 3849 to be an authorization to leave an item at the address even if nobody is present. For domestic registered mail, I'd advise against this because the items may contain very valuable items so I might be uncomfortable just leaving them without a recipient available. I rarely get domestic registered (red label) mail to deliver so I can't say for sure what I do in each situation. To me, domestic registered mail is the most secure service we offer and needs to be treated accordingly.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=On%20parcels%2Fspurs%20that%20have%20the%20insured%20blue%20label%20and%2For%20signature%20confirmations%2C%20does%20the%20customer%20have%20to%20sign%20in%20person%20at%20post%20office%2C%20same%20true%20for%20domestic%20registered%3F%20Some%20carriers%20check%20item%20at%20P.O.%20cust%20signs%203849%2C%20what%20is%20policy%20on%20that&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14749)
It is possible that the mail from Prudential is delayed due to the storm or because there is no apt. # on the address. I am not sure which would be more likely. I don't know how strict your post office or letter carrier is on delivering to multi-unit buildings with no apt # on the mail. I would think that if they know what unit the letter should go to it would be a good idea to just deliver it there. In general it is important to put your apt # on your address, but I think you know that. I'd recommend giving it a few more days before worrying that the check is really lost. Thanks for the question.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20am%20expecting%20a%20check%20from%20Prudential%20that%20was%20mailed%20out%20on%20the%2029th.%20They%20said%203-5%20business%20days%20but%20its%20the%206th%20day%20and%20its%20not%20here.%20My%20apartment%20number%20wasn%27t%20on%20the%20mail%20but%20whats%20more%20likely%2C%20the%20snow%20storms%20delaying%20mail%20or%20was%20it%20returned%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14515)
I don't know why the mailman would take away the mail for the week that had been sitting in your mailbox as well as an "attempted" notice for another package. Did the other package perhaps need a signature? It is common for some people not to check their mailbox for days and it rarely fills up to the point that I can't put any more mail in the mailbox. I hope that the mail reappears or is it possible you received none (not likely) or that someone else in your household (if you don't live alone) took the mail in to your residence?
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Hello%20just%20curious%20my%20mailman%20delivered%20a%20package%20to%20my%20door%20yesterday%20then%20when%20I%20went%20to%20check%20mail%20there%20was%20an%20%22attempt%20to%20deliver%22%20notice%20for%20another%20package%20and%20my%20mail%20for%20the%20week%20was%20gone%20..%20Why%20would%20this%20happen&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16150)
Phil, it sounds like you were using our EDDM Retail service which allows mailers to target an area of the town with a simplified (unaddressed) mailing which would go to each address on a route or group of routes. EDDM stands for Every Door Direct Mail. It has been very popular since it was introduced by the USPS several years ago. It is very bad that a postal carrier would deliver it to just one address though I have heard this complaint before. I don't know what your rights are re: a refund of the mailing costs. I'd contact your local postmaster or escalate to our consumer affairs department (which I think we have) to try and make sure it doesn't happen again. I don't believe you are eligible for any damage beyond the cost of the postage, but I could be wrong about this. Hearing a complaint like this doesn't surprise me as I get the impression that these mailings (EDDM) aren't treated as well as addressed mail but absolutely should be. We are paid to deliver the mail accordingly. I'm sorry that you had this bad experience with the USPS and hope you would give us another chance.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Postal%20Carrier%20delivered%20over%20150%20postcards%20to%20ONE%20hotel%20that%20I%20paid%20to%20deliver%20to%20every%20home%20and%20business.%20What%20are%20my%20rights%20for%20damage%20caused%20to%20my%2015%20businesses%20I%20represent%20that%20depend%20on%20revenue%20from%20it%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15446)
Lifeguard
Did you ever have to perform CPR or mouth-to-mouth on a swimmer?
Employment Lawyer
Can I be sued for asking a co-worker on a date?
Nurse Practitioner
Could a nurse practitioner do the job of a primary care physician?
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)
Bradan, Congratulations on surviving the winter! That can't have been fun at all. I'm just glad it's over also. As much as the heat isn't fun, I prefer it over the cold. I know there are others who feel quite differently about that. As far as tips go, my main tips are: 1) Drink plenty of water or some other liquids. I've heard different schools of thought whether or not Gatorade is good. My joke is that on the internet you can find anybody to support your opinion. I would guess that it works but there is a very high sugar content. The key is to stay hydrated.
2) Wear a hat to block the sun off your head and face. I wear a cowboy-type hat which works well. I fold the edges up by the ear so it doesn't look so funny but there is a tradeoff in that I'm exposing more of my face to the sun. I'm not sure what the official name of the hat is. You could also wear a white mesh pith helmet. Baseball caps will help as well but not cover too much of your face or neck for sun exposure. I also wear sunglasses most of the time.
3) Wear as light clothes as possible. I usually wear shorts in the warm weather and a short-sleeve uniform shirt with a t-shirt underneath.
Those are the basic tips that I can think of. Make sure to ask or take a cue from your fellow carriers, as I'm far from being an expert on this. On the very hot and humid days I consume water without even thinking about it, usually bringing about 2 liters with me plus some orange juice to drink with lunch.
Good luck to you. During July and August there is so much extra work to do because of our fellow workers going on vacation. We never seem to have enough help. I'm sure that story is repeated in many Post Offices nationwide.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%27m%20a%20CCA%20in%20Ohio%20that%20survived%20the%20winter%20%28YAY%21%29%20and%20this%20will%20be%20my%20first%20summer%20working%20for%20the%20USPS.%20Do%20you%20have%20any%20tips%20for%20surviving%20the%20heat%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15045)
Yes, we deliver on 12/24/15 Thursday. At the office where I work, we will try to be done by 1600. After that, we will next deliver mail on Saturday 12/26/15. Christmas Eve is a regular work day except that our retail window may close earlier than usual.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Do%20you%20guys%20deliver%20mail%20on%20christmas%20eve%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16166)
-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
