Ask a Mailman (City Letter Carrier) anything

1237 Questions

Last Answer on February 18, 2022

When you find lost car keys, where do you put them or what do you you do with them?

Asked by elizabeth about 10 years ago

I've never found car keys while delivering mail as far as I can remember. I don't know what I would do if I found them. I know if any item of value is found in a blue collection box, it is usually turned in to a supervisor.

554 Votes

How long does it take to get back to the sender when USPS tracking states : Moved, Left no address:

Asked by Nikki about 10 years ago

I don't know how long that would take. I didn't know that we are able to scan a package or item as "moved, left no address". If the system is working properly and we give that item the same attention that an originating (vs. a returned item) gets then it should just take a few days to get back to the sender. In our office which is shorthanded on clerks, I'm not so sure how quickly the item would be returned. There is a lot as a letter carrier or employee we aren't told or know how long something should take so we just learn a lot by experience. Thanks for your question.

554 Votes

What percentage of mail carriers would you say, are female?

Asked by Rose over 10 years ago

Based on the office where I work, there are about 25% female carriers. I can't say at all what it is at other locations. Lately, the CCAs who have been hired are more like 50% female. Some of them are quite petite so I don't know how they do the job lifting heavy parcels and walking with loaded mail satchels. I give them a lot of credit. I believe you should be able to lift up to 70 lbs, but I don't think that is tested and I see some carriers give their heavier parcels to a parcel post driver to deliver. I don't think that is necessarily fair that they don't have to carry the same load as I do, but I don't care enough to speak up or cause an unnecessary conflict.

554 Votes

Hi, my mailman has a bad habit of putting the wrong mail in the wrong box. 2day a package was delivered to our apt in locked box thing & he obviously put the key to it in the wrong 1. How should I word a letter to my neighbors asking for my package?

Asked by Joanna over 10 years ago

I don't know how you know for sure the package was delivered to the parcel locker section and the key put into the neighbor's box. If you are sure of this (based on the fact that your mailman has made mistakes in the past) then I would put a notice on your neighbor's door. You don't have access to their mailbox so you can't put it in there. The notice can say: "I believe the letter carrier errantly delivered a package to you (or put the parcel locker key in your mailbox) that should have been for me. If you have received this package, please deliver it to me or leave it by my door. "

You may also want to include your phone number on the notice. Unless your neighbors or morally challenged they should give you the package without incident. I hope this helps you Joanna and you receive your package.

554 Votes

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I am from Paraguay and have sent four items to the US, all with tracking numbers. They went through the Miami ISC but it's been more than a month and there has been no further updates. What may have happened and what could I do?

Asked by renef09 about 11 years ago

I am thinking it may be held up in Customs, but am not sure if that happens before or after it gets to the ISC, or is maybe based in the Miami ISC. Do you know if the recipient is still looking for their items? Sometimes it doesn't get any more bar code scans before it is delivered but actually has been delivered. You could go to www.usps.com and maybe do an inquiry as to where the items could be but I don't have a lot of confidence that you will get any more info than is what you already have.

554 Votes

Could any mailman refuse to give you your mail for any reason

Asked by Refuse over 10 years ago

As a general rule, I think a letter carrier should be delivering mail to a mailbox unless they know or trust the person asking for the mail. If you are asking if they can bypass a house and not deliver mail at all, the main reason for refusing to deliver mail would be that the carrier feels their personal safety is in jeopardy due to a dog or other unsafe condition. They can also refuse to deliver the mail if safe access or access in general (door to an apt. Building is locked for an example) to the mailbox can't be assured. I don't know if the situation occurred to you which brought up this question. It is rare that I ever don't deliver mail to an address. Even if it's an unsafe construction area, I may give the mail to one of the workers who will put the mail in the mailbox.

554 Votes

I have gotten a lot of junk mail and became kind of lazy and let my mailbox fill up a little. Today I checked my mail and everything was gone but I haven't moved. Can I get my mail back??

Asked by Desi about 11 years ago

I don't know why the mail would have been removed from your mailbox unless the box was maybe overflowing. In that case we may suspend further delivery or empty the mailbox and return any accumulated mail to the senders or discard the mail depending on the class it was sent. Maybe the letter carrier thinks you have moved. It seems the mail has been removed a bit prematurely, but I don't know of a way to get the mail back.

554 Votes

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Mailman (City Letter Carrier)

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

When you find lost car keys, where do you put them or what do you you do with them?

How long does it take to get back to the sender when USPS tracking states : Moved, Left no address:

What percentage of mail carriers would you say, are female?

Hi, my mailman has a bad habit of putting the wrong mail in the wrong box. 2day a package was delivered to our apt in locked box thing & he obviously put the key to it in the wrong 1. How should I word a letter to my neighbors asking for my package?

Also on Jobstr...

I am from Paraguay and have sent four items to the US, all with tracking numbers. They went through the Miami ISC but it's been more than a month and there has been no further updates. What may have happened and what could I do?

Could any mailman refuse to give you your mail for any reason

I have gotten a lot of junk mail and became kind of lazy and let my mailbox fill up a little. Today I checked my mail and everything was gone but I haven't moved. Can I get my mail back??

Mailman (City Letter Carrier)

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

When you find lost car keys, where do you put them or what do you you do with them?

How long does it take to get back to the sender when USPS tracking states : Moved, Left no address:

What percentage of mail carriers would you say, are female?

Hi, my mailman has a bad habit of putting the wrong mail in the wrong box. 2day a package was delivered to our apt in locked box thing & he obviously put the key to it in the wrong 1. How should I word a letter to my neighbors asking for my package?

Also on Jobstr...

I am from Paraguay and have sent four items to the US, all with tracking numbers. They went through the Miami ISC but it's been more than a month and there has been no further updates. What may have happened and what could I do?

Could any mailman refuse to give you your mail for any reason

I have gotten a lot of junk mail and became kind of lazy and let my mailbox fill up a little. Today I checked my mail and everything was gone but I haven't moved. Can I get my mail back??

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