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.
If the mail arrives at the PO for delivery on the Saturday and the recipient's office or building is closed, we hold the mail at the PO until the following delivery day (usually Monday) and deliver it then. We will do the same thing if a business or institution is closed any other day of the week. We will hold the mail until the next delivery day that they are open. On some occasions the facility will have a door slot or mailbox. In that case we can deliver the mail anytime since there is no need for the facility/office to be open to receive mail delivery. Thanks for your inquiry.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=So%20I%20do%20a%20lot%20of%20business%20postcards%20for%20my%20online%20business.%20And%20I%20send%20them%20to%20churches%2C%20schools%20etc.%20what%20happens%20if%20it%27s%20a%20Saturday%20and%20the%20school%20or%20church%20or%20insurance%20office%20is%20closed.%20How%20do%20you%20deliver%20that%20Mail%20to%20them%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14205)
If I were in motion, I'd safely pull over, put on my four-way flashers, and then get out to investigate. It's possible that my gas cap is hanging out the side of the LLV, the back gate isn't secure, or maybe I'm dragging something. It could also be something that I haven't thought of. If the motorist is still around I'd ask them what they are pointing out.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=While%20driving%20the%20vehicle%20to%20make%20a%20delivery%2C%20another%20motorist%20points%20towards%20the%20back%20of%20your%20vehicle%20as%20if%20something%20is%20wrong.%20What%20do%20you%20do%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16012)
The USPS uses a lot of automation to sort the mail and I think it's looking for the address in the middle of the envelope as to where to send the item. In your example, I would recommended using a new envelope. Write your address (which will be considered the return address) in the upper left hand corner of the envelope. Put the recipients address in the center of the envelope and the sufficient postage in the upper right hand corner.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20accidentally%20put%20the%20recipients%20address%20first%20then%20my%20address%20will%20the%20recipient%20still%20get%20the%20letter%20or%20will%20I%20have%20to%20do%20another%20envelope&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15287)
I don't believe they can ask you what is actually in the large letter, but I know if it's over a certain weight or size, they can ask something to the effect of "is the item you are mailing liquid, fragile, perishable, or potentially hazardous?" and you self-certify the answer with a yes or no. Certain batteries have to go by surface only and can't fly on airplanes. So I would take exception of they actually ask you what is being mailed if it's first class or Priority Mail. If you are mailing something via Medial Mail they can verify or even open a package to inspect that it is media (books, CDs, cassettes, video, DVD). I hope this answers your question.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Are%20the%20people%20at%20the%20counter%20in%20the%20post%20office%20obliged%20to%20ask%20me%20what%20I%20am%20sending%20in%20a%20Large%20Letter%20%3F%3F%20thank%20you&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15288)
Zookeeper and Animal Trainer
Which cuddly-seeming animals are actually dangerous to be around?
Programmer
Is Mark Zuckerberg really a genius programmer? Or was he just lucky?
Flight Attendant
What kinds of passengers annoy you the most?
From Long Island to Brooklyn, NY is usually 2 days as long as it is mailed by the final pickup time on one day (for example usually 5 or 6 PM). The mail delivery system is pretty reliable in meeting that timeframe unless the mail is missorted or misdelivered.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=How%20long%20will%20it%20take%20to%20receive%20mail%20in%20my%20mailbox%20sent%20from%20Long%20Island%20to%20Brooklyn%20ny%3F%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15475)
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.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Could%20any%20mailman%20refuse%20to%20give%20you%20your%20mail%20for%20any%20reason&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15531)
I believe it would be rare for someone to receive mail at your address when they didn't put on a forwarding order and then to actually know about it. Certainly mail could be mis-delivered to your house, but how would that person know unless you contacted them somehow? I deliver mail only as addressed with a couple of exceptions. If I can see that the sender addressed it wrong (usually a wrong house #, but the correct street), I would likely deliver it to the address where the person lives. Even if someone moved in the same town but didn't put in a forwarding order, we aren't allowed to just "hand off" the mail to their new address. I did recently notice that a woman (her parents live on the route I deliver) had a piece of mail with her name on it but the address to be delivered to was in Maryland. I know the woman is now receiving mail at her parents home and likely has a forwarding order from Maryland to her parents house in NY. The letter may have been automatically re-routed to NY with the new addresses bar code put on the envelope and the letter then arrived in the computer-sorted mail for the NY address. I just delivered it knowing that the surnames matched. I hope this answers your question and thanks for writing.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Claims%20he%20received%20mail%20at%20our%20house%20that%20was%20addressed%20to%20his%20previous%20address%20%28same%20town%29.%20I%20don%27t%20believe%20him%2C%20%26%20I%27m%20curious%2C%20could%2Fwould%20a%20postman%2Fwoman%20deliver%20post%20to%20a%20different%20address%20than%20what%20is%20marked.%20%28Did%20not%20sign%20up%20for%20forwarding%29&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14419)
-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
