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.
The blue collection boxes that you are referring to are shaped in a way that is unlikely for any water to get inside from a rain storm. I don't recall ever collecting wet mail from those boxes. The only thought I have about this is if its pouring and the letter carrier goes to empty the box, there may be a short period of time where the mail gets wet. I would say its nothing to worry about.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=if%20I%20mailed%202%20letters%20around%201pm%20in%20the%20blue%20drop%20off%20box%20and%20then%20it%20started%20to%20rain%20hard%20an%20hour%20later%2C%20do%20the%20letters%20or%20mail%20in%20the%20blue%20box%20get%20wet%21%3F%20It%20happened%20that%20day%20and%20even%20today%21%21%20Or%20r%20the%20letters%20untouchable%20from%20rain%20in%20that%20dropbox&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/8206)
Generally for efficiency purposes I've always been told to take the most direct paths betweeN mailboxes even if that means going through a yard instead of out to a sidewalk and then back up a walkway to the next resident's mailbox. If an hour explicitly (in writing) requests we don't cross the lawN or yard, we would/should honor that request since it is their property. for the most part I get very few, if Any, requests not to cross a yard.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Is%20it%20illegal%20to%20walk%20through%20my%20yard%20especially%20when%20there%20is%20a%20sidewalk%20from%20the%20sidewalk%20on%20street%20to%20our%20mailbox%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/8200)
I am not sure about this. If you called them and said you feel that your mail isn't secure where it's left with the broken lock, maybe they would hold it at the PO until the lock is fixed. In your situation, I am not sure who has responsibility to fix the lock. The PO or you the customer. Thanks for your question.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=If%20the%20lock%20on%20my%20mailbox%20is%20broken%2C%20will%20the%20post%20office%20hold%20my%20mail%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/9867)
I don't know what other carriers do, but I pretty much know every name that goes to each house on the route I deliver. The route I deliver isn'tvery transient so it is easy to do that. if I am not sure about the name going to a certain address, I put a question mark next to the addressees name and deliver it. By doing this I hope that if it is incorrect, they will leave me the letter the next day. many carriers may just deliver based on the address and not pay attention if there is a forwarding order on file or Not. The boxes I deliver mail to don't have a name label next to them. Unfortunately, there are some carriers who aren't very diligent at their job and they make mistakes more often than most. In the situation you are asking about if the mailman wasn't paying attention to the names, then a correctly addressed tax check should get to you.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=do%20mailman%20usually%20check%20the%20box%20im%20waiting%20for%20taxes%20and%20it%20has%20been%20a%20while.%20i%20recently%20put%20my%20name%20one%20the%20mailbox%20for%20this%20reason%20but%20i%20watched%20mailman%20and%20he%20was%20in%20routine%20and%20didn%27t%20even%20looked%20like%20he%20payed%20atention&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/7749)
Help Desk Technician
Does it get aggravating answering people's dumb questions all day long?
Obstetrician Gynecologist
If a baby has health complications resulting from a difficult delivery, do you ever feel guilty?
Investment Banker
What's a 100-hour work week like?
Not easily. I have a walking route so when it rains, the mail will often get wet. Usually, I would carry a bundle of flats on my arm so I Hope that the items on top are only exposed to the rain for a short time. I can also hold the mail close to my body so my rain helmet may deflect the rain away from the mail. If it is a real downpour you sometimes just wait it out. I don't come across that situation in NY too often. It is also not too common to get a complaint about wet mail. Maybe customers understand if it has been a wet day outside. We also can store some mail in our satchel which has a flap to keep out the rain.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=How%20do%20You%20keep%20the%20mail%20dry%20during%20rain%20%3F%3F%0AThank%2CMark&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/7808)
I am not sure why he would do this. Generally if an item will fit in a mailbox and doesn't need a signature,it should be delivered like any other piece of mail. Do they leave a notice for you to pick it up At the PO? If so, maybe when you pick it up,ask a supervisor why this might happen. Our job is to deliver mail, not to NOT deliver mail.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=why%20wont%20mailman%20put%20small%20bubble%20mailer%20in%20mailbox%20takes%20it%20back%20to%20post%20office%20and%20wont%20redeliver&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/7618)
we have a couple of rural carriers in our office. I think the main difference is that the rural carriers are not manaGED as closely as city carriers. They usually work a lot less hours than a city carrier and can go home when the job is done. They are paid a set amt. each day whether it takes 4 hrs or 8 hrs to complete the route. Rural carriers use their own vehicles sometimes and dont wear uniforms. Rural carriers and City Carriers are represented by different labor unions and have separate collective bargaining agreements with the USPS. There are pros and cons to each craft, but I think having a rural route Usually means getting to go home much earlier than city carriers. Each year there is a mail count for the rural carriers when the route is adjusted up or down based on volume. This results in either a raise or lowering of their salary.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%27m%20an%20RCA%20for%20the%20Post%20Office%20myself%20for%20the%20last%206%20months.%20Can%20you%20explain%20the%20differences%20between%20the%20City%20and%20Rural%20Carriers%20that%20you%20have%20noticed%20in%20the%20last%2013%20years%20that%20you%20have%20worked%3F%20I%20have%20noticed%20many%20similarities%20and%20differences.&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/7707)
-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
