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.
Definitely. It's never been an issue as far as I know to take a bathroom break as needed even if it means leaving the street you are delivering mail on to go use a lavatory at a public business. That's what I usually do. I'll leave my route and go to a gas station or the public library that are near my route as needed. It doesn't have to be an emergency.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Can%20you%20leave%20a%20street%20you%20are%20delivering%20mail%20on%20to%20use%20the%20restroom%20in%20a%20emergency%20and%20then%20return%20to%20that%20street%20and%20continue%20where%20you%20left%20off....%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16174)
Kim, that is generally what would happen if you came up to my postal vehicle to hand me outgoing letters. I have a small square tray which is raised on 4 sides where I put the outgoing letters and bring back to the post office for dispatch. Some use a bin or a larger tray depending on the outgoing mail volume. So in a word, nothing to worry about it and good question.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=The%20mail%20man%20came%20to%20my%20house%20before%20I%20could%20put%20the%202%20letter%20I%20needed%20to%20mail%20out%20so%20I%20chased%20him%20down%20since%20I%20heard%20the%20truck.%20He%20looked%20at%20the%202%20letters%20and%20then%20dumped%20it%20into%20a%20white%20bin%20by%20his%20legs.%20Is%20this%20what%27s%20supposed%20to%20happen%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16231)
In the LLV, which is the most common vehicle for delivery that is used, there is no second seat. The exception to that is that at our post office we up have 1 Long Life Vehicle with a seat in the cargo area which is behind the mail tray that is in the front left of the vehicle. We use that vehicle as a spare in case one breaks down or is needed by auxiliary help. The other reason it is used is when a supervisor comes with you for the day to inspect your route delivery. Sometimes they will follow you in their own car, but they often will just sit in the second seat. The cargo area opens up to the drivers area with a sliding door which I leave open all of the times.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Is%20there%20a%20second%20seat%20in%20the%20mail%20truck%3F%3F%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15316)
You are obviously referring to holiday gratuities, no need to hide that on this forum. We aren't really supposed to expect or accept cash tips but know that many of us do (me included). I can't really comment on who has a right to them. Maybe the comp man and the unassigned regular could split anything they get but I'm guessing there may not be enough trust to do that. I'm not really sure why the former carrier deserves anything if he voluntarily bid off that route for another assignment. I don't know what "aa" means but "as" means ass kisser. I guess I don't really agree with you in this situation and holiday gratuities really shouldn't be basis for any rules about bumping or holddowns. It really just seems to cause problems when it shouldn't even be entering into the picture.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=On%20the%20holddown%20scenario%20it%20sucks%20bc%20the%20holidays%20r%20coming%20up%20and%20that%20carrier%20had%20no%20right%20to%20u%20know%20what..%20The%20former%20carrier%20and%20the%20comp%20guy%20should%20reap%20the%20benefits%20for%20their%20hard%20work%2C%20especially%20when%20the%20unassigned%20is%20not%20well%20liked%20and%20aa%20ak&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16007)
Hollywood Executive Assistant
Are Hollywood execs as nightmarish as depicted on TV?
Nightclub Promoter
Is bottle service worth the money, or is it a total scam?
Air Traffic Controller
When would you order fighter jets to be scrambled?
I'd recommend that if you received the mail for someone who previously lived at your residence but didn't put in a forward for you to put the mail back in your mailbox and you can write on it "moved" or "doesn't live here anymore". The letter carrier should take it and not redeliver it to you. You also have the option to discard since nobody would really know but I feel that is the wrong thing to do. By putting the mail back in the mailbox you alert the letter carrier that the person has moved from that address.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=if%20someone%20moves%20and%20don%27t%20put%20a%20fwd%20what%20should%20i%20do%20with%20there%20mail&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16253)
It shouldn't be a problem to put on the correct address and new stamp and remail the letter in the same envelope. I'd recommend crossing out any bar codes that may have been printed below the address either on the front or back of the envelope. Also, please cross out or remove any markings that may say "return to sender". If you can, maybe a new envelope with the correct address would be better, but if you follow the above recommendations I think it would be okay to reuse the original envelope.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=If%20I%20write%20the%20wrong%20address%20on%20a%20letter%20and%20it%20comes%20back%2C%20can%20I%20correct%20the%20address%20%26%20put%20a%20new%20stamp%20on%20the%20same%20envelope%20to%20remail%20it%20or%20do%20I%20have%20to%20use%20a%20new%20envelope%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14246)
I've never heard of your pay getting docked for not delivering mail on time. I think only Express Mail (aka Priority Mail Express) does have a delivery time guarantee and the sender can request a refund if that commitment isn't met. We can get disciplined at our office (letter of warning/suspension/termination) if we fail to deliver a time guarantee mail item, but I've rarely ever heard of anyone getting anything beyond a warning for this. This type of mail is a premium service so we must give it our utmost attention and care. Good luck in orientation. Here is just a life lesson in general: Don't believe everything you hear. I'm a big skeptic in so much I hear at work unless a reliable source. I actually might annoy people because I believe so little at times.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20am%20in%20carrier%20orientation.%20I%20was%20told%20if%20I%20don%27t%20deliver%20mail%20on%20time%20that%20has%20a%20time%20guarantee%20my%20pay%20will%20be%20docked.%20Is%20this%20true%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16346)
-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
