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.
Jay, I don't know what happened to your package. It would be odd for a package from TX bound for GA to wind up in OH once already being in GA. My guess is that it was somehow missorted and put on a truck or plane to OH. As long as it was addressed properly there is a very good chance it will soon make it back to GA and be delivered to you. While I can't guarantee this, it would take multiple sorting and delivery errors for you not to receive your package. There will be a delay of at least a day or two until you finally receive the package (assuming that you do receive it).
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20live%20in%20GA.%20I%20am%20expecting%20a%20pkg%20from%20TX%20soon%20and%20when%20I%20last%20tracked%20it%20online%20it%20was%20in%20GA.%20A%20few%20hours%20later%20I%20track%20it%20again%20and%20its%20now%20in%20OH.%20What%20happened%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15818)
That's a great question Cindy that I don't know the answer to but I'm embarrassed for the USPS that they would tolerate such lying. I believe if a letter carrier actually attempts to deliver a package or piece of accountable mail they should ring a bell or knock on the door and wait a minute or so before leaving a PS 3849. I know that Amazon.com wants all of their Prime parcels delivered by a specifc date and if they aren't at least attempted, maybe someone in the USPS supervision is held accountable. I'm not really sure. I have seen in our office that parcels that weren't delivered (either missorted or the carrier missed the house and didn't have time to go back) would get an "attempted" scan which is false. I've never done this nor have I ever been asked to do it. I'd refuse because it is dishonest. It also confuses customers when the package may say "attempted" when tracked and the customer knows full well that an attempt wasn't made.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Y%20is%20the%20po%20lying%20about%20if%20we%20are%20home%20or%20not%20when%20delivering%20%0AThey%20just%20put%20pink%20slips%20don%27t%20even%20ring%20the%20bell&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16045)
The mailman should pick up any first class outgoing parcel just like they would any other item you wanted to mail as long as there is sufficient postage. An exception to this would be any item weighing over 13 oz that had postage stamps on it (as opposed to a Click 'N Ship label). This would be a Priority Mail item anyway, not First Class. This would need to be presented at a retail counter to be mailed due to security rules when mailing heavier items that may go on aircraft. I often pick up outgoing First Class parcels from a woman who sells items online and ships them from her house.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Hey%20do%20mailman%27s%20pick%20up%20first%20class%20packages%20no%20matter%20the%20weight%20%26%20size%20as%20long%20as%20it%20fits%20in%20the%20mailbox%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15392)
Jessica, yes I have a very dry sense of humor and since you don’t know me it’s important I put LOL. If I didn’t you may have been a bit taken aback by the comment. Either of the reasons given by the fill-in guy could be valid but you think it may be another reason. I think eventually that you will find out by whether or not he starts delivering to your house again. Sometimes if we have too much to deliver, the supervisor will take away part of our route and give it to a substitute letter carrier or for another regular carrier as overtime.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=My%20mouth%20just%20dropped%21%20I%20am%20definitely%20no%20home%20wrecker%20lol%20I%20know%20you%20were%20kidding.%20%20I%20do%20have%20an%20update%20lol%2C%20I%20asked%20the%20fill%20in%20guy%20what%20happened%20and%20he%20said%20that%20my%20regular%20had%20too%20much%20mail%20to%20carry%20today%2C%20then%20said%20he%20thinks%20hes%20on%20vaca..%20BS&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/19362)
Rap Promoter / Manager
Do rappers ever stage beefs with each other as a PR stunt?
MBA Student
How many years of work experience do you REALLY need before applying?
EMT
What was the most gruesome trauma you witnessed while on the job?
Do you possibly know me? I've recently had a similar situation on the route that I deliver and it is the first time that I encountered this. The previous owner only put in an individual forward, but the PARS (which is an automated forwarding system that intercepts forwardable mail before it reaches the letter carrier) was forwarding the new resident's mail as well because they had the same last name. I asked my forwarding clerk how to resolve this. She said that the family that left should just put in individual forwards for each family member. The mail also should be excluded from PARS so your letter carrier can look at each piece of mail before forwarding it (if appropriate). This seems to have worked okay as the new resident has been quite patient and I've heard nothing beyond the original, and valid I might add, complaint. I'd recommend speaking to someone at your PO explaining the situation, give them a list of all the valid names at your address and ask that the mail be excluded from PARS so the carrier can look at the mail and decide whether it should be forwarded or not. PARS stands for Postal Automated Redirection System. I hope this works out for you as you shouldn't be inconvenienced just because you moved into a residence where the previous people had the same last name.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=We%20have%20an%20issue%20with%20our%20mail%20being%20incorrectly%20forwarded.%20We%20know%20why%20%28previous%20people%20had%20the%20same%20last%20name%20%26%20it%20is%20a%20family%20forward%29%20%26%20that%20it%20is%20happening%20before%20the%20mail%20gets%20to%20our%20carrier.%20Can%20you%20tell%20me%20the%20system%20in%20place%20for%20forwards%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15541)
It depends on what other job/career options you may have and how they compare with the USPS. I have somewhat of a bias because I enjoy working here and it has been a great career. I do realize, however, that being a CCA isn't easy and it's a non-career position and only pays moderately to begin (currently $16.06/hr). Regarding the USPS financial situation, I don't think that should impact your choice. The USPS isn't going away anytime soon. While I'm sure it's losing plenty of $$ often there is still as much work as I can remember. There will likely be changes that happen years from now but I don't know what they'd look like. I've never seen a layoff or RIF since I've been employed by the USPS. Good luck to you Hobbz whichever job/career path you choose.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Do%20you%20think%20it%27s%20a%20wise%20career%20choice%2F%20change%20to%20become%20a%20cca%20and%20tough%20it%20out%20to%20become%20a%20regular%20with%20the%20current%20usps%20financial%20situation%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/17597)
Congratulations on being offered and accepting the CCA position. I don't know what you'd be required to drive in Manhattan. In our office all carriers are trained on the LLV and on the 2-ton postal truck, but I haven't driven the latter in years and would be reluctant to if asked due to my lack of familiarity with it and I, too, don't like the size of it. In Manhattan I don't like to drive at all. It is so congested and some streets are pretty narrow. Besides the 2-ton I don't see too many other postal vehicles driven in Manhattan. Many CCAs work on Sunday's delivering Amazon parcels which requires driving. You may ask at orientation about this or if you felt comfortable you could ask a letter carrier that you might see delivering in Manhattan the same question which you posted here. Always wear your seatbelt and good luck David!
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Hi%2C%20Dave.%20I%20just%20accept%20a%20CCA%20position%20in%20Manhattan%20district%20in%20New%20York%20City.%20Do%20I%20need%20to%20drive%20the%202%20ton%20postal%20van%3F%20Even%20though%20I%20have%20my%20driver%27s%20license%20for%20more%20than%2010%20years.%20I%27ve%20never%20driven%20a%20car%20this%20size.%20Especially%20in%20a%20city%20like%20NY&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16274)
-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
