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.
To be honest Henry, I don't know what happens when you drop a UPS package off in a USPS collection box by mistake. The logical thing would be for us to hand it off to UPS somehow. UPS drop boxes and drivers are pretty easy to find in NYC. You say there is no UPS tracking information that's been updated. Like you said, I doubt it will be turning up anywhere but I don't know what would happen to it unless it's sitting on some pile of errantly mailed items at a mail sorting facility. Nothing surprises me at the USPS when it comes to missing items. I hate to be a pessimist but I hear enough stories of us errantly delivering mail or packages and then who knows what the recipient does with it, if anything. I try to be very accurate and diligent with my deliveries as do most of my co-workers but it just takes a few screw-ups to ruin the journey of a package or letter which was properly mailed. I know I got off on a tangent here. Maybe you could wait another week before considering it lost or call the USPS customer service phone number. I'm not sure how much help they can be in this situation.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Hi%20Dave%2C%20%0A%0AI%20have%20accidentally%20dropped%20off%20a%20UPS%20package%20in%20a%20USPS%20mailbox%20within%20NYC.%20I%20have%20waited%202%20weeks%20for%20it%20to%20be%20handed%20over%20to%20UPS%2C%20but%20it%20has%20not%20turned%20up%20in%20my%20tracking.%20Should%20I%20assume%20that%20I%20will%20not%20get%20this%20back%3F%20It%20has%20my%20passport&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15583)
Supervisors or Postal Inspectors sometimes monitor carrier activities while they are delivering mail. Approximately 1x per year, a supervisor will spend much of the day going around your route with you and filling out a P Form 3999 (which describes the time and activities a route takes to complete). Sometimes they will be in a Gov't use vehicle or sometimes they can ride along in the delivery vehicle. Postal Inspectors have a law enforcement function so they may watch a carrier activities if they suspect something illegal. I have seen postal inspectors at the PO where I work just a couple of times in my many years of employment. When we are followed during the day by a supervisor, it's just a bit of annoyance and know it's part of their job. As long as the letter carrier is doing their job properly there is nothing to worry about.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Why%20would%20a%20%22government%20official%22%20%28or%20someone%20driving%20a%20gov%27t%20use%20only%20vehicle%29%20be%20following%20my%20mailman%20on%20his%20route%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15326)
As far as I know you are allowed to. I know some carriers who have portable radios or just use their PED to play music. As far as a cell phone goes, I'm pretty sure you can use it as long as it is hands free. I have a route where I walk most of the day and I listen to podcasts on my iPhone. I have one earphone in and leave the other ear free. I think it's inappropriate and a bit unsafe to have both ears covered while delivering on foot or driving. The outside noise is important to hear if a car is coming or a customer that may need your attention. From time to time, there may be a safety talk or notice at work about the use of personal electronic devices but it doesn't seem too strict or maybe just not enforced. I don't like seeing my colleagues have both ears covered while delivering mail, but I'm not a supervisor so I don't address this issue.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Are%20you%20allowed%20to%20listen%20to%20music%20in%20your%20truck%3F%20Say%20for%20a%20cell%20phone&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15017)
If it was a blank envelope with cash in it, I have no idea how it can be retrieved. I know this doesn't help you, but I'd have just left the item in the box if I saw no postage and no address on it. The letter carrier probably put it in the outgoing mail which is usually sent to a processing facility. There'd be no way to trace it back to your mother's address. To answer your question, I'd surmise that the envelope containing the cash is gone forever.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20left%20cash%20in%20an%20envelope%20in%20my%20mom%27s%20mailbox.%20Unfortunately%20the%20mail%20carrier%20made%20it%20there%20before%20she%20did%2C%20and%20picked%20up%20the%20envelope%20%28assuming%20it%20was%20outgoing.%29%20The%20envelope%20was%20blank.%20Is%20there%20any%20way%20we%20can%20retrieve%20it%20--%20or%20is%20it%20gone%20forever%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16358)
Veterinarian
Who are the bigger hypochondriacs: dog owners or cat owners?
Freelance Writer
Can a freelance writer live comfortably?
Social Worker
What do you think that New York does better or worse than other States?
I am not familiar with this situation on what the mailman is allowed to do or not with respect to spraying an area for bees and killing flowers and demanding weeds can be cut. I can tell you that the mailman does need to have unobstructed access to your mailbox with low/no risk of being stung by a bee that could affect his health. I'd say that he could suspend delivery to your house until the situation is fixed to his satisfaction. I just hope both parties will be reasonable and you won't worry about him being vindictive if you call the PO to discuss this issue with a delivery supervisor/manager/postmaster. I'm not sure what you mean by "he can spray". If you are asking, "can be spray?" I don't know this answer.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=We%20live%20in%20the%20country%20and%20my%20husband%20planted%20lilies%20around%20our%20mailbox.%20%20The%20mailman%20is%20alergic%20to%20bees%20so%20he%20sprayed%20the%20flowers%20and%20killed%20them.%20%20Now%20there%20are%20weeds%20he%20wants%20us%20to%20cut.%20%20Can%20he%20stop%20delivering%20our%20mail%20if%20we%20don%27t%3F%20%20He%20can%20spray.&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15432)
I don't know about the law with regards to your question. It is certainly wrong for your roommate to be tampering with your mail and marking it "return to sender". I'd suggest asking him/her to stop doing it but it sounds like you don't have a good relationship if they are doing that to your mail. I can't say that this comes under the category of mail theft either. If you brought this question up to your local PO, I have no idea what they'd tell you. I could recommend that you rent a PO Box, but that costs money and isn't too convenient either when compared to home delivery. It's also not fair that you should have to get a PO Box because a roommate is not giving you your mail and sending it back. Another suggestion would be to call the US Postal Inspection Service, but this may not be in their jurisdiction as it's an internal matter in your residence.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Can%20charges%20be%20brought%20against%20my%20roommate%20for%20intercepting%20my%20mail%20and%20putting%20%22return%20to%20sender%22%20and%20sending%20it%20back%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16463)
I'm generally satisfied with the uniforms that we wear at the USPS and they haven't changed much since I've been working there. The only issue that I have with our uniforms that I can think of is that they are difficult to keep clean. I wear a satchel over my shoulder and carry mail in my arms so the shirt tends to get very dirty. The shoulder strap makes a mark on the uniform shirt where it rests. I admit that I don't wash the shirts as often as I should but they are hard to keep looking crisp nonetheless. I like the fact that we wear uniforms so there isn't much to think about wearing each day to work except the layering to keep me warm in the winter. Thank you for your question.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=If%20you%20could%20change%20anything%20about%20your%20uniform%20what%20would%20it%20be%3F%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/17523)
-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
