Ask a Mailman (City Letter Carrier) anything

1237 Questions

Last Answer on February 18, 2022

We have not been receiving any mail in our p o box for over 2 weeks following a couple of overflows. I called the post office
last week and they said our box is open. What could be the reason for 2 and a half weeks with no mail in our box?

Asked by L H almost 9 years ago

I admit it's odd that you haven't received mail in your PO Box for a couple of weeks. One reaction is that maybe there has been no mail for you, but if you've had overflows in the past I guess that scenario is unlikely. Furthermore, I don't even know what happens in a PO Box mail overflow situation. I thought you just may have to pick up the overflow mail from a retail sales and service associate during the retail counter hours but I'm not sure. Has any person or organization you normally receive mail from contacted you to say an item addressed to you has been returned to them? Is there any specific mail you haven't received that you were expecting to receive? In short, since the PO has confirmed that your PO Box is open I don't know why you haven't received any mail in 2.5 weeks. One idea I had was to mail a letter to your own PO Box. It should arrive there in about 2 days if mailed somehwat locally.

435 Votes

When a mail carrier oppts for a specific route does he get that routes day off? Or will hes day off keep rotating as usually scheduled?

Asked by joe about 9 years ago

I don't know how this works in all offices, but I can tell you what happens in the office where I deliver mail in Long Island, NY. This may not be a nationwide policy. When a letter carrier (usually an unassigned regular or CCA) opts, or holds down, an assignment they get that assignments day off. Our office has mostly rotating days off so that won't change. What may change is the "days off" group that carrier falls into. This is usually a low impact issue when a carrier opts for a group since almost all of us have rotating days off. Only 2 assignments at the PO where I work has 2 assignments with fixed days off (Saturday). The remaining 40 (approximately) assignments have rotating days off. Thank you for the question.

434 Votes

Can mailmen refer mail for inspection because of a person's attire, religious garb, or what he subjectively perceives as being odd behavior? Can he collect data about the sender (identifying data, license #s, etc.) on the basis of such profiling?

Asked by Teddy over 9 years ago

I don't know the answer to this question but I would generally think we can't do profiling based on what we see and then refer that to the USPSIS. There may be a branch of the USPS that does legally do such observation and data collecting but I know nothing about it nor have ever been approached about being involved in such activity. What you're asking about seems somewhat discriminatory so I would likely never want to be involved in any type of racial profiling.

433 Votes

What draws the line with that I can and can't ask the mail-carrier? More specifically, I wanted to ask them about potential lawn-care leads on their route. Im a college student starting small-time gig in a competitive market.Is this Exploitation?

Asked by Dr. Ninja_Cowboy about 9 years ago

In my opinion you can ask a letter carrier anything you want but you may get a whole variety of replies that run the gamut from helpful to not being interested. I don't know any rules on what they can and can't help you with but the letter carrier should always protect the confidentiality of the customer and any mail they receive. That is pretty sacred. To give you a personal answer, nobody has ever approached me about getting leads about anything except maybe real estate agents. To be fair, I wouldn't be interested in helping anybody get potential leads for anything. I feel it is entirely unprofessional to do. A real estate agent may say to me I'll give you a referral commission if I know of anybody selling their house. I may accept their business card but not do anything else. To sum up, I don't know what you can and can't ask a letter carrier, but I feel it's unprofessional and possibly unethical to assist salespeople working in the area.

432 Votes

Also on Jobstr...

Meter Maid

What's the meanest thing anyone's ever said to you?

Subway Store Manager

The 6" sub is too small and the 12" is too big. Why no 9-inch sub?

Zookeeper and Animal Trainer

Which cuddly-seeming animals are actually dangerous to be around?

Thank you for everything! Honestly you've been helping me out a great deal. I'll be back

Asked by Dee about 9 years ago

My pleasure Dee! Again, good luck to you in training. Always keep in mind that whatever I tell you is anecdotal and what I've experienced. There are many inconsistencies within the USPS depending on where you work and the personalities you come across. It shouldn't be this way but I'm sure that happens in other organizations just as much. I enjoy so much of this job because I'm out on my own for about 6 hrs a day not dealing with too much internal politics, etc.

432 Votes

I would like to write a letter to a mailman in anothet city. I know which office he works in...If I address it to him with the office address will he receive it? Or is there a certain way I can address it so they know it's for an employee?

Asked by EG almost 9 years ago

I think there's an excellent chance that he will receive a letter if you adress it to the post office in the city where that letter carrier works, saying "Attention: (Letter Carrier ______)" on the top line of the address. Either the clerk or the supervisor/postmaster that handles internal mail should give the letter to the letter carrier. It's possible that an office my frown on having personal mail sent to a letter carrier in an office but I don't think it should be an issue as long as it's not a frequent occurrence. I've never come across this situation so I can't say for sure it will work, but I think it should. Thank you for your question.

431 Votes

If the post office is close, does that mean the mailman stops running?

Asked by Aracely over 9 years ago

Generally that would be correct. If the PO is closed due to poor weather conditions it would usually mean our whole retail and delivery operations have been suspended. I don't know if there are still processing operations going on at the mail plants. It isn't too common for us to suspend delivery for an entire day, but in blizzards or states of emergency, it could be necessary for us to do so.

430 Votes

Showing 981 - 987

Show All

240 More Answers by Mailman (City Letter Carrier)

Last 7

138 139 140 141 142 143

...

Next 7 Answers

Mailman (City Letter Carrier)

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

We have not been receiving any mail in our p o box for over 2 weeks following a couple of overflows. I called the post office
last week and they said our box is open. What could be the reason for 2 and a half weeks with no mail in our box?

When a mail carrier oppts for a specific route does he get that routes day off? Or will hes day off keep rotating as usually scheduled?

Can mailmen refer mail for inspection because of a person's attire, religious garb, or what he subjectively perceives as being odd behavior? Can he collect data about the sender (identifying data, license #s, etc.) on the basis of such profiling?

What draws the line with that I can and can't ask the mail-carrier? More specifically, I wanted to ask them about potential lawn-care leads on their route. Im a college student starting small-time gig in a competitive market.Is this Exploitation?

Also on Jobstr...

Thank you for everything! Honestly you've been helping me out a great deal. I'll be back

I would like to write a letter to a mailman in anothet city. I know which office he works in...If I address it to him with the office address will he receive it? Or is there a certain way I can address it so they know it's for an employee?

If the post office is close, does that mean the mailman stops running?

Mailman (City Letter Carrier)

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

We have not been receiving any mail in our p o box for over 2 weeks following a couple of overflows. I called the post office last week and they said our box is open. What could be the reason for 2 and a half weeks with no mail in our box?

When a mail carrier oppts for a specific route does he get that routes day off? Or will hes day off keep rotating as usually scheduled?

Can mailmen refer mail for inspection because of a person's attire, religious garb, or what he subjectively perceives as being odd behavior? Can he collect data about the sender (identifying data, license #s, etc.) on the basis of such profiling?

What draws the line with that I can and can't ask the mail-carrier? More specifically, I wanted to ask them about potential lawn-care leads on their route. Im a college student starting small-time gig in a competitive market.Is this Exploitation?

Also on Jobstr...

Thank you for everything! Honestly you've been helping me out a great deal. I'll be back

I would like to write a letter to a mailman in anothet city. I know which office he works in...If I address it to him with the office address will he receive it? Or is there a certain way I can address it so they know it's for an employee?

If the post office is close, does that mean the mailman stops running?

Login

Forgot Your Password?

Register

We have not been receiving any mail in our p o box for over 2 weeks following a couple of overflows. I called the post office
last week and they said our box is open. What could be the reason for 2 and a half weeks with no mail in our box?