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.
Most letter carriers wear a USPS-funded and approved uniforms. After a few months of employment, we are given an annual allowance to buy uniforms which includes outerwear, footwear, and other accessories. If you are a rural carrier or a newer carrier, you may wear your own clothes. If you did a web search for USPS City Letter Carrier uniforms and clicked on "images", it should give you a good idea of what a uniform looks like.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=what%20does%20a%20mailman%20wear%0A%2Cjkl%3B%27hi%3Bihlp%27uiop%27ypy&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/18071)
You are doing it correctly by choosing "no" when the question comes on the MDD asking "is this a duplicate mailpiece". The next screen should say "label scanned in error" and then let you choose "delivered". I get this message when I accidentally have scanned a mailpiece twice in a row. The scanner is asking if you have 2 mail pieces with the same USPS tracking number which shouldn't happen. It has nothing to do whether or not it was ever scanned in the office by a clerk. The MDD doesn't hold that information. I think the only time you'd get two packages with identical tracking numbers is if the mailer printed out the same label twice and attached it to two separate items. This would be cheating the USPS out of revenue. I've seen this happen before but it is rare.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Been%20getting%20message%20on%20scanner%20when%20scanning%20a%20parcel%20on%20street%2C%20%22is%20this%20a%20duplicate%20mail%20piece%22%20scanner%20icon%20says%20no%2C%20so%20when%20l%20press%20enter%20it%20goes%20to%20barcode%20so%20l%20scan%20delivered.%20Is%20that%20right%2C%20bc%20when%20I%20hit%20yes%20in%20another%20instance%20comes%20up%202%2C&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16991)
Funny that this is kind of a duplicate question and we are talking about duplicates. You are doing it correctly by choosing "no" when the question comes on the MDD asking "is this a duplicate mailpiece". The next screen should say "label scanned in error" and then let you choose "delivered". I get this message when I accidentally have scanned a mailpiece twice in a row. The scanner is asking if you have 2 mail pieces with the same USPS tracking number which shouldn't happen. It has nothing to do whether or not it was ever scanned in the office by a clerk. The MDD doesn't hold that information. I think the only time you'd get two packages with identical tracking numbers is if the mailer printed out the same label twice and attached it to two separate items. This would be cheating the USPS out of revenue. I've seen this happen before but it is rare.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Hit%20yes%20the%20package%20number%20comes%20up%20two%20times.%20So%20confused%20so%20hot%20enter%20gets%20delivered.%20Do%20l%20hit%20yes%20or%20no%2C%20how%20do%20l%20know%20it%27s%20was%20scanned%2C%20it%20should%20be%20scanned%20in%20office%20by%20clerk%20so%20why%20does%20it%20come%20up%20duplicate%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16992)
You certainly are paid when you go to orientation. The current CCA pay rate is approximately $16.10/hr. You will likely have to file HR paperwork if you'd like direct deposit or maybe it's all done electronically now. It sounds like you are hired, however there is a 90-day probationary period where you can be fired with not much recourse. If you can't perform sufficiently enough in the LLV or whichever vehicle they are training you in its possible you'll be terminated. Also, if you don't perform your job duties sufficiently and safely enough within the first 90 days you can also be terminated. Being on time and regular in attendance is also important. Many CCAs quit or are let go during this probationary period. I'd guess the attrition rate where I work is 50%. I truly like this job a lot though many others don't. As a CCA it's particularly difficult because each day you could be doing something different in an area you aren't familiar with. In my opinion it's worth it because most CCAs I've worked with become a regular career carrier within 18 months. Again, your mileage may vary. Once you are a regular carrier there is a guarantee of at least 40 hrs per week of work, benefits, and pretty solid job security. Dee, take one step at a time. Report to orientation and see how that goes and if you like it. The NALC has a brochure you can access online called "City Carrier Assistant Rights and Benefits" nalc.org That is the national union that represents City Letter Carriers nationwide,
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=2.%20If%20I%27m%20attending%20orientation%20does%20that%20mean%20I%20am%20hired%20as%20a%20CCA%3F%20I%20was%20told%20it%20is%20my%20first%20day%20of%20work%20and%20will%20be%20paid.%20So%20I%20guess%20I%20have%20it%3F%20or%20can%20i%20still%20be%20terminated%20if%20I%20performly%20poorly%20in%20the%20LLV%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/17372)
Car Salesman
Are women more likely to get taken advantage of when buying a car?
Programmer
Is Mark Zuckerberg really a genius programmer? Or was he just lucky?
School Teacher
How do you feel about the idea of year-round schooling?
I think it would be great if you scored well on any exams you take for employment with the USPS. Many new hires today are hired as CCA (city carrier assistant) which is a letter carrier position. I think you apply for certain positions so you may have a choice to be a CCA or PSE (Postal Support Employee). A PSE is a position where you generally work inside doing mail processing, distribution, or retail sales and service. Most, if not all, of the letter carriers who I work with were hired as carriers first. I don't, however, have any more insight to the hiring practices except what I posted here. I know I'd always like to see motivated and competent individuals hired by the USPS.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Lets%20pretend%20someone%20takes%20all%20the%20required%20test%20and%20performs%20phenomenally.%20Now%2C%20I%20was%20wondering%20if%20it%27%20possible%20to%20get%20a%20job%20as%20a%20mail%20carrier%20as%20a%20first%20job%3F%20Do%20you%20know%20if%20that%20would%20be%20an%20automatic%20%22No-No%22%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/17181)
If a neighborhood has cluster boxes, it's usually a group of 6-30 addresses per cluster box. I actually made up that number. Where I deliver to cluster boxes, they range from 4-16 addresses per cluster box. As the letter carrier, I have a key which opens up the cluster box fully and then i can sort all of the mail for those addresses at one time. The boxes are usually well labeled inside (with the cluster panel open) to know where to put the mail. It's important for the letter carrier to know whether to put the mail either above or below the address if the slots are stacked vertically. I have seen my fellow letter carriers, and I'm sure myself make errors in deliveries to cluster boxes. I also live in an apartment building where mail is delivered into cluster boxes near the elevators. It can get more tedious than walking from door to door delivering mail but it is more efficient to deliver mail to cluster box units.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%27m%20a%20nighborhood%20with%20mail%20box%20clusters%20how%20do%20you%20know%20what%20slot%20to%20put%20the%20mail%20on&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16970)
I am not sure anything can be done about it. I don't know why the neighbors would sign for the item without knowing who it was for, unless they thought they were doing the intended recipient (you, in this case) a favor. I also don't why your neighbors would open a package that clearly didn't belong to them. You could call or email the sender them that you received the package (which I think you eventually did unless your letter carrier was the one telling you the story) and that the item is damaged. I don't know if the problem can be remediated or not. If the item was sent with insurance, maybe a claim can be filed. Apartment number is sometimes as vital as the street address itself.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=What%20do%20I%20do%20if%20mail%20that%20has%20a%20signature%20confirmation%20on%20it%20has%20the%20right%20street%20address%20but%20the%20wrong%20apartment%20number%20on%20it%20is%20delivered%20and%20signed%20for%20by%20my%20neighbors%20who%20told%20the%20mailman%20that%20it%20didnt%20belong%20to%20them%2C%20opened%20and%20damaged%20my%20packag&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16614)
-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
