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.
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)
Okay, I believe it. The contract is only as good as the mgmt and the workforce and shop stewards agree to enforce it. I see things that happen in my office which may not be the correct thing if the contract were followed to the letter, but they seem like rational solutions. It's a tricky balance in our office due to chronic short staffing and incompetence of both supervisors and coworkers. Some workers are very dedicated and do the job well. They don't need to be superstars. Others seem to purposefully work against the system and try to make everything as difficult and slow and crappy as possible. They often tend to the loudest, least mature, and least educated.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Welcome%20to%20Massapequa%2C%20anything%20goes%2C%20leave%20it%20at%20that&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16390)
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)
I'm not sure why the letter carrier would do that without some type of notification that you and your mother don't live there anymore. I don't think the letter carrier should have done that. I guess you could write a note next to the other note with you and your mother's name as well. If that doesn't work, you could also contact the postmaster or delivery supervisor and explain that you still live there. I hope that helps because we shouldn't be deciding whether or not someone lives at a certain address or not. In truth, somebody doesn't have to live at an address there just to have mail accepted there.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Can%20the%20mailman%20decide%20whether%20or%20not%20you%20live%20at%20an%20address%20he%20is%20stop%20delivering%20mail%20to%20both%20me%20and%20my%20mother%20but%20still%20delivers%20to%20our%20roommate.%20as%20far%20as%20to%20write%20a%20note%20with%20side%20the%20mailbox%20with%20the%20roommates%20last%20name%20and%20%22%20only%20%22next%20to%20it.&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/18100)
HR Executive
What's the worst reaction you ever witnessed during a lay-off?
Track and Field Coach
How often are your athletes tested for PEDs and is it easy to beat?
Sommelier
Do you occasionally get a little turned off by wine snobbery?
Jillian, we are assigned to work at a Post Office in a particular city when we are hired. That city may have just one PO or may have several stations which we can work from. To answer your question, we choose the routes that we want to take based on seniority, which I find to be the fairest way of doing most things. It eliminates any favoritism that could occur and everything is out in the open with regards to seniority. Some carriers choose routes that have more business deliveries while others may prefer to deliver to residences or a combination. Some routes require more walking than others. Some routes are entirely driving and mail is delivered from the postal vehicle directly into a curbside mailbox. In a major urban areas some buildings could be so large that a carriers route is just one building. I have stayed with the first route that I was every able to bid on successfully. My seniority (18 years) would allow me to move onto what are considered more desirable routes when vacancies occur. I'm comfortable in what I do and I know it well and I think it's a fair days work. Some carriers are a lot more picky than others. As you can see it really depends on personalities and what one perceives as desirable. I hope this helps answer your question.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=How%20do%20mail%20carriers%20figure%20out%20which%20route%20to%20take%20in%20the%20city%20there%20in&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/18355)
No gift is necessary for a letter carrier, but if you'd like to give one I'm sure it will be gladly accepted. Most postal routes have the same person deliver it 5 out of the 6 delivery days per week and then someone else fills in on the regular carrier's day off. If there is a staffing shortage some routes may not have the same mailman each day. Anyhow, 2 common gifts I receive for the holidays are cash (average $20) or a gift card to a coffee chan like Dunkin' Donuts or Starbucks. Thanks for asking about this.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=What%20gift%20should%20I%20get%20my%20mailman%2C%20also%20will%20I%20have%20the%20same%20mailman%20every%20day%20or%20do%20mail%20deliverers%20do%20it%20on%20certain%20days%20and%20take%20turns%21&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/17850)
I don't know of any rule against this. I haven't seen it in my office much (or at all) but several letter carriers (4 I think) live in the towns where we service.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Can%20postman%20have%20rounds%20that%20include%20their%20own%20address%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/17385)
-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
