Mailman (City Letter Carrier)

Mailman (City Letter Carrier)

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.

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Last Answer on February 18, 2022

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I just got interviewed for CCA position. Just wondering, how many years does it take to make career and what to expect the hourly rate if starting in California is $15.68. Also I'm kind of nervous about getting lost. Do carrier use GPS for route?

Asked by Nat over 10 years ago

I'll answer your second question first Nat. The carriers I work with (as well as I myself) use GPS on their smartphones to find streets and neighborhoods they may not be familiar with. I've been working in the same area for many years but sometimes get sent to streets I haven't been to in awhile. I break out the maps App on the iPhone to get me there. Management used to give out route maps to assist carriers but I don't know if they still do since GPS is easily available to most. Please be careful using it when driving. I try to picture the directions ahead of time so I'm not fumbling with the phone while driving. With regards to how long it takes to make career employee from CCA, it really depends on the attrition/retirement rate in your office/area. CCAs are usually made into career employees when a somebody retires or leaves the office or area where you work which would create a vacant position. It could range from a few months to several years to be converted from a CCA to career employee. In my opinion it is generally worth the wait. Your wages don't go up significantly when you become a career employee but you are entitled to health and retirement benefits and paid annual leave. If you access the NALC website and search for pay chart you can see what the wage progression is. You have to make sure you look at the section for CCA or Career letter carriers hired after 2013 I think as the pay scale is different than those hired before then. Good luck and work safely. The NALC is the labor union that represents city letter carriers employed by the USPS. I recommend joining that organization.

Can a rural letter carrier take mail out of a box after they already placed mail in the box? Today after mail was delivered, she came back and took my mail out of my mailbox and drove off.

Asked by L. Works over 11 years ago

I don't know the answer to this question. I also am not sure if they are allowed to take mail out of the box if it has been properly delivered, nor am I sure why. Is it possible that this rural carrier misdelivered a mailpiece and then went back to retrieve it? Do you know if it was actually your mail? Again, if the mail was properly delivered then there should be no reason that I can think of for the carrier to remove the mail. If it happens repeatedly or you think it is something vindictive, I'd recommend calling the PO and mentioning it to a delivery supervisor. If you just saw it once and are just curious about it, I'd just let it go. 

In reference to the above question, I HONESTLY did make that mistake. I know it sounds fishy and the local PO won't believe me.. Hahaha. But I usually do ship priority and reuse my boxes. I just happen to be shipping first class international!

Asked by Kristie over 12 years ago

If a few days go by and you don't get the package back for additional postage I wouldn't worry about it. If it is sent back for more postage, nobody is going to be mad at you. You just might have to make up the difference between 1st cl International and Priority Mail International. 

I got a mail from USCIS on 3rd in my mailbox (I didn't know about it) A new mailman took my letters from my mailbox on 11th, he said my mail box was full so he took it and returned it to USCIS on 11th. He took my name off the box too can he do tht

Asked by ANUJ almost 13 years ago

I have no idea if he was allowed to Do that. If a mailbox is full and the mail is unclaimed, I am not sure I'd automatically send it back or take a name out of the box (not that we have names in the box where I deliver mail---single family homes). I'm sorry that i don't have much more insight into your problem. know that dealing with USCIS for a replacement letter may not be that easy Either being a government bureaucracy. 

Hi. I ordered some nootropics from a certain website, a bunch, and two days later wanna order from a different source. Will frequent EMS packages cause any suspicion? It's just supplements, but still.

Thanks

Asked by Beck about 12 years ago

I don't believe that ordering the supplements from different sources will arouse any suspicion. I know I wouldn't think twice if anybody rcvd express mail in a few consecutive days or even a few days apart nor would I think Postal Inspectors would have any suspicion either. 

My boyfriend just got hired for ptf rural carrier. We planned a vacation before he appied for 1 week and it's in 4 months. Will they be nice and let him take it? we don't care if it's not paid vacation time, we just can't cancel our reservations.

Asked by ut-ohs over 12 years ago

I Can't answer that re: whether they will let him take off or not. If airline tickets or other travel was booked pre-hire, he could always use that as evidence that it was planned earlier. It is up to each mgr or supervisor whether or not to approve time off. I hope they are flexible and give the time off whether paid or not.

OMG! After asking you about my on-line application, I got an email inviting me to take the a behavioral assessment test. After I took it, I got an appointment to take the 473E. Have you got tips on how to approach the MEMORY portion?

Asked by FF over 12 years ago

Congratulations on getting to the next steps in the application process. Is the memory portion where they give you 5 addresses or names in each of 5 boxes and you have to answer which address or range of addresses goes in a particular box? That is how it was when I took the exam many years ago. i honestly can't remember how I was able to do that. There is some trick or good method to remembering the next box assignments but I don't know what it is. Maybe if you do a web search for tips on how to do the memory section of the 473E. I didn't seem to have any results with actual tips, but there are study guides that are sold to help you. I actually see that the memory section is different from the exam I took years ago. im sorry that I can't be more specific in assisting you.