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 can give a mailman any package that has the postage paid on it either via a computer printed label (such as Click 'N Ship) or a label where the recipient will pay the return postage. In the latter case, the label will clearly say "No Postage Necessary If Mailed Within The United States". Postage may also be a postage meter or by affixing stamps to the package to cover the postage. Every letter carrier should accept the package no questions asked. The exception to this would be a city letter carrier who may not have a USPS vehicle which they are operating from and are unable to bring the package back to the Post Office. In that case I believe you can go to www.usps.com to schedule a package pickup. Thanks for writing.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=can%20i%20give%20a%20mailman%20my%20package%20to%20ship%20off%20or%20take%20back&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/12600)
Generally if the item fits in your mailbox and doesn't require a signature it would be put in your mailbox. This includes First Class Mail with Delivery Confirmation (which rarely would require a signature unless the sender requests it). I hope that is what happens in your case. You may not have read my other replies on this forum but I do a lot of hedging in my answers due to the lack of consistency in delivery and procedures which I hear about both where I work and other places around the country. Also, I don't like to give misinformation or mislead anybody. As much as I know how things should be done with regards to mail delivery, the reality is it doesn't always work out that way. Thank you for writing.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20am%20expecting%20an%20envelope%20that%20was%20shipped%20via%20First%20Class%20Mail%20with%20Delivery%20Confirmation.%20Will%20it%20be%20delivered%20to%20my%20mailbox%20or%20to%20my%20door%3F%20I%20am%20asking%20because%20I%20would%20like%20it%20to%20be%20delivered%20to%20the%20mailbox%20because%20I%20won%27t%20be%20home.%20Thanks%21&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/11948)
If the package is supposed to be delivered Monday, I would see if you could somehow contact (via phone or email) your local PO early Monday AM and see if they could "intercept" the package before returning it to the sender. I know some POs would be very helpful and others not at all. This is a sad aspect of the company that I work for. We are sometimes overwhelmed and feel we don't have the time to go the extra step to help out in a situation like yours. Somebody would need to go look at the parcels for the route which covers your house and try to find the parcel and correct the address. If you don't know how to contact your local PO, please call 1-888-ASK-USPS to see if they have any suggestions. I wish you well.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20ordered%202%20items%20and%20stupidly%20but%20the%20wrong%20house%20number%20on%20the%20delivery%20information.I%20just%20checked%20my%20tracking%20and%20it%20says%20being%20returned%20to%20sender%2CI%20have%20another%20package%20being%20sorted%20at%20the%20moment%20probably%20out%20for%20delivery%20Mon.How%20do%20I%20stop%20same%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/12722)
I can't remember a time that I came across any suspicious letters or packages, or at least not as of late. Not long after 9/11 I think there was anthrax sent through mail or something like that to Washington DC. It made me nervous and I think I had some type of reaction that I may have contracted it and had trouble breathing. It turned out to be all in my head and nothing ever came of it. There probably is drugs sent through the mail or maybe other illegal substances but I have no experience with it fortunately.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=How%20often%20do%20you%20encounter%20%27suspicious%27%20letters%3F%20or%20letters%20that%20you%20think%20may%20contain%20illegal%20substances%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/12474)
Firefighter
What's the worst you've been burned in a fire?
Beauty Queen
Have you ever suspected that the judging in a pageant was rigged?
CBP Officer
Do you catch less marijuana at the border now that it's being decriminalized in some States?
You can rest assured that those blue collection boxes are checked at least 1 time after the time on the label for the stated day. For example, if the label says Mon-Fri 3PM, you can rest assured that the box is emptied AFTER 3PM each day M-F but before the last truck has been dispatched from the local post office to a regional processing and distribution center M-F. (also known as a P&DC or "plant"). Inside each collection box is a bar code which is scanned by the collection box letter carrier. The scan records the time that the box was emptied and is recorded on a central internal computer system.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20put%20a%20letter%20in%20a%20blue%20collection%20box%20today%2C%20probably%20around%2012%3A30.%20In%20the%20past%2C%20I%20know%20USPS%20has%20tried%20to%20phase%20these%20boxes%20out%20and%20I%20am%20worried%20that%20they%20are%20no%20longer%20thought%20of%20as%20important%20to%20check.%20How%20often%20are%20they%20really%20checked%20for%20mail%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/10213)
Scott, you ask a very good question and I do understand your hesitation for wanting to address this issue with her for fear of retaliation. I would take the step of writing a note for the carrier and politely asking them to close the lid after delivering the mail. I realize I agreed with you that there was a slight risk in addressing the issue, but if dealt with politely I'd hope there would be no cause for retaliation. Also, a call to the delivery supervisor would be appropriate if you dI'd see any obvious retaliation.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=my%20mail%20carrier%20refuses%20to%20close%20the%20lid%20%28flip-up%20lid%20worksfine%29%20after%20delivering%20my%20mail..%20instead%20of%20closing%2C%20she%20gives%20a%20quick%20flip%20%26%20drives%20off.%20%20Drives%20me%20crazy%20but%20afraid%20to%20address%20it%20out%20of%20fear%20she%20will%20%22lose%22%20my%20mail.%0AHow%20should%20I%20address%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/10630)
In my experience it isn't too common for anyone to get terminated for anything. I mean people are given a letter of removal but the union often will appeal that and the carrier is reinstated. If it isn't the first time something happened that was the carrier's fault it may be more difficult to appeal successfully. If you are a CCA it is probably easier to fire you if you get in an at-fault accident. I don't recall any letter carriers at my office ever being terminated for an at-fault MVA. I can't speak for any of the other thousands of offices nationwide. Drive carefully, defensively and don't be distracted.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=In%20your%20experience%2C%20when%20a%20CCA%20or%20a%20Letter%20Carrier%20gets%20into%20an%20accident%20while%20on%20the%20job%20and%20it%20is%20his%20or%20her%20fault%2C%20would%20they%20still%20be%20kept%20on%20the%20job%20or%20terminated%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14801)
-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
