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.
I don't know the legal answer to this question at the post office. I think they may ask for identification but I'm not sure the you are required to be 18 years or older. As a letter carrier, I would deliver a package without a signature if the sender didn't request or pay for a signature and the item can be safely delivered to the addressee, which is simple for the route I deliver to because it it is all single family suburban residences.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Can%20a%20minor%20%2817%29%20pick%20up%20%26%20sign%20for%20a%20package%20at%20the%20post%20office%20if%20it%27s%20addressed%20to%20them%3F%20Or%20is%20there%20a%20way%20to%20get%20the%20mailman%20to%20just%20leave%20the%20package%20without%20a%20signature%3F%20I%27m%20tired%20of%20begging%20my%20parents%20to%20come%20sign%20%26%20pick%20up%20for%20me.%20Thanks%21&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/10611)
It is probably a toss up as to which is the quickest. To make sure that it gets dispatched with the mail the day you leave it at the PO, I'd recommend bringing it directly to the PO. The reason why I call it a toss up is that the final dispatch of mail from a post office to the processing facility doesnt happen until all of the letter carriers have returned from their assignments and back to the local PO.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=What%20is%20the%20best%20way%20to%20insure%20that%20your%20mail%20is%20delivered%20the%20fastest%3F%20Directly%20handing%20it%20to%20your%20mailman%20or%20taking%20it%20to%20the%20post%20office%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/9862)
I am not exactly sure what you mean by this but I'll give it a crack. I am also copying and pasting this answer as you seem to have asked the same question twice. With regards to advertising mail, or any mail, the letter carrier should only be delivering mail to your residence that has your name OR has another name plus "or current resident" on the address label. If it just has the previous occupants name and doesn't say "or current resident", you certainly have the option to leave it in the mailbox with a note on it saying "addressee doesn't live here. please return to sender". Depending on the class of mail there is a chance we don't actually return the ad to the sender, but we do discard it at the Post Office. It is called NOVM (No Obvious Value Mail). Mail that would fall in that category is in the class of Presorted Standard Mail. Most mail that is Presorted Standard and doesn't say "or current resident" and has a previous occupants name could be discarded into the NOVM at the PO. I don't know that I would call your letter carrier lazy, but maybe they aren't paying attention to the name on the mail. You absolutey have the right to put the ad back in the mail if you wish.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Is%20my%20mailman%20not%20returning%20the%20ads%20from%20a%20previous%20occupant%20to%20sender%20because%20he%20doesn%27t%20have%20to%3F%20I%20don%27t%20want%20to%20start%20a%20war%20over%20something%20he%20has%20no%20control%20over.&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/11895)
I'm not sure what you mean by close a mailbox, whether if the door/lid is ajar or you mean permanently close it and return mail to the sender. I do know if a mailbox is full and the mail isn't claimed after awhile (not sure of the time frame), the letter carrier does have the option to return "overflow" mail to the senders with the endorsement on it saying "box full". Another option is that the mail can be put into a "hold" area in the post office with a note on top saying "box full" and waiting to see if the mailbox is emptied and then would deliver the mail being held at the post office. I don't know if one procedure is correct and the other isn't. I haven't experienced it much (if at all) during my career.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Can%20a%20mail%20carrier%20close%20a%20mailbox%20in%20an%20office%20setting%20and%20return%20items%20to%20sender%20because%20the%20mailbox%20is%20full%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/11122)
Stand-Up Comedian
What's your worst bombing story?
Tattoo Artist
Is it illegal to tattoo a client if he's drunk?
The IT Guy
What's the the stupidest IT question you've every gotten?
Sparky, again you're welcome regarding this forum. It can get a bit exhausting trying to keep up on the many questions asked, but I rarely get more than a couple per day. Furthermore, I volunteered to do this so I have nothing to complain about. On the route each day I carry a couple of pens, some scrap paper if I need to make some notes, water, my lunch, and sunglasses. I happen to have some stamps in my wallet and will give them to customers on occasion, but that's rare. Most of the time they have the envelopes ready to be mailed with the proper postage. I also don't want them to get in the habit of them thinking it's part of my job to have stamps with me, because it isn't. Fewer and fewer people are mailing letters these days and are paying their bills electronically. I don't see anything wrong with a CCA using a GPS on their smartphone to navigate to/from routes. The USPS should really be giving you a map with directions if you are unfamiliar with a route, but I am pretty sure our CCAs use their own GPS to get around the town. Since I do the same assignment each day and know it automatically I can listen to an ipod while delivering the route. I don't know if this is actually allowed but I think it should be. I only have one earbud in at any time. I think I'd get bored pretty quickly if I didn't listen to something (music/podcasts) while delivering the mail. The postal vehicle I drive doesn't have a working cigarette lighter outlet to charge up my PED so I am careful about not draining the battery during the day or I can carry a portable battery supply(but have never actually had to use it).
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Part%202%20is%20what%20kind%20of%20supplies%20do%20you%20normally%20carry%20with%20you%20on%20your%20route%3F%20A%20few%20pens%20for%20yourself%2C%20maybe%20some%20stamps%20as%20a%20convenience%20to%20customers.%20%20Also%20are%20new%20CCAs%20allowed%20to%20use%20GPS%20on%20an%20unfamiliar%20route%3F%20Thanks%20for%20your%20time%21&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/13349)
Sa-mind, I do understand your concern about driving the LLV as well as your co-workers and supervisors. I have experienced the latter myself. As to whether or not you should give it a shot, I'd say absolutely try it. It isn't the easiest of jobs and there are some tough personalities you may have to deal with. After all of my years at the USPS, I am still trying to learn that myself. Fortunately, as a letter carrier, much of the day is spent on your own delivering mail. Regarding not knowing the area they are putting you in, the management should give you a map and delivery instructions for the area. It also helps if you have a smartphone with a mapping like Google Maps or Waze. There were several occasions where I thought about quitting the USPS, but I was fortunate to have family members who thought much more logically than myself and advised against it. Starting as a CCA may not be so great due to lower wages and minimal benefits, but once you become a regular letter carrier, it is a solid job with benefits and a pretty good union. Nothing is perfect, but when I see people working in retail and grocery stores or the local convenience store, I doubt they are making $50K per year with paid vacation, paid sick days, a 401(k), decent health insurance and a retirement plan..or at least not all of this. I don't know what type of work you do now, but consider the pros and cons of leaving it with the benefits of working for the USPS, and try not to let mean people get to you. As the saying goes: mean people suck! I wish you the best and hope you at least try the job.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20am%20thinking%20about%20not%20even%20going%20to%20orientation%20because%20I%20am%20so%20nervous%20about%20the%20LLV%20driving%20test%20and%20downright%20mean%20coworkers%20and%20supervisors.%20Also%2C%20I%20am%20not%20familiar%20with%20the%20area%20they%20are%20putting%20me%20in.%20Do%20you%20think%20I%20should%20give%20it%20a%20shot%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/12582)
I am not sure what will happen re :your license being suspended and being offered a CCA Position. How long do you think it will be before you get your license back? I don't believe it is legal to have you driving a USPS vehicle with a suspended driver license.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Just%20got%20offer%20for%20cca%20position%20AND%20just%20found%20out%20my%20license%20is%20suspended%2C%20what%20can%20i%20do%3F%20been%20unemployed%20for%20a%20year%20and%20really%20need%20this%20position.&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/10023)
-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
