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

Best Rated

I recently sent a Christmas present in a large envelope. It arrived at the desired address empty. The wrapped present not inside. The package did have tracking, but it obviously reports delivered since the empty envelope made it. what can I do?

Asked by Ella about 11 years ago

I am sorry that the item arrived empty, but I do understand why it shows as arrived delivered. If that package arrived on my route for delivery I would have scanned it "Visible Damage" as well as "Delivered". This would not result in any settlement or claim being paid, but would validate what you are saying. If the item was not insured, I don't believe there is anything that can be done. 

For the Q above, if it's already been 6 days, do i still have a chance of retrieving it from them tomorrow? Or would they have thrown it away or returned it by now?

Asked by Sally over 11 years ago

I am not sure if they would still have it after 6 days. Generally, they wouldn't have thrown it out if the item was mailed a certain class and a return endorsement like "return service requested" but there is no way to know how it was mailed. Hopefully it will be returned to sender and if there is a way to contact the sender they could tell you when they received it back. It wouldn't hurt to go to the PO to see if it's there. Has there been any update to the tracking information besides "arrived at your local USPS facility"?

Why does it take 3 days to get a package that arrived in the destination city at different zip code delivered to me at my zip code same in city

Asked by heather over 10 years ago

I don't know why it would take 3 days to get to another ZIP in the same city. As long as there is no weekend or holiday, I am pretty sure the next day would be the service goal for a package that arrived in the city at a different ZIP. Possibly a sorting error would delay the package for a day or two, but that shouldn't be a recurrent problem unless there is some other operational issue that I'm not aware of.

Just got offer for cca position AND just found out my license is suspended, what can i do? been unemployed for a year and really need this position.

Asked by mary about 11 years ago

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.

Can I give my mailman the key to a new lock mailbox I just bought? I live in a 3 family house and someone is stealing my mail.

Asked by LA over 10 years ago

LA, it is awful that mail is being stolen. I don't know what good it will do, but I would recommend reporting that to your local post office or the Postal Inspectors. To answer your question, I don't know that a mailman would get involved with being responsible for a key to a private mailbox. If everyone on their route did that, how would they keep track of all of those keys? Furthermore, if that mailman was off/sick/vacation, how could you be sure that the replacement mailman would get the key? I just don't think it will be feasible or practical or possibly even allowed. Another option (though less convenient) would be to rent a PO Box which would definitely be secure.

I've been having this issue that I sometimes don't receive postal mail.It gets returned to the sender saying: the individual has moved.This has been happening mostly with mails being sent to me from out-of-city.Any clues as to why this is happening?

Asked by Hamza almost 11 years ago

I'm sorry but I don't know why this would be happening. Did someone with a similar name possibly live at or near your address and then moved and not leave a forwarding address? I know that isn't a likely reason. The only suggestion I can think of is to contact your local post office and re-affirm that you are still at your present address and don't return any mail that comes with your name to your present address. If it isn't your local post office that is returning your mail, I don't know how/why this is a happening. Thank you for writing.

Can a minor (17) pick up & sign for a package at the post office if it's addressed to them? Or is there a way to get the mailman to just leave the package without a signature? I'm tired of begging my parents to come sign & pick up for me. Thanks!

Asked by Ashley G about 11 years ago

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.