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 this answer for sure, but I do know if a carrier can't pull completely up to a mailbox to effect delivery, he can "flag" the box as non-approachable and bring the mail back to the PO and try again the next day. Most of the time if I couldn't completely get up to a mailbox, I would get out and deliver the mail so as to not have to deal with it the next day. If a mailbox was habitually blocked by a customer then I may suspend delivery to let them know that their box shouldn't be blocked. This has rarely happened in my experience. I'm pretty sure we are allowed to get out of the truck to deliver the mail. I've never been told otherwise.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=my%20husband%20insists%20that%20if%20a%20mail%20carrier%20is%20in%20a%20truck%2C%20they%20are%20not%20allowed%20to%20get%20out%20of%20the%20truck%20to%20deliver%20mail%2C%20so%20if%20they%20cant%20pull%20right%20up%20to%20the%20mailbox%2C%20they%20wont%20deliver%20the%20mail%2C%20is%20that%20true%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/10543)
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.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20recently%20sent%20a%20Christmas%20present%20in%20a%20large%20envelope.%20It%20arrived%20at%20the%20desired%20address%20empty.%20The%20wrapped%20present%20not%20inside.%20The%20package%20did%20have%20tracking%2C%20but%20it%20obviously%20reports%20delivered%20since%20the%20empty%20envelope%20made%20it.%20what%20can%20I%20do%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/10301)
it depends on the community you live in. The blue collection boxes that you may see in your town are probably picked up 1-2 times per day. There is a sticker inside the box that has the collection times. At the actual post office, mail is often sent out more than once a day, but it really depends on the size and location of the post office. At the actual Post Office, there is usually a sign by the mail drop slot that tells the collection times or at least will tell you when the daily deadline is to have mail processed for that day.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Is%20there%20any%20location%20%28i.e.%20the%20postoffice%29%20that%20the%20mail%20gets%20picked%20up%20more%20than%20once%3F%3F%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/13308)
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"?
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=For%20the%20Q%20above%2C%20if%20it%27s%20already%20been%206%20days%2C%20do%20i%20still%20have%20a%20chance%20of%20retrieving%20it%20from%20them%20tomorrow%3F%20Or%20would%20they%20have%20thrown%20it%20away%20or%20returned%20it%20by%20now%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/9642)
Casino Marketer
What's the most unethical thing you've seen casinos do to "part you from your dollars?"
Help Desk Technician
Does it get aggravating answering people's dumb questions all day long?
Professional Blogger
How long did it take you before you could quit your day-job?
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)
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.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%27ve%20been%20having%20this%20issue%20that%20I%20sometimes%20don%27t%20receive%20postal%20mail.It%20gets%20returned%20to%20the%20sender%20saying%3A%20the%20individual%20has%20moved.This%20has%20been%20happening%20mostly%20with%20mails%20being%20sent%20to%20me%20from%20out-of-city.Any%20clues%20as%20to%20why%20this%20is%20happening%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/11519)
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.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Can%20I%20give%20my%20mailman%20the%20key%20to%20a%20new%20lock%20mailbox%20I%20just%20bought%3F%20I%20live%20in%20a%203%20family%20house%20and%20someone%20is%20stealing%20my%20mail.&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/11817)
-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
