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.

SubscribeGet emails when new questions are answered. Ask Me Anything!Show Bio +

Share:

Ask me anything!

Submit Your Question

1236 Questions

Share:

Last Answer on February 18, 2022

Best Rated

Also what if that blue mailbox i mailed it to was out of service?Sorry about the double post should had put all in one.

Asked by victor over 10 years ago

Victor, no worries at all regarding your double post. I am not familiar with the blue collection boxes being out of service but still being out in the street and available to be used. I know you didn't find the box when you used the website to look for mailboxes. The only suggestion I would have is to go to a PO that is located near that box or call them somehow to see if that blue collectionmailbox is in use. They might have the answer.

My husband's ex-wife's mail continues to be delivered to our house. We purchased together so there is no reason that she would be on this address. I have done everything suggested to make this stop; it keeps getting delivered. How do I make it stop?

Asked by kingston over 10 years ago

Kingston, I'm guessing that a couple of methods you have tried is to return any mail with her name on it with the marking "person doesn't live here" or "refused" on it. Another method is to ask your letter carrier to only deliver mail with your name and/or your husband's name on it. Since the ex-wife possibly had the same last name as your husband I can see some of that mail getting through. You could discard the mail but I don't think that will have any effect on stopping the mail since a letter carrier has no idea what is done with the mail once it is delivered. If you talk to a supervisor at the PO and tell them you don't want mail for that name, I'm not sure what their response will be, esp. when last names may be in common. I am sorry that I don't have any better information as this situation isn't one that I recall coming across. Most people just refuse delivery of that mail or probably discard it. Thanks for writing. 

If I were to send a letter envelope with more than just a letter, like if it had a ring inside as well, would it be able to go through the mail system without a problem?

Asked by Gabriela over 10 years ago

More than likely the envelope with the irregular thickness item in it would make it through the mail system as long as the item didn't puncture through the paper envelope and possibly get lost. The letter sorting process is highly automated so the item in the envelope could get damaged as it goes through the letter sorting machinery. For this reason,  I highly recommend using a small padded envelope to protect any fragile or valuable contents that need to be mailed. The cost to mail this is higher than that of a letter-sized envelope but well worth it.

i frogot to put my returning address on the mail i sent out today, what will happen?

Asked by Emily over 10 years ago

It is fine not to put a return address on anything you mail. The issue that could come about is if the item you sent is "undeliverable as addressed" meaning that you didn't put on the correct destination address. In this case, the letter would likely be sent to the "nixie" or "dead letter" office. I don't know what it is called nowadays and I don't know what would happen to the letter, but you wouldn't get it back unless somebody opened it and your address was found on the inside. I don't even know if that is legal to do or if it is even done. Again, as long as you put the proper destination address on the letter, don't worry at all about not putting on the return address. Thanks for your inquiry.

I just checked my mailbox n received a authorization to hold mail form. I did not request this n is signed by an unknown person. what does this mean & how do I fix it?

Asked by Jay over 10 years ago

I am not sure why the authorization to hold mail form would show up in your mailbox unless it was put there by error. Normally we wouldn't deliver a signed form like that until it is time to resume delivery of mail after the hold period which was authorized has expired. Postal Customers use that form (or can complete it at www.usps.gov) to have their mail held at the post office if they will be away for a period of time between 3 and 30 days. At the end of the authorized time period, a letter carrier will either deliver all of the mail that was held at the PO or the postal customer can pick up the mail at the Post Office. If the form you recevied has been completed (or even if not), you may put a post-it note or attach a note to it and leave it in your mailbox explaining to the letter carrier that you don't want your mail held at all and that you didn't authorize it. Another option is to take the card to your local post office that delivers the mail and tell them you don't want your mail held. My guess is that somebody has made an error in delivering the form to you OR something shady is going on, but I think it is more likely the former. Thank you for your inquiry.

Where do you put someones mail if you cant put it in their mailbox? (Or gain access to an apartment building)

Asked by Alpha over 10 years ago

If I can find a safe place nearby like near a garage door or by the front door of the house I would rubber band the mail and put it there. If it is mail addressed to an apt building and I can't gain access I would likely bring it back to the Post Office, notify a supervisor, and likely attempt delivery the next day. Fortunately, this doesn't happen very often on the route where I deliver the mail. It is inconvenient to have to bring the mail back to the PO and try again the next day.

hello, how do u normally drive everyday? on average what do you think every mailman drives?

Asked by mags almost 11 years ago

I drive an LLV each day. Our office has 3 types of vehicles. We have Ford Windstars, LLVs, and 2-ton Trucks (which are boxy cargo type looking trucks). The LLVs are the only ones with the steering wheel on the right hand side. I think most mailmen drive the LLVs (Long Life Vehicles), or whatever the newer version of it is called. Our PO doesn't have them yet so I don't know what they are called, but they are similar.