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 would close any mailbox after putting mail in it as long as the mailbox could be shut. I don't believe it is appropriate to leave a mailbox open with mail in it. Any letter carrier that leaves a box open which has mail in it and doesn't have a valid excuse for not closing the box isn't performing their job properly. Thanks for writing.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=When%20delivering%20the%20mail%2C%20if%20theres%20a%20mailbox%20thats%20empty.%20when%20you%20put%20the%20new%20mail%20in%2C%20do%20you%20leave%20the%20box%20open%20or%20close%20it%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/12794)
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.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=i%20frogot%20to%20put%20my%20returning%20address%20on%20the%20mail%20i%20sent%20out%20today%2C%20what%20will%20happen%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/13317)
Sean, it depends on your letter carrier and their willingness to do this. I would do it if it's not too frequent a request and it was just a letter or large envelope, meaning it just needs a stamp or two. On my initiative, I keep some postage stamps in my wallet and will honor that request most of the time. To be honest it doesn't come up too often. If I notice an item has insufficient postage I may just affix one of my own stamps and send the item on its way. There is no requirement that we do any of this and I don't want customers to get in the habit of requesting this service. The reason I have this attitude is because there are easy ways to buy stamps in quantity. The USPS allows you to buy them online, or 24/7 at any PO that has a Sales and Service Kiosk. Supermarkets and Wholesale Clubs sell postage stamps as well. I know this doesn't answer your question, but so many communication and financial transactions are more easily done online that mailing letters is becoming much less significant.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=can%20i%20give%20the%20mailman%20a%20letter%20without%20postage%20if%20i%20give%20them%20the%20money%20to%20pay%20for%20the%20postage%20when%20the%20deliver%20to%20my%20house%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15402)
Jordan, first of all, thank you for writing in to this Q and A board. I don't know the rules as far as sending back mail because you haven't emptied your box for a week or two and your box is not full. If I were the letter carrier, I would just continue to deliver mail until the box is full and then probably return any future mail endorsed "box full" to the senders (or discard the mail if it is unendorsed Standard Class mail.) I don't recall ever coming across this situation in my postal career, but if it came about I'd probably ask my supervisor for direction. It is not in my nature to leave any notes (esp. threatening ones) for the most part.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=If%20I%20don%27t%20empty%20my%20mailbox%20for%20a%20week%20or%20two%20but%20it%20is%20not%20full%2C%20is%20my%20postal%20carrier%20allowed%20to%20post%20notes%20on%20my%20door%20demanding%20I%20empty%20it%20and%20threatening%20to%20send%20it%20back%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/12731)
Chick-fil-A General Manager
What's the back-story behind the cow mascot and eat-mor-chikin campaign?
Nightclub Promoter
Is bottle service worth the money, or is it a total scam?
Small Website Owner
What made you go the entrepreneur route after college instead of a typical job?
I am not sure that they will do this. It probably depends on how helpful the person who answers the phone wants to be. Unfortunately, that is my answer with many questions that requires interaction from personnel at the PO. To give a more practical answer, it is sometimes hard to give a time of expected delivery if there are staffing shortages at an office and a route is broken up into several "pieces" and not delivered as a whole route by 1 person. If one person is delivering an entire route then they usually follow a prescribed delivery order so it would be approximately the same time each day (usually within a 1 hour time frame.) For example, if I were to deliver my entire route, the deliveries are usually made between 1000 and 1545. Thanks for writing.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Hi%2C%20if%20I%20call%20the%20post%20office%20can%20they%20tell%20me%20what%20time%20the%20mail%20is%20delivers%20in%20my%20area&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/12760)
The forwarding of the mail in your ex's name is understandable. As far as putting a hold on the mail, you may go to the Post Office or contact them by telephone and ask them to remove the hold on your mail and resume delivery of mail to your address in your name. I would think that they would honor that request.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=My%20ex%20put%20a%20hold%20on%20my%20mail%2C%20is%20there%20anything%20I%20can%20do%3F%20%20%28he%20no%20longer%20lives%20at%20home%20and%20had%20his%20mail%20forwarded%20to%20his%20new%20address&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/11046)
I Dont know why they would ask for an email address. Is there any type of customs declaration form that is filled out when you mail papers to Canada? That form usually includes what is being sent. I don't know that it's obligatory to provide this information. Sometimes USPS will send out surveys or possibly email them to find out about your retail customer experience. If you call the USPS customer service phone number, maybe they could provide more insight. The phone number is 800-275-8777.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Why%20would%20USPS%20ask%20for%20my%20email%20address%3F%20%20I%20ship%20paper%20pretty%20regularly%20to%20my%20friend%20in%20Canada%20and%20lately%20the%20lady%20at%20the%20post%20office%20has%20been%20asking%20all%20kinds%20of%20questions%20about%20what%20I%20am%20sending.%20%20This%20week%20she%20asked%20for%20my%20email%20address.%20%20Why%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14963)
-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
