Ask a Mailman (City Letter Carrier) anything

1237 Questions

Last Answer on February 18, 2022

I just moved from my Mother's house. Last Sunday she left a bag with my mail, including a paycheck, and a banana bread in her mailbox. I was sick that day and didn't pick it up. When I saw her this weekend we figured out that P.O took my stuff .
WTF?

Asked by Hungry For Bread over 10 years ago

Not to make light of your question, but I like your handle "Hungry For Bread". I don't know why the USPS (or more specifically an employee thereof) would take a bag that was obviously not outgoing mail. Technically, the mailbox isn't to be used as a place to leave and pick-up non-US Mail items. From my experience, however, I rarely hear of letter carriers taking non-US Mail items out of a mailbox unless they were circulars/ads placed in mailboxes without postage being paid. You could call the PO where your mother lived and ask them about the missing bag of bread and mail, but I doubt they would know anything about it or admit to it. How do you know that the PO took your stuff and not somebody else? Nobody else should be going into your mailbox to take anything. I am glad you wrote in, but I'd appreciate that you leave the implied profanity out of your question (referring to WTF) for any future inquiries. I don't feel it is appropriate for this message board but acknowledge it is used much more commonly these days than when I was younger.

664 Votes

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.

662 Votes

do mailmen carry flat rate boxes and envelopes on their vehicles for people who need them along the route?

Asked by neva over 10 years ago

Generally I would say no. I know that I don't carry them in my vehicle. We are told to empty out our vehicles each night. Maybe some carriers do bring them with, but I would doubt it and we aren't told to by management. If a customer asked me to bring them some I would the next day. The best way to get supplies is to visit a Post Office or order the Priority Mail supplies for free at www.usps.com. Thank you for your inquiry and I think Priority Mail is one of the most reliable services that the USPS provides.

662 Votes

If I leave an outgoing 1st class letter/envelope in my mailbox is the carrier obligated to take it? My old mail carrier always took it but my new carrier is saying I should schedule it. You can't schedule 1st class mail as best I can tell.

Asked by Cathy over 10 years ago

As far as I know, if a first class envelope is left out for mailing and has sufficient postage on it, it should be taken when the carrier is doing their regular delivery. I am not sure what they mean by scheduling it. That is definitely done for parcels so the USPS knows whether or not to bring a postal vehicle (in case the carrier only delivers via foot.) I hope your new carrier is not just being lazy. I'm sure you have already done this, but please make sure that the outgoing letter(s) are obviously visible to the letter carrier to take. Thanks for writing.

660 Votes

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My employer forgot to add my apartment number to my check can i meet the postmaster at my apartment to get it or will they not have it?

Asked by Jen almost 10 years ago

Jen, I'm not sure if the letter carrier (postman, mailman, they all are synonymous) would have your paycheck if you met them at the mailboxes for the apt. building. Sometimes if there is no apt. number on a piece of mail, it could be sent back to the sender for "Insufficient Address, Apt. # Required", or they may have it with them and try to figure out the correct apt. # if they don't already know it. Some carriers are familiar with who lives in which apt. so they deliver the mail anyway without an apt. number on the address. I think a lot will depend on who is delivering mail the day you go out and meet them. I know this doesn't help you, but in the future the apt. # is so important to put on an address to insure proper delivery. It's also a good idea to label either the outside or inside of your mailbox with your name and apartment number. Thanks for your question and I hope your paycheck arrives.

660 Votes

At times I am working in my lawn and I see the mailman drive up. She always gets my mail in her hands, then once she sees me in the lawn she drives away and holds the mail until tomorrow (when I am inside). Is that a problem?

Asked by Bryce almost 11 years ago

I don't know why a letter carrier would approach your house with mail in hand and then decide to not deliver it unless there was some safety issue in completing the delivery. Next time you see the letter carrier you could ask her why she does that or you may call your post office and mention it to the delivery supervisor. It's a problem if there is First Class or Priority Mail which is being curtailed for no apparent reason. Those classes of mail should be delivered the day that they are received at your local post office. As to whether it's a problem or not, part of it is up to you if you if it bothers you that your mail is being delayed for no reason and you'd like to make an issue of it. For some people, especially younger people, the US Mail is really not that important to them so if it comes a few days later than it should it may not make a difference. I'm not trying to say that it's correct/legal for mail to be delayed for no reason. I'm only implying that it's not too important to some recipients when they receive their US Mail.

660 Votes

there is a blue usps collection box in the parking lot of a group of stores. when the stores are closed security people order you off the premises. is there a regulation requiring boxes to be fully accessible by the public 24/7?

Asked by stephen allen over 10 years ago

There is no regulation that I'm aware of that requires the collection box to be accessible 24/7. I know that in the town where I work some office buildings have collection slots in their lobby and I think an access card is required to enter the building during "off" hours. The mail collection slots serve the same purpose as the blue collection boxes meaning mail is picked up from those boxes/mail slots on a regular schedule.

660 Votes

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Mailman (City Letter Carrier)

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

I just moved from my Mother's house. Last Sunday she left a bag with my mail, including a paycheck, and a banana bread in her mailbox. I was sick that day and didn't pick it up. When I saw her this weekend we figured out that P.O took my stuff .
WTF?

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

do mailmen carry flat rate boxes and envelopes on their vehicles for people who need them along the route?

If I leave an outgoing 1st class letter/envelope in my mailbox is the carrier obligated to take it? My old mail carrier always took it but my new carrier is saying I should schedule it. You can't schedule 1st class mail as best I can tell.

Also on Jobstr...

My employer forgot to add my apartment number to my check can i meet the postmaster at my apartment to get it or will they not have it?

At times I am working in my lawn and I see the mailman drive up. She always gets my mail in her hands, then once she sees me in the lawn she drives away and holds the mail until tomorrow (when I am inside). Is that a problem?

there is a blue usps collection box in the parking lot of a group of stores. when the stores are closed security people order you off the premises. is there a regulation requiring boxes to be fully accessible by the public 24/7?

Mailman (City Letter Carrier)

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

I just moved from my Mother's house. Last Sunday she left a bag with my mail, including a paycheck, and a banana bread in her mailbox. I was sick that day and didn't pick it up. When I saw her this weekend we figured out that P.O took my stuff .WTF?

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

do mailmen carry flat rate boxes and envelopes on their vehicles for people who need them along the route?

If I leave an outgoing 1st class letter/envelope in my mailbox is the carrier obligated to take it? My old mail carrier always took it but my new carrier is saying I should schedule it. You can't schedule 1st class mail as best I can tell.

Also on Jobstr...

My employer forgot to add my apartment number to my check can i meet the postmaster at my apartment to get it or will they not have it?

At times I am working in my lawn and I see the mailman drive up. She always gets my mail in her hands, then once she sees me in the lawn she drives away and holds the mail until tomorrow (when I am inside). Is that a problem?

there is a blue usps collection box in the parking lot of a group of stores. when the stores are closed security people order you off the premises. is there a regulation requiring boxes to be fully accessible by the public 24/7?

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I just moved from my Mother's house. Last Sunday she left a bag with my mail, including a paycheck, and a banana bread in her mailbox. I was sick that day and didn't pick it up. When I saw her this weekend we figured out that P.O took my stuff .
WTF?