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.
JD, good job for sticking with it for 7 years so far. There are many people who couldn't handle even one NE winter. I have trouble myself with the very cold weather, plus snow, and ice. The LLVs are horrible with snow in handling especially on any inclines. I have felt the way you have several times, and I have also felt the opposite as well (meaning I love the career). I admit it is difficult at times when you aren't feeling satisfied to stick with this career. Here is my advice, but keep in mind I don't know your personal living/financial situation. Being a city carrier and making apprx $50K+ a year seems to be a decent salary with benefits and union protections. I know it's a physically hard job, but you could apply to transfer to a less harsh area climate wise. My parents have been a big influence on me when I was on the verge of resigning on a few occasions. They said that it won't be easy to find a similar paying job without any special skills. I've also had to seek professional help in the past couple of years which has been worthwhile. This is probably more information then you want to know but as of now I am glad that I didn't go through with the rash decision of quitting the USPS. Have you thought about switching to the clerk craft? Would you rather maybe work inside as a Sales and Service Associate? There are pros and cons to that as well. I do feel bad for anybody who is unhappy with their position, but am hopeful they can stick with it and maybe their feelings will change for the better. I would have a very hard time working too long if I weren't satisfied at the position. Please try to keep your head up and dress appropriately for the weather. Thanks for writing.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%27m%2032%20and%20have%20been%20a%20city%20letter%20carrier%20for%20seven%20years%20now.%20I%27ve%20become%20very%20unsatisfied%20by%20the%20job.%20I%20just%20don%27t%20want%20to%20deal%20with%20the%20bad%20new%20england%20winters%20and%20the%20physical%20nature%20of%20the%20job%20anymore.%20Have%20you%20ever%20felt%20this%20way%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/13014)
Hello Joy. The area where you took the photo is probably serviced by a rural carrier or HCR (highway contract routr). These positions are different than the one I am employed as even though we all serve the same function. It makes sense to me that the barrel would be used for packages because I don't think carriers are required to deliver mail to a house that is more than a certain amt of feet from the road. The barrel is a convenient way for the customer to receive packages without having to drive to a post office which is many mlies away and has limited hours. It would also protect the package from damage in inclement weather. I can't confirm this is what the barrel is for.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20have%20a%20photograph%20of%20mailboxes%20in%20a%20remote%20part%20of%20South%20Dakota.%20%20There%20is%20a%20large%20barrel%20next%20to%20the%20mailboxes.%20%20Is%20it%20used%20for%20packages%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/13110)
I don't deliver my own mail because I reside in Queens, NY and Stony Brook, NY but don't work at either of those post offices. If a letter carrier does reside in the town that they work in, it is possible that they deliver their own mail. We have a few carriers at my PO that live and work in this town, but none of them have assignments that include their own residence on a daily basis.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Do%20you%20ever%20deliver%20your%20own%20mail%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14284)
Regarding your question Joseph, I don't known what the official rule is on this. If I were the letter carrier who was collecting the mail from the blue collection box and you approached me with appropriate ID and the letter was easy to find, I'd return it to you. I can imagine some other carriers not being as accommodating to your request either because they don't want to help you or because we may not technically be allowed to. It's also not always so easy to find the person collecting the mail unless you are watching the mailbox for awhile because letter carrier doesn't always come at the time printed on the collection box schedule label. The time printed on the label is the earliest time of the collection but it could be hours before the mail is actually collected.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=If%20i%20was%20to%20put%20my%20mail%20in%20the%20collectors%20box%20and%20lets%20just%20say%20i%20needed%20it%20back%20cause%20whatever%20reason.%20And%20the%20envolope%20has%20my%20name%20on%20it%2C%20could%20i%20have%20it%20returned%20if%20i%20go%20to%20the%20mailmen%20when%20he%20is%20collecting%20the%20mail%20and%20show%20valid%20U.S.%20form%20of%20i.d&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14409)
Casting Director
What do you look for when auditioning candidates for reality TV?
Swim Instructor
What are the physical traits that make for the "ideal swimmer's body"?
Suicide Hotline Manager
Has anyone killed themselves during a call?
Sorry to say that we can't guarantee arrival of a birthday card on a specific date when mailed via regular class mail. We do, however, have a decent record of getting most letters delivered the next day when mailed from the same city, and 2-3 days when mailed from further away. To play it safe I'd mail the card 2 days in advance and, if you prefer, you can write "Do Not Open Until Your Birthday" on the outside of it. You are a thoughtful friend. Good Luck!
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Hey%20is%20it%20the%20same%20as%20australian%20post%20office.%20i%20want%20to%20send%20my%20friend%20a%20bday%20card..%20She%20lives%20in%20the%20same%20state%20same%20city%20haha%20and%20i%20want%20to%20know%20how%20long%20it%20would%20take%20to%20deliver%20so%20that%20i%20can%20post%20it%20like%202%20days%20before%20and%20then%20arrives%20on%20her%20bday&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/10408)
I don't know what to tell you about this with regards to what you should do. You could file a complaint/written letter to the PO claiming financial damage by the rural letter carrier, possibly including the ATV battery damage as well. I don't know how this claims process works at all with respect to any damage caused by the USPS or of an item shipped via USPS. It sounds to me that maybe the carrier shouldn't have driven into your yard to throw the battery near your porch. I don't know the rules about package deliveries on a rural route. In one way, it's good they tried to deliver a package that wouldn't fit in the RR mailbox at the highway. A possible negative is that your yard became damaged due to this. I wish you well but I don't know what type of satisfaction you'll get from the USPS. I don't have a lot of faith in their bureaucracy or claims process. I hope to be proven wrong.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20have%20a%20rural%20route%2C%20a%20mailbox%20at%20the%20highway.%20%20My%20mailman%20drove%20into%20my%20yard%2C%20threw%20my%20package%20%28ATV%20battery%29%20out%20of%20his%20vehicle%20towards%20my%20porch%2C%20damaging%20it%2C%20got%20stuck%20in%20yard%2C%20trenching%20it%20up%20bad.%20%20What%20can%2Fshould%20I%20do%20about%20this%3F%20%20Thank%20You.&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15055)
I'm sorry but it's unlikely that you would be able to get your paycheck before regular mail delivery on Monday. It is likely that your post office closed and may not have anybody there until early on Monday AM. Even on Monday AM, it's not likely that your mail will be available (or that you'd find anybody willing or allowed to help). I don't know where your post office is so I can't speak to the specifics of your situation. I am just speaking in generalities of what I think would be the situation at most post offices. My question to you is: How do you know your pay check is at the post office? Most post offices deliver whatever mail has arrived on the same day that it arrives. What I mean is that mail that is processed overnight at a regional sorting facility arrives at our local post office by apprx 730AM and then is all sent out for delivery the same day it arrives. Do you have a PO Box where the paycheck would be and your local post office has restricted hours for access (i.e. not a 24 hour lobby).
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20know%20my%20paycheck%20is%20at%20post%20office%2C%20I%20need%20for%20an%20emergency%2C%20%20it%27s%20Saturday%20night%20at%206%3A10%20pm.%20Is%20there%20any%20possible%20way%20to%20get%20it%20before%20monday%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/11830)
-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
