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 think you need to hire a locksmith to replace the lock to a cluster mailbox, but to be honest I don't really know the procedure as to who maintains the boxes. It may be the USPS or it could be the complex/apt/condo management. I believe the lock may have to be changed because I don't even know if spare keys are held anywhere. If it is true that a letter carrier can get the lock changed I don't know the length of time that this takes though I imagine it is common for mailbox keys to be lost.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20lost%20my%20mailbox%20key%20%28cluster%29.%20I%20called%20USPS%20and%20they%20said%20that%20if%20I%20leave%20a%20note%20for%20the%20carrier%2C%20he%20could%20replace%20the%20lock.%20Is%20it%20true%20or%20do%20I%20have%20to%20find%20a%20locksmith%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16135)
That is a good question which I can basically break down into a simple answer: there is no set time for switching routes for letter carriers. The system for assigning routes comes down to seniority. If a letter carrier likes the route that they have they can stay on it indefinitely for the most part. If the office goes through some route restructuring (like the territory that makes up a route changes) then you may get a new mailman. When carriers retire or leave the PO for any reason, their route goes up for bidding and the most senior letter carrier who would like that route assignment can choose it. At this point your mailman could move to another route if they want to and they have enough seniority. Some letter carriers could stay on their routes for 25+ years if they choose to. If you are having serious issues with your letter carrier, you could mention it to to them if you ever see them or you could call the delivery supervisor at your local PO. I'm sorry you are having issues with your letter carrier. There are many among us who don't do a great job or just have a bad attitude.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=When%20do%20I%20get%20a%20new%20mailman%20I%27m%20having%20issues%20with%20mine%20do%20you%20guys%20ever%20change%20routes&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15297)
I am not exactly sure what a polymailer is but as long as there is postage affixed or prepaid postage printed off the internet or a prepaid return shipping label the letter carrier should take it. We do this all the time with home-based business that sell on eBay, etsy, etc. Please just make sure the item to be mailed is visible to the letter carrier.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=It%20I%20Leave%20A%20Polymailer%20Bag%20Inside%20My%20Mailbox%20Will%20The%20Mailman%20Get%20It%20%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14390)
If you mail out the postcards on Friday, they will generally arrive Monday or Tuesday depending on how far away the destination is from you. The USPS has been talking about a change in what is called their EXFC standards so First Class Mail that used to take 1-3 days may now take 2-4 days. I'm not sure if this is in effect or not. With regards to using the 9-digit ZIP code I don't believe it speeds up the process. If your postcards have printed addresses on them, our OCR (Optical Character Reader) probably would have no problem reading the address, spraying a bar code on the envelope and sending it on its way expeditiously. Most addressing software programs now produce an address with a 9-digit ZIP and standardized address. If you look at a lot of the mail you receive, it likely has the 9-digit ZIP code on it. We call it ZIP + 4, but it's the same thing. This codes the destination address down to a pretty small group of addresses within a ZIP code. I believe in some cases PO Boxes each have their own specific ZIP + 4. Thank you for your question.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Just%20a%20question.%20I%20send%20out%20postcards%20every%20other%20week%20on%20Friday%20do%20most%20postcard%20going%20to%20differents%20states%20typically%20arive%20on%20Monday%3F%20And%20does%20using%20a%209%20digit%20zip%20code%20speed%20up%20the%20process%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14325)
Subway Store Manager
Does Subway have a secret menu?
Hairstylist and Makeup Artist
What's the grossest hair ailment you ever saw?
Call Center Employee (Retail)
What's the craziest unprofessional-phone-rep story you've ever heard?
I don't know the answer to this, but if you bought a replacement flag that is able to go up and down, it would certainly help. As long as I'm stopping at a house to deliver mail and there is outgoing mail which is easily visible I will know to take it with me whether or not a flag is raised. The possible confusion comes on a day where there is no mail to be delivered to your address. In that case a letter carrier may not stop if there is no flag to notify of outgoing mail. Where I deliver mail (Long Island, NY) most addresses receive some type of mail daily (a local flyer or gov't mailing, advertising, etc) so this is rarely a problem. In your part of TX, this may not be the case so I can't really comment on the significance of having an operational flag.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20was%20also%20wondering...The%20flag%20on%20my%20mailbox%20is%20broken.%20Is%20there%20another%20way%20to%20let%20the%20mailman%20know%20that%20there%20is%20outgoing%20mail%3F%20Or%20should%20I%20either%20buy%20another%20flag%20or%20put%20a%20note%20saying%20there%27s%20out%20going%20mail%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15159)
Eric, I do understand what you mean. It's like they look to the CCA to clean up the table scraps when a regular is out on sick or annual leave or can't finish their route. This is the nature of being a CCA. It's important to be flexible in your availability and willingness to go help other letter carriers. With regard to the time frame to complete 3 or 4 different pieces, it's important to not get too caught up with how long they say it should take. As long as you are going at a reasonable pace and not wasting time by using your cell phone or talking too long too customers, the management can't do much too you. It sounds like you have passed probation which is good. They also need to take into account that it takes time to travel between the locations you are assigned to go to. If they give you a hard time about how long it takes to complete a section, I would respond that you are doing as best as you can. Please just deliver the mail safely, accurately and be organized.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20am%20working%20as%20mailman%203%20months%20now%20i%20feel%20that%20when%20regular%20mailman%20given%20tough%20time%20or%20in%20their%20absence%20they%20look%20for%20CCA%20to%20help%20them%2C%20they%20send%20them%203%20or%204%20different%20locations%20to%20complete%20with%20time%20frame%20but%20i%20think%20time%20is%20not%20real&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15526)
I do find it odd to ask questions like that, especially the latter one. I mean if they were to explain why there were doing that it may help you understand the reason. If I'm not sure of a surname is valid to be delivered to a particular address, I may ask a person at that residence if this is a "good" name to deliver. That'd probably be the end of my inquiry unless the person wanted to offer more info. If you don't want the letter carrier asking you questions like that, please say I don't need to provide that information but the mail you've been delivering is valid (or invalid as the case may be. The flip side might be that they may not deliver a name they aren't familiar with if you don't say it is valid or not, though I think the mail should be delivered as addressed unless told otherwise. We aren't the police with regards to knowing who lives where and how long.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Are%20mailmans%20allowed%20to%20ask%20for%20surnames%20and%20how%20long%20have%20you%20lived%20in%20your%20residence%3F%20It%27s%20just%20very%20odd%20for%20a%20mailman%20to%20knock%20on%20the%20door%20and%20ask%20for%20details.%20If%20you%20find%20this%20odd%2C%20what%20can%20you%20advice%20me%20to%20do%20to%20stop%20him%20from%20doing%20it%20again%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14784)
-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
