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.

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Last Answer on February 18, 2022

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My boyfriend just got hired for ptf rural carrier. We planned a vacation before he appied for 1 week and it's in 4 months. Will they be nice and let him take it? we don't care if it's not paid vacation time, we just can't cancel our reservations.

Asked by ut-ohs almost 13 years ago

I Can't answer that re: whether they will let him take off or not. If airline tickets or other travel was booked pre-hire, he could always use that as evidence that it was planned earlier. It is up to each mgr or supervisor whether or not to approve time off. I hope they are flexible and give the time off whether paid or not.

How heavy a package can you pick up from my house? I heard no more than 14 oz. once; another time I heard no more than a pound (16 oz)?

Asked by Peg. about 13 years ago

If the Package only has stamps, I believe 13 oz. is the maximum weight for pickup. If you use an electronic shipping label (eBay, Amazon) then the maximum is 70lbs. Also, people sometimes return merchandise with a pre-paid return shipping label. That, too, has no limit. the reason for this rule has to do with aviation security aNd being able to track down a sender should a package contain illegal or dangerous contents, including explosives. 

I have my mailman ask if he can use our bathroom everyday he delivers Mon-Fri. I do have a business but it is a private bathroom for employees only. You have to walk through the office to get it. Your thoughts?

Asked by Tom H. about 13 years ago

I would think its a nice courtesy that you extend to the letter carrier as we sometimes have limited options as to where we go to the bathroom. There is certainly no rule that says you have to let them use it, but its a nice courtesy. I am not sure how you would approach him to ask them not to use it. That may be a bit awkward. Does his/her use inconvenience your employees? Is the letter carrier respectful of the bathroom and doesn't mess it up? I've never had anyone decline me the use of a restroom, but if they did, I would hopefully just find another business/office to go to. 

OMG! After asking you about my on-line application, I got an email inviting me to take the a behavioral assessment test. After I took it, I got an appointment to take the 473E. Have you got tips on how to approach the MEMORY portion?

Asked by FF almost 13 years ago

Congratulations on getting to the next steps in the application process. Is the memory portion where they give you 5 addresses or names in each of 5 boxes and you have to answer which address or range of addresses goes in a particular box? That is how it was when I took the exam many years ago. i honestly can't remember how I was able to do that. There is some trick or good method to remembering the next box assignments but I don't know what it is. Maybe if you do a web search for tips on how to do the memory section of the 473E. I didn't seem to have any results with actual tips, but there are study guides that are sold to help you. I actually see that the memory section is different from the exam I took years ago. im sorry that I can't be more specific in assisting you.

is it against protocall to get out out of truck and deliver mail if somebody parked and blocked the mail box

Asked by isaiah almost 13 years ago

It isn't against protocol for a carrier to get out of their truck to deliver the mail If the mailbox is blocked by another vehicle.  It is a decision that the carrier can make. I think if it was an occasional event, the carrier may get out to deliver the mail, but if a box was blocked daily, he may leave a note saying that delivery won't be made until the situation is rectified. I think most carriers would rather deliver the mail than have to bring it back to the PO for delivery the next day. 

How many deliverys to the same house can you do a day

Asked by Cameron Flynn almost 12 years ago

Generally we will go to each address 1X per day Monday-Saturday. Exceptions to this might be is if we have an Express Mail delivery for a house and the regular letter carrier won't reach that address on time. During a busy holiday season when there are many parcel deliveries it is common to have a couple of deliveries made: once by the regular letter carrier and once by the parcel delivery carrier. In a city environment where the letter carriers do not have delivery vehicles, a parcel post carrier will deliver the parcels and the regular letter carrier will deliver the traditional mail and small parcels.

What time do you get to howard street to deliver mail

Asked by tiffany almost 13 years ago

I don't know what city you are in so I can't tell you what time mail will be delivered to Howard St. Even if I did know the city you are referring to, I may not know the time that the mail gets delivered.