Ask a Mailman (City Letter Carrier) anything

1237 Questions

Last Answer on February 18, 2022

I got a ltr written on a gray US Postal Service Routing Slip in my pob asking if my partner receives mail at my po box. What does this mean. They have getting mail there for 10 yrs. But the box is only in my name.

Asked by jack almost 12 years ago

I am not sure why the note was placed in your box and the routing slip was maybe just being used for scrap paper to write the note. I am speculating that whoever wrote the note just wanted to verify that your partner's name was valid to receive mail there. Maybe the PO box clerk was filling in for the regular PO box clerk and didn't know your partner gets mail in your POB since your name is the only name renting it. I would just return the slip saying that your partner receives mail and the name and address is correct to come to your PO Box. That clear up any confusion on the part of the USPS employee that wrote the note.

1109 Votes

Can a mailman leave mail if there is no mailbox?

Asked by Wayne over 12 years ago

If the letter carrier feels it is secure enough to leave mail in a place without a mailbox, I think they can though it's probably not a great idea. I don't know the official rule on the proposed situation.

1108 Votes

What did you do uniform wise before you got your uniform allowance? Did you buy anything with your personal money? If so what? What did you buy with your first allowance?

Asked by Bradan almost 12 years ago

I think it was about 3 months (probationary period) before I received a uniform allowance. I think I dressed mostly in blue and wore jean shorts or blue jeans as a uniform for the lower part of my body and a dark t-shirt for the upper part. It was during summer months so outerwear wasnt too much of an issue but I probably had a rain jacket and baseball cap. I don't think anything had the USPS logo on it. I can't remember if I bought anything with my own money but probably would have, if necessary. With my first allowance (which was higher than subququent years), I probably bought long and short sleeved uniform shirts, a winter jacket, shorts and pants, shoes, and a baseball bap. It has been quite a few years but this is a guess as to what I bought. I know the items can be a bit pricey and eat up a uniform allowance quickly. On Long Island, NY where I deliver mail there used to be actual uniform stores that we could go in to and purchase our clothing. The one closest to wear I work/live has closed so I spend my entire yearly uniform allowance online. Some vendors will offer you a 10-20% spending bonus if you use the entire allowance at one time. I recommend purchasing items that will keep you warm and dry in bad weather even if it means spending out-of-pocket having used up your uniform allowance. It is difficult for me to work in the cold and always have to layer up properly in the winter. I don't know where you live if this is a factor or not. Good luck in your postal career and keep your head up even if management doesn't treat you like they appreciate you.

1108 Votes

How long does it usually take to mail a letter, dropped off in a blue collection box, across the states?

Asked by BWras almost 13 years ago

If the letter is dropped in the blue collection box before the pickup time, then it is 1-3 days for a letter to be delivered across the states. Maybe AK and HI would be longer, but that is for the 48 contiguous states.

1108 Votes

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Why did I get a letter with the return address having an X over it?

Asked by rae about 12 years ago

Rae, I don't know why you would receive a letter with an X on the return address. It doesn't really make sense to me. One theory would be that it was mailed and then our automated letter sorting system accidentally read the return address as the destination address. Maybe if a letter carrier saw that they would put an X through the return address so that the only address that could be read by a machinery or person would be your address. This is just a guess on my part. Thanks for writing.

1108 Votes

Is the post office manager allowed to cut open a package (a book) I was sending out (wrapped in cardboard), simply to make sure I was not using one of USPSs priority mail envelopes to ship something (non-priority)?

Asked by buffy almost 13 years ago

If the item was mailed via media mail, then it is valid for a postal employee to open a package to make sure that the item being mailed qualifies for the media mail rate. As far as just checking to see if a Priority Mail packaging was used to mail an item via non-Priority, I don't know the rule on that but I'm not too familiar with that being done. I thought that most, if not all, priority mail packaging now is printed on both the inside and outside making it very difficult to use for Non-priority mailing.

1107 Votes

My co-workers and I have different opinions, I think the majority of routes in suburban areas are curbside(where the mailman drives to each mailbox and drops the mail) would you say this is true?

Asked by Mark over 12 years ago

In my opinion, the majority of suburban mailboxes are curbside so the letter carrier can deliver the mail without having to get out of his/her truck. Where I work Is fairly mixed between curbside delivery and door delivery but I would suggest that all new construction would have either curbside (mounted) delivery or a centralized cluster box unit method of delivery. This answer is mainly my opinion and not based on scientific research.

1107 Votes

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Mailman (City Letter Carrier)

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

I got a ltr written on a gray US Postal Service Routing Slip in my pob asking if my partner receives mail at my po box. What does this mean. They have getting mail there for 10 yrs. But the box is only in my name.

Can a mailman leave mail if there is no mailbox?

What did you do uniform wise before you got your uniform allowance? Did you buy anything with your personal money? If so what? What did you buy with your first allowance?

How long does it usually take to mail a letter, dropped off in a blue collection box, across the states?

Also on Jobstr...

Why did I get a letter with the return address having an X over it?

Is the post office manager allowed to cut open a package (a book) I was sending out (wrapped in cardboard), simply to make sure I was not using one of USPSs priority mail envelopes to ship something (non-priority)?

My co-workers and I have different opinions, I think the majority of routes in suburban areas are curbside(where the mailman drives to each mailbox and drops the mail) would you say this is true?

Mailman (City Letter Carrier)

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

I got a ltr written on a gray US Postal Service Routing Slip in my pob asking if my partner receives mail at my po box. What does this mean. They have getting mail there for 10 yrs. But the box is only in my name.

Can a mailman leave mail if there is no mailbox?

What did you do uniform wise before you got your uniform allowance? Did you buy anything with your personal money? If so what? What did you buy with your first allowance?

How long does it usually take to mail a letter, dropped off in a blue collection box, across the states?

Also on Jobstr...

Why did I get a letter with the return address having an X over it?

Is the post office manager allowed to cut open a package (a book) I was sending out (wrapped in cardboard), simply to make sure I was not using one of USPSs priority mail envelopes to ship something (non-priority)?

My co-workers and I have different opinions, I think the majority of routes in suburban areas are curbside(where the mailman drives to each mailbox and drops the mail) would you say this is true?

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