Ask a Mailman (City Letter Carrier) anything

1237 Questions

Last Answer on February 18, 2022

I am having problems with the Zip + 4 digits. I have noticed that with just the first 5 my package gets delivered. but with the plus 4 it gets undelivered (auto due to apt no. ebay) is it possible some mailmen are not familiar with it still?

Asked by Bert over 12 years ago

I don't know why it would make a difference whether or not your package had the 5-digit ZIP or the Zip + 4 digits. I don't know anybody who I work with who pays attention to it or needs to pay attention to it. If the parcel has the correct address including the apt. #, I would think that would be sufficient to get it delivered. The only suggestion I'd have is to contact the PO to mention this to them. Leaving a note in the mailbox won't help because it seems like you probably have several different letter carriers.

1014 Votes

If a CCA has a hold on a route and is told not to come into work (on a day they are supposed to), is that something the union will fight if you file a grievance? Can you get paid for that day?

Asked by question over 12 years ago

I don't know the answer to this question. I know as a PTF, if you had a hold on a route, it came with certain rights and you could only be "bumped" off that route in certain situations. I don't know if it is any different with City Carrier Assistants (CCA). I don't have a lot of familiarity with the details of the NALC contract and union/mgmt rules.

1014 Votes

How many times is mail picked up at the post office and also does mail being sent off in the morning get to its destination sooner

Asked by kay almost 12 years ago

I'm sure each Post Office has a slightly different dispatch schedule for mail being sent off to a P&DC (Processing and Distribution Center). I think that our Post Office dispatches the mail 2-3 times per day. I don't think that something mailed in the morning gets to its destination sooner than a letter which is collected prior to our final dispatch which is usually around 6PM. We have service levels which basically say if a letter or parcel is mailed on a certain date (before a final dispatch) that it should reach its destination by a certain date. This is usually 1-3 days depending on the distance between the origination and destination Post Office and the class of mail that is being sent (1st Class, Priority, Express, Parcel Post, etc).

1013 Votes

We are a small office but we have outgoing mail every day. Our mailman comes every morning before our office is open, even after asking him to please try and come after 9am. Is there any other way to remedy this, or should we just run to the mailbox?

Asked by SPS Oceanside about 12 years ago

I must admit that does sound a bit early that the mailman arrives before 9AM daily. The more common comment is that mail deliver is later in the day that people would like. We generally have no control over the order that we deliver our mail routes. The routes are set up in a certain order of delivery and mailman are usually under a time pressure to deliver their routes and be finished in a prescribed amount of time. I believe your best remedy is to go to a mailbox (formally known as collection boxes) before the pickup time printed on the label inside the lid to ensure your outgoing mail will be processed that day. Thanks for writing.

1012 Votes

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can i give my package to the mailman to ship off or take back to that specific location

Asked by juan almost 12 years ago

You can give a mailman any package that has the postage paid on it either via a computer printed label (such as Click 'N Ship) or a label where the recipient will pay the return postage. In the latter case, the label will clearly say "No Postage Necessary If Mailed Within The United States". Every letter carrier should accept the package no questions asked. The exception to this would be a city letter carrier who may not have a USPS vehicle which they are operating from and are unable to bring the package back to the Post Office. In that case I believe you can go to www.usps.com to schedule a package pickup. The mailman usually won't take a package back to a specific address until it is processed through our mail distribution system. Most of the time we just accept any package or mail along our delivery routes and bring back to the post office where we work from and it gets dispatched to a mail distribution center for processing. Thanks for writing.

1012 Votes

I was keeping a piece of mail in the mailbox that had been delivered to my address for our old roommate to pick up. After about 2 days, the letter was gone but the roommate had not picked it up. Would USPS take the letter back and return to sender?

Asked by ST over 11 years ago

ST, I'm not sure what happened in your situation. Some USPS carriers may be trained or take it upon themselves to do things differently than others. If the letter carrier saw the one letter in your mailbox but the rest of the mail taken in (by you), they might think it's mail for a person no longer living there and return it to the sender "Attempted, Not Known" or "Unable to Forward" or something else. It seems likely that this is what happened and the letter wasn't stolen though I can't says for sure.

1012 Votes

Hi! So i bought something off Amazon, and when I put in my address info, i accidentally put my email address in the "Address 1" section but put in the correct City & zip code. I saw it arrived at my local USPS facility. What happens to my package?

Asked by Sally over 12 years ago

So you didn't put your street address in there at all? If you only have city state and zip, I'd recommend contacting the PO somehow and explaining what happened. Hopefully they won't have sent it back for insufficient address.

1012 Votes

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Mailman (City Letter Carrier)

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

I am having problems with the Zip + 4 digits. I have noticed that with just the first 5 my package gets delivered. but with the plus 4 it gets undelivered (auto due to apt no. ebay) is it possible some mailmen are not familiar with it still?

If a CCA has a hold on a route and is told not to come into work (on a day they are supposed to), is that something the union will fight if you file a grievance? Can you get paid for that day?

How many times is mail picked up at the post office and also does mail being sent off in the morning get to its destination sooner

We are a small office but we have outgoing mail every day. Our mailman comes every morning before our office is open, even after asking him to please try and come after 9am. Is there any other way to remedy this, or should we just run to the mailbox?

Also on Jobstr...

can i give my package to the mailman to ship off or take back to that specific location

I was keeping a piece of mail in the mailbox that had been delivered to my address for our old roommate to pick up. After about 2 days, the letter was gone but the roommate had not picked it up. Would USPS take the letter back and return to sender?

Hi! So i bought something off Amazon, and when I put in my address info, i accidentally put my email address in the "Address 1" section but put in the correct City & zip code. I saw it arrived at my local USPS facility. What happens to my package?

Mailman (City Letter Carrier)

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

I am having problems with the Zip + 4 digits. I have noticed that with just the first 5 my package gets delivered. but with the plus 4 it gets undelivered (auto due to apt no. ebay) is it possible some mailmen are not familiar with it still?

If a CCA has a hold on a route and is told not to come into work (on a day they are supposed to), is that something the union will fight if you file a grievance? Can you get paid for that day?

How many times is mail picked up at the post office and also does mail being sent off in the morning get to its destination sooner

We are a small office but we have outgoing mail every day. Our mailman comes every morning before our office is open, even after asking him to please try and come after 9am. Is there any other way to remedy this, or should we just run to the mailbox?

Also on Jobstr...

can i give my package to the mailman to ship off or take back to that specific location

I was keeping a piece of mail in the mailbox that had been delivered to my address for our old roommate to pick up. After about 2 days, the letter was gone but the roommate had not picked it up. Would USPS take the letter back and return to sender?

Hi! So i bought something off Amazon, and when I put in my address info, i accidentally put my email address in the "Address 1" section but put in the correct City & zip code. I saw it arrived at my local USPS facility. What happens to my package?

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