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.
No, you don't have to start at the bottom. Many mail carriers start out in that position. Nowadays, you are likely to be starting as a CCA (City Carrier Assistant). I think that the position is one you are just paid per hour worked and I don't know that there is any health insurance or other benefits or guarantee of hours either. As full-time positions become available in an office, a CCA is often promoted to the position of Full Time Regular Letter Carrier which has many benefits as well as a guarantee of 40 hours per week. If you visit www.nalc.org and look at the left hand side of the page there is a section that says "Welcome, New Hires!" which should answer any CCA questions in greater detail.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20am%20considering%20getting%20into%20the%20postal%20service%20as%20a%20mail%20carrier%2C%20but%20I%20want%20to%20start%20out%20in%20this%20position%20rather%20then%20work%20my%20way%20up.%20Is%20this%20possible%20or%20do%20I%20have%20to%20start%20at%20the%20bottom%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/11575)
Generally I would say no. I know that I don't carry them in my vehicle. We are told to empty out our vehicles each night. Maybe some carriers do bring them with, but I would doubt it and we aren't told to by management. If a customer asked me to bring them some I would the next day. The best way to get supplies is to visit a Post Office or order the Priority Mail supplies for free at www.usps.com. Thank you for your inquiry and I think Priority Mail is one of the most reliable services that the USPS provides.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=do%20mailmen%20carry%20flat%20rate%20boxes%20and%20envelopes%20on%20their%20vehicles%20for%20people%20who%20need%20them%20along%20the%20route%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/12974)
I probably should have just deleted this question for being non-pertinent to the job of a mailman but I prefer not to delete any questions posted here. My request would be for people not to post a question here that is not germane to the profession of Mailman. Thank you.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Nowadays%20students%20are%20depending%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fessayacademia.com%2Fperfect-term-papers.php%22%3Eterm%20paper%20writing%20service%3C%2Fa%3E%20for%20their%20tasks.%20Can%20we%20trust%20them%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/12229)
To my knowledge rural letter carriers aren't required to wear a USPS uniform and I have never seen a RLC wearing one. There are 2 rural routes that are delivered from the office where I work and I've never seen them in anything except everyday clothes a regular manual worker would wear. Your question of why should a rural carrier wear a uniform is one I don't know. I didn't think a rural carrier could even purchase official USPS uniform items except maybe a baseball cap or other headwear. It's true that they don't get a uniform allowance like the city carriers receive. You could contact the NRLCA if you had a question I can't answer hear. They are the union that represents Rural Letter Carriers nationwide.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Why%20should%20a%20rural%20carrier%20wear%20a%20uniform%20when%20we%20don%27t%20get%20a%20uniform%20allowance%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14250)
Architectural Project Manager
Were there any structural deficiencies in the Twin Towers that made them fall?
Special Education Teacher
Does it bother you when people use the R-word?
Court Reporter
If your special keyboard lets you type 200+ words per minute, why doesn't everyone use them?
Not to make light of your question, but I like your handle "Hungry For Bread". I don't know why the USPS (or more specifically an employee thereof) would take a bag that was obviously not outgoing mail. Technically, the mailbox isn't to be used as a place to leave and pick-up non-US Mail items. From my experience, however, I rarely hear of letter carriers taking non-US Mail items out of a mailbox unless they were circulars/ads placed in mailboxes without postage being paid. You could call the PO where your mother lived and ask them about the missing bag of bread and mail, but I doubt they would know anything about it or admit to it. How do you know that the PO took your stuff and not somebody else? Nobody else should be going into your mailbox to take anything. I am glad you wrote in, but I'd appreciate that you leave the implied profanity out of your question (referring to WTF) for any future inquiries. I don't feel it is appropriate for this message board but acknowledge it is used much more commonly these days than when I was younger.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20just%20moved%20from%20my%20Mother%27s%20house.%20Last%20Sunday%20she%20left%20a%20bag%20with%20my%20mail%2C%20including%20a%20paycheck%2C%20and%20a%20banana%20bread%20in%20her%20mailbox.%20I%20was%20sick%20that%20day%20and%20didn%27t%20pick%20it%20up.%20When%20I%20saw%20her%20this%20weekend%20we%20figured%20out%20that%20P.O%20took%20my%20stuff%20.%0AWTF%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/13176)
I don't know why a letter carrier would approach your house with mail in hand and then decide to not deliver it unless there was some safety issue in completing the delivery. Next time you see the letter carrier you could ask her why she does that or you may call your post office and mention it to the delivery supervisor. It's a problem if there is First Class or Priority Mail which is being curtailed for no apparent reason. Those classes of mail should be delivered the day that they are received at your local post office. As to whether it's a problem or not, part of it is up to you if you if it bothers you that your mail is being delayed for no reason and you'd like to make an issue of it. For some people, especially younger people, the US Mail is really not that important to them so if it comes a few days later than it should it may not make a difference. I'm not trying to say that it's correct/legal for mail to be delayed for no reason. I'm only implying that it's not too important to some recipients when they receive their US Mail.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=At%20times%20I%20am%20working%20in%20my%20lawn%20and%20I%20see%20the%20mailman%20drive%20up.%20She%20always%20gets%20my%20mail%20in%20her%20hands%2C%20then%20once%20she%20sees%20me%20in%20the%20lawn%20she%20drives%20away%20and%20holds%20the%20mail%20until%20tomorrow%20%28when%20I%20am%20inside%29.%20Is%20that%20a%20problem%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/11161)
Penny, I don't think that a holiday delays the transport of mail through our network by much at all, but I don't really have much insight into this subject. I know our local post offices don't process any mail on holidays, however the processing and distribution centers might still be operating. I would always suggest allowing more than one day for mail to arrive at the intended location even if there was no holiday. This is just to make time for mis-delivered, mis-sorted, or delayed mail. The day after a holiday, we are often hammered with mail to deliver. It is the trade off for having a paid day off (which I'm not complaining about).
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Just%20wondering%20how%20much%20a%20holiday%20actually%20delays%20mail%3B%20say%20Labor%20Day%20on%20a%20Monday.%20I%20work%20in%20medical%20records%20%28requesting%29%20and%20wanted%20to%20know%20if%20I%20should%20allow%20more%20than%20really%20just%20one%20day%20for%20the%20mail%20to%20arrive%20at%20the%20intended%20location.&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/12976)
-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
