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.
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)
More than likely the envelope with the irregular thickness item in it would make it through the mail system as long as the item didn't puncture through the paper envelope and possibly get lost. The letter sorting process is highly automated so the item in the envelope could get damaged as it goes through the letter sorting machinery. For this reason, I highly recommend using a small padded envelope to protect any fragile or valuable contents that need to be mailed. The cost to mail this is higher than that of a letter-sized envelope but well worth it.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=If%20I%20were%20to%20send%20a%20letter%20envelope%20with%20more%20than%20just%20a%20letter%2C%20like%20if%20it%20had%20a%20ring%20inside%20as%20well%2C%20would%20it%20be%20able%20to%20go%20through%20the%20mail%20system%20without%20a%20problem%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/12482)
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)
You're welcome Linda A. I try to respond quickly so I have very few questions pending. I hate to have a backup of email in general. You did a good job by asking the mailman where the bills might be. I can't imagine ever answering "it's coming". There is no doubt that an electric bill is First Class so a mailman generally would have it, deliver it, and that's all. We have no idea what's in the pipeline with regards to First Class mail like Bills, Mortgage Statements, greeting cards, etc. I'm not trying to discourage you from using the USPS, but does your utility offer you electronic delivery of the electric bill. My utility is Con Edison (NY City) and it has probably been 4-5 years at least since I received an electric bill in the US Mail. I get the bill online and have it deducted each month from my checking out. No worries whatsoever. I know that e-payments and finance is not for everybody, but just wanted to throw the idea out there and this doesn't make up for the fact that you didn't get a paper electric bill that you are supposed to. I hope your complaint helps somewhat. If nothing else, it will advise your mailman that you aren't satisfied with his delivery effort and aren't going to sit idly by if he isn't delivering what he's legally supposed to in a timely manner. Thank you so much for writing.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Thanks%20for%20answering%20so%20fast.%20I%20asked%20our%20mailman%20today%20why%20we%20only%20got%201%20electric%20bill%20when%20we%20normally%20get%205%20%28we%20own%205%20properties%29.%20He%20said%20he%20was%20off%20yesterday.%20I%20said%20it%20was%20from%20last%20week%20-%20then%20he%20said%20%27it%27s%20coming%27%21%20I%20will%20put%20in%20a%20complaint.&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/12595)
Personal Stylist & Life Coach
What's the difference between a life coach and a therapist?
Antiques Dealer
What do real antiques dealers think of the Antiques Roadshow reality show?
Security / Bodyguard
Have you ever had to disarm an attacker?
It does seem like a mis-scan from what you've described, especially given the time stamp of the "available for pickup" scan and the fact that it doesn't even make sense. You could report the lost piece to your local post office. I don't know the procedure as to what happens from there especially if the item was not insured. Another option is to call 1-800-275-8777 (USPS). Thanks for writing.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20mailed%20a%20package%20from%20Texas%20to%20Australia%2C%20but%20it%20has%20disappeared%20along%20the%20way.%20%20The%20only%20tracking%20info%20says%22available%20for%20pickup%22%2C%20but%20that%20appeared%20w%2Fin%20hrs%20of%20being%20mailed%20and%20workers%20deemed%20it%20a%20mis-scan.%20Where%20do%20I%20report%20the%20lost%20piece%3FThanks&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/11194)
There is no regulation that I'm aware of that requires the collection box to be accessible 24/7. I know that in the town where I work some office buildings have collection slots in their lobby and I think an access card is required to enter the building during "off" hours. The mail collection slots serve the same purpose as the blue collection boxes meaning mail is picked up from those boxes/mail slots on a regular schedule.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=there%20is%20a%20blue%20usps%20collection%20box%20in%20the%20parking%20lot%20of%20a%20group%20of%20stores.%20%20when%20the%20stores%20are%20closed%20security%20people%20order%20you%20off%20the%20premises.%20%20is%20there%20a%20regulation%20requiring%20boxes%20to%20be%20fully%20accessible%20by%20the%20public%2024%2F7%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14052)
Sean, it depends on your letter carrier and their willingness to do this. I would do it if it's not too frequent a request and it was just a letter or large envelope, meaning it just needs a stamp or two. On my initiative, I keep some postage stamps in my wallet and will honor that request most of the time. To be honest it doesn't come up too often. If I notice an item has insufficient postage I may just affix one of my own stamps and send the item on its way. There is no requirement that we do any of this and I don't want customers to get in the habit of requesting this service. The reason I have this attitude is because there are easy ways to buy stamps in quantity. The USPS allows you to buy them online, or 24/7 at any PO that has a Sales and Service Kiosk. Supermarkets and Wholesale Clubs sell postage stamps as well. I know this doesn't answer your question, but so many communication and financial transactions are more easily done online that mailing letters is becoming much less significant.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=can%20i%20give%20the%20mailman%20a%20letter%20without%20postage%20if%20i%20give%20them%20the%20money%20to%20pay%20for%20the%20postage%20when%20the%20deliver%20to%20my%20house%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15402)
-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
