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

Best Rated

Hi there,

I just sent out my rent check to my landlord and realized everything was correct except I wrote 362 Box Street rather than 462 Box Street. Will it still be delivered? Or should I cancel the check and resend?

Asked by AmandaB almost 12 years ago

Amanda, I can't say for sure what will happen with your rent check that was misaddressed. If the letter carrier delivers both of those addresses on Box St. and is familiar with the names on their route, they may deliver the letter to where it is intended (meaning it will get to your landlord). It's also possible that different letter carriers deliver to those 2 addresses and the letter carrier at 362 Box St. will just deliver it to 362 Box St. or return the check to the sender (you) as "Attempted, Not Known". I would recommend not canceling the check and waiting several days to see if the landlord received the check. Is there a way to contact the landlord and tell them what you did and it's possible they will ask you to resend the check or wait a few days to see if they receive it? I say this also to maybe save you money because putting a stop payment on a check often has a fee associated with it.

Why is the steering wheel for the mail truck on the other side aka the passenger side?

Asked by Jeff almost 12 years ago

Funny, I had never noticed that to be the case! Just kidding. There is a very important reason the steering wheel is on the right hand side (as one is facing forward). I drive one of these vehicles. They are commonly known as LLV (long life vehicles), Jeeps, or other names. The reason for this configuration is because many mail routes have mailboxes at the street end of a driveway where a mail vehicle can drive right up to it and the letter carrier can put the mail in the box without having to leave his seat. They can just stick their right arm out of the window. On the left side of the letter carrier (where a regular vehicle would have the steering wheel) is a large metal tray where the letter carrier organizes the mail for delivery. This method of delivery is found more commonly in suburban or rural environments. I drive an LLV, and even though the route I deliver has no mailboxes at the end of a driveway (they are mostly by a front door or garage), it is safer for me to exit the vehicle on the right side instead of what is possibly moving traffic. It only took a short time to get used to driving this configuration and it seems none of my co-workers have much of a problem either. You just have to be careful of blind spots and when backing up, not unlike any conventional vehicle. You asked a great question and I may have given you more than you asked for but I hoped it helped Jeff. 

Just wondering how much a holiday actually delays mail; say Labor Day on a Monday. I work in medical records (requesting) and wanted to know if I should allow more than really just one day for the mail to arrive at the intended location.

Asked by Penny almost 12 years ago

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). 

if i didn't put in a change of address at the post office where i used to live and then i send a letter to the irs using the address at a motel i am temporarily staying at will it still reach its destination

Asked by william almost 12 years ago

Sure, the letter should reach its destination as long as it has the proper address and ZIP code. The only issue could be if the letter would need to be returned to you for some reason and you no longer are at the motel and there is nowhere to send the letter to. You don't need to put a return address on the letter to begin with. It's your own choice. 

Someone help! I applied for the seasonal work in 2 diff counties. I have an interview tommrow this is the one i really want. And in my email today i see another interview invite for the 23rd of sept. This position already sent the rug/bacgrnd info

Asked by Cindy almost 12 years ago

Cindy, I dont know how to help you in this situation as I am not even sure what you are asking.  Good luck on both interviews. I do realize you want one of these positions much greater than the other. Unless you get offered the job for the first interview on the spot, I highly recommend attending both interviews. The reason is that you may get an offer for the latter interview than at your preferred location. This is likely better than having no employment.

Recently I came home during the time my mail was being delivered (I am usually at work), and the mailman (Ken, great guy for years, I order a lot) jeep-type vehicle was being followed by a USPS small SUV with flashing lights. What does this mean?

Asked by Kathy coffman almost 12 years ago

Kathy, I can only guess that Ken was being followed by a supervisor in another USPS vehicle doing a route inspection. They are usually done about once per year on city carrier routes to see how long it takes a carrier to do their route and if they are doing it properly and safely. Sometimes they will ride in the same vehicle as the carrier and sometimes behind in another vehicle. If the mail volume has increased significantly then the carrier may be allowed more time to complete their route or may have some territory taken off the route to allow the assignment to stay within the normal window of an 8-hour work shift. There may have been another reason for Ken being followed though I'm not sure what it could be. (Possibly a mechanical issue where Ken asked someone to come out and rescue him if the truck broke down, though that call is usually made after the fact).

I live in Midtown West, in an apartment building with 10 units. When I first moved in, I received mail, but about one month later, my mail delivery stopped. When I've called to PO, mail delivery resumes for a few weeks but then stops. Help!

Asked by Rob F. over 11 years ago

Rob F., the main customer service rep phone # for the USPS is 800-275-8777. Please advise them that you are having a delivery issue at your apt. building. They will likely just forward the comment/complaint to your delivery PO and I'm not sure what will happen from there. I'd hope that you would either see the mail service resume or get an explanation as to why the mail delivery has stopped to your unit when you are residing there. Is there any construction going on at your building that would restrict access to the mailboxes which I presume are located in the entry vestibule area of the apt. building. You could also leave a note in your mailbox explaining that you reside in the building in a specific apt. and you should be receiving mail. I don't know why mail delivery would be suspended form your building or just you with no clear explanation.