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.
Another good question on this message board that I dont know the answer to. We rarely ever look at or are directed to a USPS employee handbook. I am sure it exists but don't know where it is at my PO. I am pretty sure my supervisor would have it at their desk or know where to find it. As far as writing a personal note directly on a letter, I would suggest that it not be done, but I can't say that it is against the rules. In general I don't think we should be making any comments or judgments about the mail that somebody receives. I'm not saying we don't talk about it internally but I wouldn't comment (in person or in writing) to the mail recipient or anybody else in public. That would be completely inappropriate. Please notice I don't use the word "illegal" here as I am not versed in the legality or disciplinary actions that are in play here, if any. The only time I would write directly on the mail is if I'm not familiar with the name of the recipient on a piece of mail that differs from the current residents that I know live at a particular address. In this case, I put a "?" next to the addressees name and deliver the letter. By doing this, the current residents can accept the letter or realize I wasn't sure if it was delivered correctly and leave it out for me the next day to return to the sender as "Attempted, Not Known." Thanks for writing.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20received%20a%20very%20important%20%26%20personal%20letter.%20Our%20mail%20carrier%2C%20whom%20we%20have%20not%20yet%20met%2C%20left%20a%20congratulatory%20note.%20That%20was%20kind%2C%20but%20she%20wrote%20it%20in%20red%20ink%20directly%20on%20the%20envelope%21%20I%20was%20surprised.%20Does%20the%20USPS%20employee%20handbook%20allow%20that%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/12692)
I presume there are days when you receive no mail and therefore the letter carrier doesn't even stop at your house and wouldn't see your outgoing mail. If you had incoming mail, please make sure your outgoing mail is visible and then should be taken. On days where you have no incoming mail and no flag to alert the letter carrier that you have outgoing mail, I'm not sure how to let them know to stop and pickup your letters. I suggest making the mail visible from a distance (like possibly sticking out of the mailbox) so when they walk/drive by your house it can be spotted and picked up. To be honest though, some letter carriers may not even look at the mailbox if there is nothing to deliver to a certain address. I'm not saying this is correct, but I don't want to speak for fellow letter carriers who vary widely in their quality of work. Thank you for writing.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=If%20I%20have%20a%20mailbox%20that%20is%20posted%20to%20the%20side%20of%20my%20house%20and%20does%20not%20come%20with%20a%20red%20flag.%20%20How%20do%20I%20let%20the%20post%20man%20know%20that%20I%20have%20outgoing%20mail%3F%20%20It%20never%20gets%20picked%20up...&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/13292)
I am not sure how you would get the full name of your postman. I read that he won't give you his last name. I have no idea whether or not he has any obligation to do so. I gladly would give it out, if asked. It is also on my ID badge that I wear. I feel that it should be available to the public, but I am sure you will find great disagreement among my colleagues. If you were to call the PO and ask them, I have a feeling they wouldn't give it to you either. Some people get very private about certain matters, yet they will join Facebook and broadcast a lot about their personal lives. That's about all of the insight I have on this subject. Thanks for writing.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=How%20do%20i%20get%20the%20full%20name%20of%20my%20postman%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/12849)
Probably not. If it was a blank envelope or had very little written on it, the letter carrier possibly took it without looking and it was mixed in with all of the other outgoing mail. From what you described there was likely no name or address on it either. Ultimately it may wind up in the "nixie" office which is for undeliverable items. I don't know where that is or what happens to it afterwards. If you were to contact this office (which I don't even know how you would), I don't think they would have the resources or time to look for the envelope in question.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=A%20friend%20of%20mine%20put%20an%20envelope%20with%20money%20in%20it%20intended%20for%20me.%20%20It%20was%20money%20for%20a%20charity...it%20may%20have%20just%20said%20%27popcorn%20money%27%20on%20it.%20%20I%20don%27t%20think%20my%20name%20was%20on%20it.%20%20I%20think%20the%20mailman%20took%20it.%20%20Any%20way%20I%20can%20find%20out%20where%20it%20went%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/13619)
Professional Bull Rider
Have you been seriously injured while bull-riding?
Auto Mechanic
If I know nothing about cars, how can I tell if a mechanic is ripping me off?
Call Center Representative
What is the meanest thing a caller has ever said to you?
Do you mean that the marking was "insufficient postage", not "insufficient packaging". If it was "insufficient postage", I'm pretty sure you would just have to pay the difference between the Parcel Select rate and the Priority Mail rate. What I'm not sure about is how you get credit for an already purchased postage label, if that's even possible. If you took this to the PO for some type of resolution, I question whether all of the clerks would know how to adjust the rate properly as the ability, care, and training of the SSAs (sales and service associates) seems to vary widely. Thanks for writing.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20sent%20an%20item%20in%20a%20Priority%20Mailing%20envelope%2C%20but%20the%20label%20I%20purchased%20online%20via%20PayPal%20was%20for%20Parcel%20Select.%20%20It%20was%20returned%20to%20me%20as%20%22insufficient%20packaging%22.%20%20Does%20this%20mean%20I%20have%20to%20pay%20all%20that%20postage%20again%3F%20%20Thanks%21&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/13103)
I remember your question about having tickets delivered to your neighbors and asking if you could ask the mailman to deliver them your house or some type of favor. I am rarely asked for any type of favor like that and I think if I heard a request like yours that may sound a bit fishy I would decline to get involved. It's not worth risking any type of job discipline to help a customer. I don't know that if you approached a mailman they would be offended. I just hope they would have enough common sense to decline to assist you. Also, we don't deliver the route each day so even if one carrier agreed to assist you there is no way of knowing that when they are off from work the replacement carrier would smart to not get involved with any favors. If what you are doing is unethical or shady I would not get the USPS involved.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20asked%20the%20question%204%20days%20ago%20about%20having%20tickets%20delivered%20to%20my%20neighbors.%20If%20I%20approached%20my%20mailman%20about%20helping%20me%20would%20he%20be%20offended%3F%20How%20often%20are%20you%20approached%20by%20people%20asking%20you%20for%20favors%2C%20etc%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/13784)
Yes they do, as long as the business is open and/or there is somewhere to leave the mail safely like a mailbox. We deliver 6 days a week to anywhere that can receive mail. If a business is closed on Saturday, or any other day during the week, we usually know that ahead of time and just hold the mail until the next delivery day. Thanks for writing.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Hello%2C%0ADoes%20the%20USPS%20deliver%20to%20businesses%20on%20Saturday%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/12819)
-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
