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.

SubscribeGet emails when new questions are answered. Ask Me Anything!Show Bio +

Share:

Ask me anything!

Submit Your Question

1237 Questions

Share:

Last Answer on February 18, 2022

Best Rated

If mailman/lady does not have a key to apartment building residence for whatever when they should. After ringing bell how long are they allowed to wait until someone lets them in before leaving and not delivering mail?

Asked by Sam over 10 years ago

Sam, I don't know the answer to this but the letter carrier should have access to the building or mailboxes somehow without having to ring doorbells. Maybe in this case it was a one-time occurrence but even then they should have returned with some means of access or called the PO to advise them why they couldn't make a delivery to a building. I don't know of any specific time frame they'd have to wait before moving on to their next delivery. I think a couple of minutes is sufficient, especially if they are ringing multiple doorbells and getting zero response.

538 Votes

My mailcarrier is also my neighbor. She bypassed my mailbox during her normal delivery. Then went home stay in her apartment for less than 20 mins. She went out by her garage then came back with my mail then deliver it on my mailbox? Is that legal?

Asked by Cj about 11 years ago

I won't comment on what is legal or not as to the order a carrier delivers the mail or where they take mail before or after a lunch break (if this was a lunch break.) The legality of what a carrier does is not something that I'm well versed on. I think that with their normal delivery they shouldn't be bypassing your mailbox without a logical reason. Is this an every day occurrence, or just once? If it is every day and you don't feel comfortable with what they are doing you certainly can inquire at the PO or ask a delivery supervisor as to why this may be happening. As a carrier I strive to maintain the highest level of professionalism and deliver mail in the prescribed order as to not appear to be doing anything wrong. I would never bring anybody else's mail into my apartment. I am not just not completely sure what, if anything, you are complaining or concerned about. I don't know the relationship that you have with your neighbor/letter carrier and whether or not you could ask them about this. Thank you for your inquiry. 

538 Votes

can you leave the street you are delivering mail on to use the rest room at a public business then return to deliver mail on the street you left

Asked by Deborah Sala over 9 years ago

Definitely. It's never been an issue as far as I know to take a bathroom break as needed even if it means leaving the street you are delivering mail on to go use a lavatory at a public business. That's what I usually do. I'll leave my route and go to a gas station or the public library that are near my route as needed.

537 Votes

Can a mail carrier write my house number on the outside of my mailbox with a sharpie?

Asked by Steven over 10 years ago

I don't know if they can do that, but I would do it if it weren't clearly posted on the house or on the mailbox. This is important so that the letter carrier can deliver the mail properly. I am very big on communication so that anybody can fill in on any route and deliver the mail properly. As far as marking the house number on the outside of the mailbox, I don't know that it is necessary. A sticker on the inside lid or inside the box that clearly states a house number should be fine.

537 Votes

Also on Jobstr...

Mailman (City Letter Carrier)

Mailman (City Letter Carrier)Are postal workers more disgruntled than other workers?

HR Executive

HR ExecutiveWhat's the worst reaction you ever witnessed during a lay-off?

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon

Oral and Maxillofacial SurgeonDo you ever operate on guys who get their jaws busted in a fight?

Mister mailman. I am only 8 yes old and am curious if a mailman delivers mail then who delivers his mail and Is it possible for mailman to actually pick up their own mail?

Asked by annonomous over 10 years ago

Hello, I'm glad you have an interesting question at such a young age. Usually another mailman delivers the mail to a mailman's house unless they happen to live on the same postal route that they deliver mail to. This does happen but I haven't seen it in the PO where I work. As for the question is it possible to pick up their own mail, I would say probably not. I deliver mail to a letter carrier's house who happens to work in the same office as me. I don't give him his mail any differently than I would any other customer on my postal route. I stay professional and no special favors are done for anybody. As an aside this particular letter carrier has never even asked me for anything special or to pick up his mail. I hope this answers all of your questions and send anymore if you think of them.

537 Votes

According to union standards how many hours can a postman be required to work daily?

Asked by Martha Archer over 10 years ago

I don't know the answer to this. The most I've seen in the office where I work is 12 hours in one day and that isn't too common. A standard work day is 8 hours plus lunch (usually :30). There are pay changes when you work more than 8 hrs but I've never heard of an actual maximum number of hours to work in a day.

536 Votes

I lost my mailbox key and soon after that was evicted from my apartment (losing the key wasn't the reason). My bank statements still go to the apartment address. Will submitting a forwarding address get my mail redelivered? If not, how do I get it?

Asked by Bri almost 10 years ago

I don't know that submitting a forwarding order will result in your mail getting rede liveried from your former apt to your current address. You can submit a forwarding request for any future mail to be delivered to where you now reside or receive mail. As far as how you get the mail that has already been delivered, I don't know. You could contact the landlord or apartment management company to see if they have access to the mailbox and could send you your mail, but it's possible they don't have access to the mailbox or don't really care to assist you much now that you are no longer there. I'd recommend changing your address with your bank ASAP, and consider electronic banking so you can receive statements via email or online access. Banks are usually quick about updating addresses once they can verify the person requesting it is allowed to do so.

536 Votes

Home Browse Jobs Host a Q&A Search Blog FAQ Terms Contact

Copyright Jobstr 2014