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.
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.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Can%20a%20mail%20carrier%20write%20my%20house%20number%20on%20the%20outside%20of%20my%20mailbox%20with%20a%20sharpie%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14979)
I can't say for sure what happened to the letter, but if it were originally misdelivered it isn't likely to have taken more than a month and a half to get properly delivered to you. The delay could be explained if the original recipient held on to the letter for awhile without putting it back in the mail to be properly delivered. It certainly is possible that someone in your house took the mail and gave it to you later, but I don't know your household dynamics or relationships.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Did%20someone%20in%20my%20house%20take%20my%20mail%20after%20it%20was%20delivered%20and%20give%20it%20to%20me%20later%3F%20A%20letter%20was%20postmarked%202%2F11%2F15%2C%20I%20got%20it%203%2F28%2F15-%20the%20envelope%20didn%27t%20indicate%20it%20had%20been%20delivered%20to%20a%20wrong%20address%20first.%20So%20what%20else%20could%20explain%20the%20delay%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14862)
Please go to www.usps.com for information on how to apply for a job with the USPS. On the main USPS website, there is a section on the right hand side regarding employment and careers with the USPS. I don't recommend any online sites that ask you to pay for applying. If they are providing material for how to succeed or prepare for the exam, that may be valuable, but the USPS doesn't charge to take the exam as far as I know.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Without%20having%20to%20invest%20in%20an%20online%20testing%20course%20how%20and%20where%20does%20one%20apply%20and%20take%20the%20exam%20for%20USPS%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14095)
Vbjmin, you ask a question that I'd love to know the perfect answer to as I've been struggling with this issue from the beginning of my postal career. Cold hands are really hard to tolerate especially when you will be out delivering hours and they must be nimble enough to finger the mail. I wear a glove (thick or thin) on the hand where I hold the mail and cradle the flats since I don't need that hand to finger the mail. The hand that I use to finger the mail and deliver the mail I try to wear a thinner and sometimes fingerless glove or one with small gripping dots on them This has worked okay over the years. Another item which can be useful is "hot hands" which are small single-use packets that form a chemical reaction and heat up for several hours. You can put those in your pocket or even inside your glove. I have rarely used these but my girlfriend, not a letter carrier, loves them. I have purchased many pairs of gloves over the years. It's just a matter of finding the ones that keep you warm enough but allows you to still feel the mail. Thanks for writing and winter is my least favorite season to deliver mail.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=How%20do%20you%20keep%20your%20hands%20warm%20in%20cold%20weather%20while%20holding%20or%20gripping%2C%20fingering%20and%20delivering%20a%20mail%20bundle%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/13960)
CPR Trainer
Are you supposed to perform CPR differently on a man vs. a woman?
Private Detective
What do you think is the most corrupt industry, city, and State in the country?
Nurse Practitioner
Could a nurse practitioner do the job of a primary care physician?
That is true Sergio. When a letter carrier is delivering from their truck and they can't access the mailbox due to a vehicle in the way or garbage cans blocking the mailbox, they can opt not to deliver the mail. I don't think they can just leave the mail on the windshield of the car impeding access to the mailbox. If there is a note on file saying explicitly that they can do this,maybe it would be allowed, but I wouldn't count on it. Generally, however, mail must be delivered to a mailbox or doorslot.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20have%20read%20a%20lot%20of%20comments%20over%20mail%20men%20not%20delivering%20if%20there%20is%20obstruction%20impeding%20safe%20delivery%20without%20getting%20off%20the%20truck.%20But%20can%20the%20mailman%20leave%20my%20mail%20on%20the%20windshield%20of%20the%20car%20impeding%20access%20to%20my%20mailbox%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/13791)
Congratulations on being hired by the USPS as a letter carrier. We often walk for 4-5 hours per day so it is important to wear comfortable shoes. The shoes that can be purchased with a uniform allowance can easily cost $100/pair. They are usually black leather athletic or walking shoes with a certified slip-resistant grip. You don't need to spend that kind of money on your own for shoes. To get an idea what the shoes look like, do an Internet search for letter carrier uniform shoes. I wear New Balance and Rocky shoes. Since the prices for our uniforms are pretty high, you can search non-uniform websites to see if less expensive shoes are available. I am fortunate to never have had any chronic foot pain from being a letter carrier, so I can't be any more specific as to what to avoid when purchasing shoes. Good luck to you Dee!
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%27m%20about%20to%20start%20working%20as%20a%20Mail%20Carrier%20and%20I%20need%20a%20really%20good%20pair%20of%20walking%20shoes%20but%2C%20I%27m%20unsure%20of%20what%20kind%20to%20get.%20What%20kind%20of%20shoes%20will%20be%20best%20for%20all%20the%20walking%20that%20I%20will%20be%20doing%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15369)
As far as I know, the break rules for city carriers are similar nationwide. We are allowed 30 minutes for lunch, up to 2 10-minute breaks plus unlimited comfort breaks (to use a bathroom). It really wouldn't be odd if the carrier was home 2-3 times a day but only one time should be more than 10 minutes (lunch time). Some carriers may have a lot of downtime on their routes if they move quickly or the mail volume is light, but my experience is that it's not a huge amt of extra time. I'm sure others will disagree with me. To answer your second question, a child shouldn't be riding along in a USPS vehicle. If the carrier is using their own vehicle that may or may not be against the rules. Either way, nobody but authorized USPS employees should be touching the mail and putting it into a community box. I'm not sure how much would get done or how much this bothers you, but you could always call the Post Office and speak with a delivery supervisor, manager or Postmaster.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=We%20have%20a%20mailman%20that%20lives%20in%20our%20area%20that%20is%20home%20multiple%20times%20a%20day.%20What%20are%20the%20rules%20for%20breaks%3F%20The%20same%20mailman%20also%20delivers%20to%20our%20boxes%20and%20lets%20his%20kid%20ride%20in%20his%20truck%20and%20put%20mail%20in%20our%20community%20box.%20Is%20this%20against%20rules%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15517)
-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
