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.
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)
I believe it would be okay to write in a mailbox the number of the address in case it wasn't clear. They shouldn't be writing much else either on or or in the mailbox. This is my opinion and don't know the rules about this. As a letter carrier, my main frustration in delivering mail on a route I'm not familiar with is a missing house number. I have written numbers inside the lid of a mailbox in the past, but it was with a pen and hard to discern on dark metal. I don't think the name of the occupant should be written on the box by the letter carrier.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Is%20a%20mailman%20allowed%20to%20write%20on%20your%20mailbox&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15901)
It doesn't make sense why a USPS letter carrier would put a question mark on one of the envelopes that is identical to the first one. It's common for people to get multiple letters from the same company. I would only put a question mark on the envelope if I wasn't sure if the name on the envelope was correct for the address it is to be delivered to. In your example, I don't think I'd put a question mark on either piece of mail. Also, if other mail to your address has your name on it, I don't see any reason for the question mark. If it only happens once or twice I wouldn't think about it. If it happens each month and it concerns you, you could cal the local PO and talk to the delivery supervisor to see if they have any insight.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20get%20two%20letters%20from%20the%20same%20company%20a%20month.%20They%20arrive%20together%20on%20the%20same%20day%2C%20why%20would%20the%20usps%20of%20postman%20put%20a%20question%20mark%20on%20the%20second%20envelope%3F%20Everything%20is%20exactly%20the%20same%20as%20far%20as%20the%20printing%20of%20address%20for%20example.&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14961)
If you don't have an auto-forward in effect for mail to go from the house you own to another address, then it shouldn't be a problem. I do think that leaving a note for the letter carrier is a great idea. If there is a forward on file then the letter carrier may not even see the letter before it is forwarded. The forwarding is often an automated system called PARS that redirects the mail prior to the original letter carrier seeing any mail to be forwarded. I hope this helps and thank your for the question.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20am%20expecting%20some%20mail%20in%20next%20few%20months%20at%20a%20house%20I%20own%20%26%20rent%20to%20tenants.%20%20How%20can%20I%20ensure%20USPS%20will%20deliver%20it%20to%20that%20address%3F%20%20I%20do%20not%20wish%20to%20have%20it%20auto-forwarded%20to%20another%20address.%20Should%20I%20just%20leave%20a%20note%20for%20the%20mailman%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14261)
Beauty Queen
Is there truth to the stereotypes of “pageant parents?”
Navy Officer (Former)
Why do so many people miss the military after they get out?
Zookeeper and Animal Trainer
Which cuddly-seeming animals are actually dangerous to be around?
Two good questions that are easy to answer. 1) there is no radio in the LLV which I drive. It's possible some postal vehicles have radios but not the one I use. Some carriers bring a portable radio with them or listen on their mobile devices to music or podcasts. I listen to podcasts while delivering the mail. I have one ear with the earphone in it and the other left open so I can hear any traffic or people looking to get my attention. We are probably not supposed to work with both ears covered.
2) I get both a pension and a 401(K) type program since I'm employed by a quasi-governmental organization. The pension is called FERS (federal employees retirement system) and the 401(K)-type program is called the Thrift Savings Plan. Along with Social Security, they make up the 3 "legs" of the retirement system under which I'm covered. The TSP offers a lot of potential growth because you can contribute a lot of your earnings plus the USPS matches some of your contributions. You choose how aggressive of an investor you want to be with your TSP contributions. Thanks for your questions and asking something I actually know about. Many of the questions here I can only answer by my experience not necessarily what the rules may be or how different people would act in a situation.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Actually%20had%20two%20questions%20for%20you%3F%0A%0A1.%20Is%20there%20radio%20in%20the%20mail%20delivery%20truck%20that%20you%20can%20listen%20to%20when%20driving%3F%0A%0A2.%20Do%20you%20get%20a%20pension%20or%20a%20401k%20since%20you%20work%20for%20a%20company%20ran%20by%20the%20government%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16119)
I don't know about this. You can request anything of the USPS, but it's probably a matter of policy or your individual letter carrier as to whether or not they will do that for you. We usually refrain from allowing people to pickup mail on any regular basis at the PO unless you go away on vacation, put your mail on "hold" and then pick up the mail at a future date (and that can be done just once per "hold" request). If your landlord would just be away for a few days, I'd deliver the mail to your personal home temporarily, but this has rarely come up for me and I can't comment for sure how others would respond to a similar request.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=If%20you%20lost%20your%20mail%20key%2C%20and%20your%20landlord%20is%20on%20vacation%2C%20can%20you%20request%20it%20delivered%20to%20your%20personal%20home%20or%20for%20pick%20up%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14206)
I am not sure. If the letter carrier is using a postal delivery vehicle like a 2-ton truck or LLV (long-life vehicle), they will usually deliver a parcel before or after they deliver the mail and smaller parcels on that street or area. If they are a foot carrier with a walk-out route that means they don't drive a delivery vehicle and another postal employee, usually a Parcel Post carrier, would deliver the large parcel separately. Thanks for your question.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Will%20a%20mail%20man%20come%20back%20afyer%20his%20route%20if%20there%20is%20a%20package%20to%20large%20for%20him%20to%20carry&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14897)
-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
