Ask a Mailman (City Letter Carrier) anything

1237 Questions

Last Answer on February 18, 2022

Let's say you ordered something 'embarrassing' (although not illegal or hazardous) such as a playboy magazine or whatever, that is in a boxed package. Is there a way for the mailman to know what you have?

Asked by robert almost 11 years ago

I'd say there is no obvious way to know what is in a box. The return address can sometimes give a clue, but if it's Adult Entertainment or sexual toys/gadgets, the mailer is usually discreet in the return address and packaging. Playboy magazines that are subscribed to are usually easy to spot because it comes via Periodical Class, is polywrapped and you don't see the cover. I do notice those magazines (but few people get them anymore) and ads for Adult Videos, but nothing else really catches my eye when delivering packages or mail with respect to them being embarrassing. Good question.

622 Votes

My landlord & I have the same mailbox & for some reason his girlfriend & son continue to take my mail into the house & when I ask about the landlord says no your mail isn't in my house & 10-15 mins later he appears with my mail

Asked by Cynthia over 10 years ago

They really shouldn't be taking your mail into their unit or house or apt if you don't shared the same living space with them and they aren't responsible about giving it to you. It may not be easy but you could politely ask the landlord and girlfriend and son to maybe leave your mail in the box or slip it under your door if that's accessible or appropriate. I agree it's not good for you to need to be concerned if someone is taking your mail and giving it to you at their convenience. I know it's not the answer you'd like to hear, but a PO Box rental would solve this issue. The drawback is that it costs money and is probably less convenient than getting mail at your residence. The USPS would probably not get involved in separating out your mail and putting in to a different mail receptacle unless the unit was officially designated an apt for mail receiving purposes. I don't know how one would go about doing this or the complexity of it. We have a database of authorized addresses that we go by to deliver the mail and if there aren't multiple units designated in the same dwelling, all of the mail would normally be put together.

622 Votes

address 100&102 have always shared one mailbox. How do I inform the Mail Deliverer to put 102 mail in 102 box?

Asked by esmeralda over 10 years ago

I am not sure what you mean by this question because you first say that 100 & 102 are together in one mailbox yet you then reference a box that says 102. If you truly have two separate mailboxes for two separate addresses and is clearly labeled I'm not sure why the letter carrier doesn't separate the mail between the two addresses. You could leave a note on the shared mailbox that there is a separate mailbox for 102 and ask them to put the mail there. If this isn't resolved with a note, you could always contact the PO and speak with a delivery supervisor or a manager to register your request.

622 Votes

Hello. I live in a apartment community and have recently been asked by my manager "why does my son get his xfinity bill at your address and why don't he have his mail go to his own address?" Basically, can postman tell mgr. who gets mail at your box?

Asked by Jonay253 over 10 years ago

I don't think the letter carrier (postman) should be commenting at all to anyone who gets mail in your box. Not that it matters, but it seems quite normal to have a bill sent to another address. Maybe you pay his XFinity bill for him. Either way that doesn't matter with regards to your question. If this comes up again, I would politely tell the manager that it's not his business who receives mail at your address. If you happen to see the letter carrier, you could mention that he shouldn't be giving out that information and as long as you, the tenant, are accepting mail for your son (or whomever) then it should be delivered accordingly by the USPS employee. I am not familiar with any circumstances that allows us to verbally confirm who gets mail at an address.

621 Votes

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Have you ever drove a 2 ton postal van and do you think a lady carrier can drive one if short in stature?

Asked by PK over 10 years ago

I only drove a two ton van a few times in my postal career and that was many years ago. I didn't feel comfortable driving such a large vehicle but some of my co-workers don't mind it. I believe they aren't that hard to handle. As far as a woman of short stature I don't know if a lady carrier can drive it. We have females that drive the two ton postal truck and do it fine. They are probably 5' 5" or taller so I can't say how the visibility is for a short person. I don't know about the adjustability of the seat height.

620 Votes

Hi. Though my apt # says REAR, the mail carrier throws my packages over the front gate, that I don't have a key to open, vs the rear gate. I've discussed this with him in person before. No change. How can I get him to deliver the packages correctly?

Asked by B. over 10 years ago

I'm not really sure how to answer this question because I would have suggested speaking with the letter carrier or delivery supervisor to make it clear where your apt. is and that you have no access to the packages in the front of the house as the gate is locked and you have no key. You have already done that according to your question. Is the rear apt. accessible to the letter carrier without the key? Where does the mail get delivered to? is it safe to go to the rear of the house? I agree that it's lousy that the carrier just throws the parcels to the front. Possibly a replacement letter carrier delivering the route doesn't realize they can go to the rear even though the packages say so. I would contact the PO and say that situation hasn't been resolved. I'm not sure how much help they will be but you deserve a clear answer and good service from us.

620 Votes

Postman at our apartment keeps returning our mail to sender. He states it is because it does not match the names on our box. Can he legally do this. If the name is misspelled or off by one letter he will return to sender every time. Can he do this?

Asked by Jessica over 11 years ago

Jessica, I don't know what is legal or not about returning mail to the sender if not addressed properly but it seems that your letter carrier is taking this a bit too far by returning letters that don't match exactly the name on the mailbox. As long as the apartment # is correct and the name matches somewhat the mail should be delivered. I don't know if you want to leave a note saying "please deliver all mail that is addressed to my apartment # even if the name doesn't match exactly." As far as I know names don't need to match at all as long as there is an apt # and the recipient isn't rejecting the mail as "no longer lives here or person doesn't live here". Many carriers, especially substitute or CCA (city carrier assistants), just deliver the mail as addressed which is fine. I am a very detail-oriented letter carrier and always want to make the proper deliveries but would never return something for a spelling error. I would return something sometimes if it is consistently mailed to an incorrect address. Again, the address is the most important piece of information on a piece of mail, not necessarily the name.

620 Votes

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Mailman (City Letter Carrier)

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

Let's say you ordered something 'embarrassing' (although not illegal or hazardous) such as a playboy magazine or whatever, that is in a boxed package. Is there a way for the mailman to know what you have?

My landlord & I have the same mailbox & for some reason his girlfriend & son continue to take my mail into the house & when I ask about the landlord says no your mail isn't in my house & 10-15 mins later he appears with my mail

address 100&102 have always shared one mailbox. How do I inform the Mail Deliverer to put 102 mail in 102 box?

Hello. I live in a apartment community and have recently been asked by my manager "why does my son get his xfinity bill at your address and why don't he have his mail go to his own address?" Basically, can postman tell mgr. who gets mail at your box?

Also on Jobstr...

Have you ever drove a 2 ton postal van and do you think a lady carrier can drive one if short in stature?

Hi. Though my apt # says REAR, the mail carrier throws my packages over the front gate, that I don't have a key to open, vs the rear gate. I've discussed this with him in person before. No change. How can I get him to deliver the packages correctly?

Postman at our apartment keeps returning our mail to sender. He states it is because it does not match the names on our box. Can he legally do this. If the name is misspelled or off by one letter he will return to sender every time. Can he do this?

Mailman (City Letter Carrier)

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

Let's say you ordered something 'embarrassing' (although not illegal or hazardous) such as a playboy magazine or whatever, that is in a boxed package. Is there a way for the mailman to know what you have?

My landlord & I have the same mailbox & for some reason his girlfriend & son continue to take my mail into the house & when I ask about the landlord says no your mail isn't in my house & 10-15 mins later he appears with my mail

address 100&102 have always shared one mailbox. How do I inform the Mail Deliverer to put 102 mail in 102 box?

Hello. I live in a apartment community and have recently been asked by my manager "why does my son get his xfinity bill at your address and why don't he have his mail go to his own address?" Basically, can postman tell mgr. who gets mail at your box?

Also on Jobstr...

Have you ever drove a 2 ton postal van and do you think a lady carrier can drive one if short in stature?

Hi. Though my apt # says REAR, the mail carrier throws my packages over the front gate, that I don't have a key to open, vs the rear gate. I've discussed this with him in person before. No change. How can I get him to deliver the packages correctly?

Postman at our apartment keeps returning our mail to sender. He states it is because it does not match the names on our box. Can he legally do this. If the name is misspelled or off by one letter he will return to sender every time. Can he do this?

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