Ask a Mailman (City Letter Carrier) anything

i live in a rural area. The house that i purchased was an established riding route. The mailman wont deliver my mail stating the car is in the way. How do I request a walking route when all other stops around my house are walking stops.

Asked by lostwitoutmail over 10 years ago

I don't know anything about how a route is established and what it would take to get it changed from a riding route to a walking route. Do you know if they are city or rural letter carriers who deliver your mail? Normally if a carrier is driving in a delivery vehicle and the mailboxes are at the street they should be able to approach and leave the mailbox without having to get out of their delivery vehicle to affect delivery. If a car is parked in the way and the letter carrier can't reach the mailbox without getting out of their delivery vehicle they have the option to skip delivery and attempt it the next day hoping there will be clear access. I am not familiar with an area where some houses are riding and some are walking when they are near each other. Usually it's one or the other. For example, all of my deliveries are to a mailbox which is usually attached to an actual residence so I walk between delivery points. Other carriers stay in their delivery vehicle and put mail in mailboxes which are along a road or curb. This is also known as curbside delivery. My suggestion would be to call the post office and speak to a delivery supervisor or manager about this. I don't know if they will be of any help. Is it possible for you to move your car or even the mailbox so the letter carrier can more easily gain access to the mailbox? You shouldn't have to go without mail delivery but there are certain regulations to be followed so the letter carrier can do their job in an efficient and safe manner.

595 Votes

I had my bank mail a check to someone but it was sent to an incorrect address. The check was cashed/stolen. Would the carrier leave it at an address even though the name was not someone who lived there? Should it have been returned to the sender?

Asked by Nonni5 almost 11 years ago

I can't say for sure what should have happened with the check that was mailed to the wrong address. It is bad that the check was cashed by an unintended party. A letter carrier doesn't always know who lives at each address and there are many days where a replacement carrier or CCA (City Carrier Assistant) is delivering the mail. If I'm not sure that piece of mail should go the address on the envelope, I will likely deliver it anyway with a "?" written next to the name. Hopefully the resident at the address would put the envelope back in the mail if it doesn't belong to them and write "doesn't live here" on the outside.

595 Votes

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.

594 Votes

What would be the best thing to get a mailman for christmas my friend is a fellow mailman an he always complains about getting rained on and walking in the sun while hungover.

Asked by Ashley over 10 years ago

I wouldn't recommend getting them any alcohol if they are hungover often. How about some aspirin? We get a yearly allowance for uniform clothing so I can't think of any clothing to get them. Actually, maybe a light rain jacket or slicker wouldn't be such a bad idea, but we do get allowances for good performing raingear. As far as walking in the sun, we also can purchase wise-brimmed sunhats or pith helmets. We also have rubber overboots that can keep our feet dry in the rain. I receive gift cards and cash mostly as holiday gifts from customers to whom I deliver mail. One of my co-workers gives me some lottery scratch-offs which is very nice. I realize that this doesn't necessarily answer your question since none of these gifts are practical in dealing with rain or sun. It's also nice of you to just consider a gift so he should appreciate whatever you give them. I don't exchange gifts with most of friends or family. Having time with them is a present enough. I realize that's a bit corny but that's how I feel.

594 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.

594 Votes

Is it against the law to mail a letter from a business outgoing box? I went on a run thinking that I would find a Blue box and all I found was an outgoing business gray box. I put it in there not thinking anything of it, now I'm worried.

Asked by Zach about 10 years ago

I am not too familiar with the outgoing mail gray business boxes. Was it inside a business that was on your run? It's not against any laws to mail a letter from an outgoing business gray box. As long as there is sufficient postage on the letter I don't see why you can't mail that from anywhere. It should be no problem at all. I just wouldn't know the schedule as to when the mail was picked up. If the letter carrier had already taken the mail for the day from the business gray box, it will likely get picked up the following delivery day.

593 Votes

I'm in SF,CA Is there a law that says the mail carrier can only walk 6 feet to deliver the mail? I recently moved my mail slot down the driveway into a door as some of our mail is missing.

Asked by Donna E. over 10 years ago

I'm a little confused by your question. Did you move the mail slot down the driveway into a door because some mail is missing or do you think mail is missing because you've moved the mail slot down the driveway and now the mail carrier won't deliver it? I don't know why your mail would be missing. The main reason is usually misdelivery by a USPS letter carrier and less common is mail theft. To answer your main question, I don't know anything about laws regarding how far a letter carrier can walk to deliver mail. If the carrier delivers on foot then it's very common to have to go to a door or mailbox near a door to deliver the mail. From what you described it shouldn't be an issue to have moved the mail slot into a door.

593 Votes

Mailman (City Letter Carrier)

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

i live in a rural area. The house that i purchased was an established riding route. The mailman wont deliver my mail stating the car is in the way. How do I request a walking route when all other stops around my house are walking stops.

I had my bank mail a check to someone but it was sent to an incorrect address. The check was cashed/stolen. Would the carrier leave it at an address even though the name was not someone who lived there? Should it have been returned to the sender?

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?

What would be the best thing to get a mailman for christmas my friend is a fellow mailman an he always complains about getting rained on and walking in the sun while hungover.

Also on Jobstr...

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

Is it against the law to mail a letter from a business outgoing box? I went on a run thinking that I would find a Blue box and all I found was an outgoing business gray box. I put it in there not thinking anything of it, now I'm worried.

I'm in SF,CA Is there a law that says the mail carrier can only walk 6 feet to deliver the mail? I recently moved my mail slot down the driveway into a door as some of our mail is missing.

Mailman (City Letter Carrier)

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

i live in a rural area. The house that i purchased was an established riding route. The mailman wont deliver my mail stating the car is in the way. How do I request a walking route when all other stops around my house are walking stops.

I had my bank mail a check to someone but it was sent to an incorrect address. The check was cashed/stolen. Would the carrier leave it at an address even though the name was not someone who lived there? Should it have been returned to the sender?

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?

What would be the best thing to get a mailman for christmas my friend is a fellow mailman an he always complains about getting rained on and walking in the sun while hungover.

Also on Jobstr...

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

Is it against the law to mail a letter from a business outgoing box? I went on a run thinking that I would find a Blue box and all I found was an outgoing business gray box. I put it in there not thinking anything of it, now I'm worried.

I'm in SF,CA Is there a law that says the mail carrier can only walk 6 feet to deliver the mail? I recently moved my mail slot down the driveway into a door as some of our mail is missing.

Login

Forgot Your Password?

Register