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.

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Last Answer on February 18, 2022

Best Rated

Will mail with my company name on it still come to my residential address

Asked by Kaelia over 10 years ago

It should come to your residential address. There are probably millions of people who run businesses from their home address and it's no issue as far as I know to receive mail at a residential address for a business. If you were concerned about this, you could put a visible note inside or on your mailbox with the name of your company or saying "accepting mail for (insert name of company) so that there is no confusion to your letter carrier. There really shouldn't be any confusion. I just deliver the mail by address and if the recipient or company name is incorrect they could leave the mail out for me to have it returned to the sender.

Can you refuse delivery due to a dog barking? Dog is inside behind a metal security door and the box is next to the door. He’s not loose and there’s no way he can get out. The main door is usually shut, but not always. I’ve never received a notice.

Asked by RJ over 10 years ago

I don't think we should refuse delivery for that but I can't say for sure what we are allowed to do. As long as I felt that the door was secure enough and the dog wouldn't get out I would make the delivery. When you say you've never received a notice, do you mean you have never been told that the dog is an issue? I'm not sure what kind of notice you mean. Maybe the letter carrier refused mail delivery and never said the dog was an issue. I have a few places where I deliver to very loud barking dogs but I have never really had to refuse delivery due to this. It is often stressed by postal management to be very careful near dogs so I can understand if a letter carrier is apprehensive about it, but I can't say what they should do in the situation you described.

Is it possible for a mail carrier to overlook mail that is supposed to be delivered to you?

Asked by Ariel about 10 years ago

Definitely. Most of the time we deliver the mail that you are supposed to receive, but it's possible that the mail for you has been missorted and will show up later on the delivery route and the letter carrier doesn't backtrack the same day to bring it to you. You should get the mail the next delivery day. If the mail was misdelivered to another address it could be days (if at all) for you to receive the mail you are supposed to. The reason is because if mail is misdelivered its up to the errant recipient to put the mail back in a mailbox to be correctly delivered. They may do it right away, in a few days, or not at all.

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.

Are you supposed to carry an ink pen so letters that require one can be, and you can carry on with your day, or is it the recipients responsibility to have an ink pen?

Asked by Gayle about 10 years ago

Are you referring to having a pen for a signature of accountable mail like a certified or registered item? I would say we are supposed to carry a pen because we sometimes have to leave a notice that we attempted a delivery but were not able to leave the item for whatever reason. With the current mail data collection device items can be signed for directly on an electronic screen with a stylus or fingernail. No pen is required unless the sender has requested a return receipt to be signed. Basically it is good practice to carry a pen at all times while delivering the mail.

What do you do if the mail does not fit in the mailbox
Example: there is a box to go into the mailbox but it doesn't fit for whatever reason, what do you do?

Asked by Roy potter about 10 years ago

I'll tell you what I do in this situation (which is common) but I can't say what each carrier will do and I'm sure it also varies by location. We deliver many parcels that won't fit into a mailbox. I bring the item to the front door of the house and leave it on the side of the door. I rarely ring a door bell since I don't need to see anybody to give the mail to. I also work in a neighborhood where mail/package theft is close to non-existent. If you live an apartment building or an area where mail can't just be left near a front door then the letter carrier might leave a PS 3849 Delivery Notice/Reminder/Receipt to notify the recipient that we have mail for you to retrieve from the PO or allow you to authorize delivery and leave mail at a specified location.

A certified letter was sent out to me on Jan 13 and it's the 21st. Still have not received it and when I try to track it all it says it's in transit. Desnt say where it is. I called local post office and all they say is its on the truck. What do I d

Asked by Ann about 10 years ago

It's odd for someone to say "it's on the truck" when the tracking seems very non-specific and sounds like it hasn't been updated. 8 days is too long for a certified letter to reach you unless the item was missorted en route and was either misdelivered or is sitting at a PO and nothing is being done with it. I don't know what to tell you to do except to wait a few more days. After that, you could contact the sender and say you never received the letter though they would have the same information as the online tracking.