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'm generally satisfied with the uniforms that we wear at the USPS and they haven't changed much since I've been working there. The only issue that I have with our uniforms that I can think of is that they are difficult to keep clean. I wear a satchel over my shoulder and carry mail in my arms so the shirt tends to get very dirty. The shoulder strap makes a mark on the uniform shirt where it rests. I admit that I don't wash the shirts as often as I should but they are hard to keep looking crisp nonetheless. I like the fact that we wear uniforms so there isn't much to think about wearing each day to work except the layering to keep me warm in the winter. Thank you for your question.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=If%20you%20could%20change%20anything%20about%20your%20uniform%20what%20would%20it%20be%3F%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/17523)
Jessica, yes I have a very dry sense of humor and since you don’t know me it’s important I put LOL. If I didn’t you may have been a bit taken aback by the comment. Either of the reasons given by the fill-in guy could be valid but you think it may be another reason. I think eventually that you will find out by whether or not he starts delivering to your house again. Sometimes if we have too much to deliver, the supervisor will take away part of our route and give it to a substitute letter carrier or for another regular carrier as overtime.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=My%20mouth%20just%20dropped%21%20I%20am%20definitely%20no%20home%20wrecker%20lol%20I%20know%20you%20were%20kidding.%20%20I%20do%20have%20an%20update%20lol%2C%20I%20asked%20the%20fill%20in%20guy%20what%20happened%20and%20he%20said%20that%20my%20regular%20had%20too%20much%20mail%20to%20carry%20today%2C%20then%20said%20he%20thinks%20hes%20on%20vaca..%20BS&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/19362)
If it was a blank envelope with cash in it, I have no idea how it can be retrieved. I know this doesn't help you, but I'd have just left the item in the box if I saw no postage and no address on it. The letter carrier probably put it in the outgoing mail which is usually sent to a processing facility. There'd be no way to trace it back to your mother's address. To answer your question, I'd surmise that the envelope containing the cash is gone forever.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20left%20cash%20in%20an%20envelope%20in%20my%20mom%27s%20mailbox.%20Unfortunately%20the%20mail%20carrier%20made%20it%20there%20before%20she%20did%2C%20and%20picked%20up%20the%20envelope%20%28assuming%20it%20was%20outgoing.%29%20The%20envelope%20was%20blank.%20Is%20there%20any%20way%20we%20can%20retrieve%20it%20--%20or%20is%20it%20gone%20forever%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16358)
I am not familiar with this situation on what the mailman is allowed to do or not with respect to spraying an area for bees and killing flowers and demanding weeds can be cut. I can tell you that the mailman does need to have unobstructed access to your mailbox with low/no risk of being stung by a bee that could affect his health. I'd say that he could suspend delivery to your house until the situation is fixed to his satisfaction. I just hope both parties will be reasonable and you won't worry about him being vindictive if you call the PO to discuss this issue with a delivery supervisor/manager/postmaster. I'm not sure what you mean by "he can spray". If you are asking, "can be spray?" I don't know this answer.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=We%20live%20in%20the%20country%20and%20my%20husband%20planted%20lilies%20around%20our%20mailbox.%20%20The%20mailman%20is%20alergic%20to%20bees%20so%20he%20sprayed%20the%20flowers%20and%20killed%20them.%20%20Now%20there%20are%20weeds%20he%20wants%20us%20to%20cut.%20%20Can%20he%20stop%20delivering%20our%20mail%20if%20we%20don%27t%3F%20%20He%20can%20spray.&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15432)
Toll Collector
Do you think there will be a time where all tolls are automated?
CBP Officer
Why are so many customs officers huge jerks?
School Bus Driver
Why don't school buses have seat belts?
Sure, I don't think there are any restrictions on this whatsoever. I have a friend of the family who met his future wife while delivering mail to her. I think it's important to keep it professional while delivering the mail and don't do any special favors or inappropriate while in uniform. I mean having lunch with them would seem fine to me, but don't have them follow you around if you are delivering mail on foot. Romance can bloom anywhere. Two of my former coworkers met while working at the PO and later became married and have a child and work in separate locations.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Are%20you%20allowed%20to%20date%20someone%20who%20is%20on%20your%20route%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16107)
Most, if not all, letter carriers are now equipped with mobile scanning devices that transmit delivery data more or less in real time (I'm guessing a few minutes delay but not much more). With our previous scanning devices our delivery data was also transmitted but we had to have it paired with an older flip phone to transmit the data to our main computer system delivery database. Thanks for your question.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=If%20I%27m%20tracking%20priority%20mail%20will%20it%20show%20the%20package%20was%20delivered%20after%20delivery%20or%20when%20the%20mail%20carrier%20returns%20to%20the%20post%20office&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16797)
Not often. I deliver the same route each day, so I pretty much know when residents move in or out. I deliver mail in an upper middle class community and there aren't many rentals and most houses are occupied. If mail begins to accumulate for awhile and I don't see any activity at the house and the grounds start to look more unkempt I may suspect a house is vacant. When most people move, they submit a change of address/forwarding order. This also gives me an indication that if I don't see a new residents name that the house could be vacant. At present, about 1% of the houses on my route are considered vacant and don't receive mail delivery. I'm sure in many other communities that aren't as well off economically there could be more vacant homes.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=do%20you%20come%20across%20a%20lot%20of%20vacant%20houses%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/17161)
-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
