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 don't know how this works in all offices, but I can tell you what happens in the office where I deliver mail in Long Island, NY. This may not be a nationwide policy. When a letter carrier (usually an unassigned regular or CCA) opts, or holds down, an assignment they get that assignments day off. Our office has mostly rotating days off so that won't change. What may change is the "days off" group that carrier falls into. This is usually a low impact issue when a carrier opts for a group since almost all of us have rotating days off. Only 2 assignments at the PO where I work has 2 assignments with fixed days off (Saturday). The remaining 40 (approximately) assignments have rotating days off. Thank you for the question.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=When%20a%20mail%20carrier%20oppts%20for%20a%20specific%20route%20does%20he%20get%20that%20routes%20day%20off%3F%20Or%20will%20hes%20day%20off%20keep%20rotating%20as%20usually%20scheduled%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/17241)
It is true that we send all non-deliverable mail which was sent as Presorted Standard rate (and not requested to be returned to the sender) to be recycled or shredded as far as I know. I don't know if it's illegal or not to take extra coupons to give to customers who request them, but I wouldn't get involved in doing that. Nobody has ever really asked me either to do that for them. I have taken Dunkin' Donuts coupons out of the circulars which were extras or non-deliverable. I know this doesn't settle your dispute. I am more disgusted by co-workers who feel that these weekly circulars are sometimes not that important and may not deliver them or make sure that everyone gets one. My attitude is that a mailer is paying for them to be delivered and that's our job whether or not the customers want them. Some other coworkers probably take home coupons that otherwise would be recycled. Again, they probably shouldn't, but never heard any repercussions for doing so. Thanks for your question.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Hoping%20you%20can%20solve%20a%20debate%20for%20me%20%26%20wife.%20Her%20friend%27s%20hubby%20is%20a%20carrier%20%26%20brings%20home%20%22extra%20coupons%22%20for%20her%20%26%20my%20wife.%20Claims%20they%20are%20undeliverable%20%26%20will%20go%20to%20%22dead%20mail%22%20%26%20just%20going%20to%20be%20shredded%20%26%20Postmaster%20approves.%20I%20say%20it%27s%20illegal&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16521)
You're welcome Isaac. I'm sorry you didn't have a good experience with your local PO. I would recommend trying again as it's possible that the call was accidentally disconnected. Some offices are quite shorthanded but that doesn't excuse them for not just taking down some info, talking to your letter carrier when they have a chance and then getting back to you. You have a right to get your mail at a secure location in the centralized mailbox unit and I'm not sure what the reason for this foul up is since I don't have all of the facts.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Thank%20you%20for%20your%20response%21%20I%20already%20contacted%20the%20property%20manager%20and%20he%20told%20me%20to%20contact%20USPS%2C%20which%20I%20did%20over%20the%201-800...%20and%20they%20asked%20me%20to%20call%20the%20local%20Post%20office%2C%20I%20called%20and%20the%20lady%20just%20put%20me%20on%20hold%20and%20then%20hanged%20up.&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16441)
Lara, today I had a similar situation today with one of the customers I deliver to. They showed me their USPS Infromed Delivery email and an item shown wasn't in their actual mail. It was a specific letter they were waiting for. I don't know what to do if the letter doesn't show up. Your question seems to also ask about not getting any delivery whatsoever on Saturday. That shouldn't happen. We deliver on Mon-Sat excluding national holidays. I know some offices are having a staff shortage, but that's not a great explanation. I have little faith In the quality of work done by some coworkers and supervisors. Many have an "I don't care" attitude. This is nothing new but seemingly more prevalent lately.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20know%20what%20mail%20is%20coming%20via%20informed%20delivery%20on%20USPS%20website.%20What%20happens%20when%20I%20don%27t%20receive%20it%3F%20It%20seems%20as%20though%20the%20mailman%20didn%27t%20even%20show%20up%20today%2C%20and%20it%27s%20Saturday.%20Mail%20should%20come%20on%20Saturday%21%20Do%20you%20have%20any%20explanation%20for%20this%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/18767)
Sr. Software Engineer
Is it basically impossible for a skilled programmer to be out of work these days?
Bowling Alley Attendant
What do bowling alleys do to keep those nasty shoes clean/sanitary?
Professional Gamer
What's the longest playing gaming session you've ever had?
Generally that would be correct. If the PO is closed due to poor weather conditions it would usually mean our whole retail and delivery operations have been suspended. I don't know if there are still processing operations going on at the mail plants. It isn't too common for us to suspend delivery for an entire day, but in blizzards or states of emergency, it could be necessary for us to do so.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=If%20the%20post%20office%20is%20close%2C%20does%20that%20mean%20the%20mailman%20stops%20running%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16336)
Asking me and other letter carriers will likely get you 2 different answers. I think it's great to get the smartpost and surePost parcels to deliver alongside our regular mail. I view it as more business for the USPS, my employer. If my employer can get more business that would hopefully translate as better for the workers. I don't find it an annoyance whatsoever and know it's part of my job. If the volume of parcels gets too high I would possibly take longer to complete my route which translates into overtime pay which would be beneficial. The volume of parcels that I deliver is not overwhelming except around the holiday season. Amazon uses the USPS as well as other delivery companies to complete their delivery fulfillment. There are some coworkers who don't want to do any extra work and complain about everything so the extra parcels would annoy them. I feel they are close-minded and lazy. In so many cases I don't see the importance of US Mail nowadays with regards to financial statements and bills. That has been able to be done electronically for so many years now. Parcels are what our business should be happy to be delivering. Don't ever feel bad about ordering too much online. I know I wouldn't.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=How%20do%20you%20and%20the%20other%20letter%20carriers%20you%20know%20feel%20about%20all%20these%20extra%20parcels%20from%20SmartPost%20and%20SurePost%20that%20you%27re%20expected%20to%20deliver%20alongside%20the%20mail%20every%20day%3F%20Is%20it%20an%20annoyance%3F%20Sometimes%20if%20I%20order%20too%20much%20from%20Amazon%20I%20feel%20bad%21&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/17193)
It is possible you've been lied to as your name suggests which I find to be very bad. Unfortunately I can't confirm if this is the case or not. I don't know of any rules either way as to why the postman would automatically return any mail that doesn't have the hostels name included in the address. It is pretty common for people to receive mail or packages at a hotel or some type of short-term stay facility. A woman who I work next to has a Comfort Inn that is part of her delivery route. I'm pretty sure she delivers any mail with the hotel's street address on it. It's then up to the hotel to notify the recipient that mail has arrived and then return any mail which may be for someone who is no longer there. I think that the letter carrier will accept any returned mail from the hotel and mark it "refused" or "attempted, not known" and it should go back to the sender. You ask "is this possible?" It certainly is possible as nothing surprises me about what happens at the USPS because the consistency of service among the employees and offices is not good in my opinion. I think we should deliver the mail as addressed (especially to a hotel, hostel, Airbnb, etc) and not worry about the names on the mail and let the receiving office decide whether to keep it, return it, or discard. Individual mail cannot be forwarded from a hotel or any business. In the future, if you want something mailed to a hostel, I'd recommend putting both your name and the name of the property you are staying at.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=A%20Hostel%20I%20was%20staying%20at%20said%20the%20postman%20automatically%20returns%20to%20sender%20%28without%20delivering%20it%29%20%20anything%20not%20addressed%20to%20the%20Hostel%20directly.%20Is%20this%20possible%3F%20or%20would%20the%20Hostel%20have%20to%20manually%20return%20it%20themselves%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16702)
-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
