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 think it would be great if you scored well on any exams you take for employment with the USPS. Many new hires today are hired as CCA (city carrier assistant) which is a letter carrier position. I think you apply for certain positions so you may have a choice to be a CCA or PSE (Postal Support Employee). A PSE is a position where you generally work inside doing mail processing, distribution, or retail sales and service. Most, if not all, of the letter carriers who I work with were hired as carriers first. I don't, however, have any more insight to the hiring practices except what I posted here. I know I'd always like to see motivated and competent individuals hired by the USPS.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Lets%20pretend%20someone%20takes%20all%20the%20required%20test%20and%20performs%20phenomenally.%20Now%2C%20I%20was%20wondering%20if%20it%27%20possible%20to%20get%20a%20job%20as%20a%20mail%20carrier%20as%20a%20first%20job%3F%20Do%20you%20know%20if%20that%20would%20be%20an%20automatic%20%22No-No%22%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/17181)
No gift is necessary for a letter carrier, but if you'd like to give one I'm sure it will be gladly accepted. Most postal routes have the same person deliver it 5 out of the 6 delivery days per week and then someone else fills in on the regular carrier's day off. If there is a staffing shortage some routes may not have the same mailman each day. Anyhow, 2 common gifts I receive for the holidays are cash (average $20) or a gift card to a coffee chan like Dunkin' Donuts or Starbucks. Thanks for asking about this.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=What%20gift%20should%20I%20get%20my%20mailman%2C%20also%20will%20I%20have%20the%20same%20mailman%20every%20day%20or%20do%20mail%20deliverers%20do%20it%20on%20certain%20days%20and%20take%20turns%21&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/17850)
Re: your orientation, it's good to know its for 5 days. I don't know whether or not that included the driving course. I can't tell you how much things have changed in 17 years. There is a lot more automation of mail and less manual sorting than in the past. Working in Brooklyn I don't know which vehicles are driven. I imagine there are mostly walking routes with a satchel or pushcart, but it will still be necessary to be trained on driving postal vehicles. It usually takes one day or part of one day for driver training and evaluation. I find a lot of negativity among some coworkers and try to steer clear of them as I am a generally positive attitude person. Also, please don't believe all that you hear. People like to spread garbage rumors which could be true but you never know.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Cool%20enough%2C%20we%20are%20both%20from%20Long%20Island.%20So%20your%20answering%20from%20your%20experience%20is%20probably%20good%20for%20me.%20This%20orientation%20for%20me%20will%20be%20in%20Brooklyn%20%26%20for%205%20days.%20Two%20more%20questions%20currently%20on%20my%20mind..%201.%20When%20does%20one%20take%20the%20driving%20course%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/17371)
Hello World Traveler. You're correct that mail can only be held at the PO for 30 days. I have 3 suggestions for you and hope one can be suitable for you.
1) if you have a neighbor or someone you trust you could have them take your mail and hold it for 3 mos. and you can pick it up when you get home.
2) you could rent a PO Box and have the mail temporarily forwarded to the PO Box. I don't think this idea will work because your mailbox would fill up quickly and it's possible any overflow mail would be returned to the sender. I'm not sure of the procedure for when a leased PO Box gets full.
3) If there is a friend or relative who is willing to accept your mail, you could have your mail temporarily forwarded to their address.
I can't think of any other solutions offhand . You could ask your local PO if they'd be willing to hold the mail for 3 months but I've never seen that done before and technically it's isn't permitted. I think they'd just quote the 30-day maximum rule for holding mail.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%27m%20going%20to%20be%20out%20of%20the%20country%20for%203%20months%20this%20summer%20and%20worried%20about%20my%20mailbox%20becoming%20too%20full.%20If%20I%20remember%20correctly%20you%20can%20only%20hold%20mail%20for%2030%20days%2C%20what%20should%20I%20do%20to%20ensure%20my%20mail%20doesn%27t%20get%20returned%20to%20the%20senders%3F%20Thanks.&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16942)
Social Network Security Manager
Can you describe the average Internet troll?
Sr. Software Engineer
Is it basically impossible for a skilled programmer to be out of work these days?
Call Center Employee (Retail)
I've heard that a lot of startups are hiring really well-educated college grads and paying them a lot, reasoning that customer service is often a client's most lasting impression of a brand. What do you think, and is it something you see spreading?
Krissy, thanks for the question. The letter would likely take 2 days to be delivered to the person you are mailing it to even in the same ZIP code. It used to be delivered the next day but mail processing standards for first class mail has been changed from 1 day to 2 days a few years ago. When a letter carrier picks up outgoing mail from a customer, they generally aren't looking at the destination ZIP code. Upon return to the post office, outgoing mail is usually just put in a large hamper and sent to a regional mail processing center. From there it is sorted using automated equipment and takes about 2 days for mail in the same ZIP to be delivered.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=If%20I%27m%20sending%20a%20letter%20to%20someone%20that%20is%20in%20the%20same%20zip%20code%20as%20myself%20and%20I%20put%20the%20letter%20in%20my%20mailbox%20to%20be%20sent%20out%20and%20when%20the%20mailman%20gets%20the%20letter%20while%20delivering%20mail%2C%20will%20the%20person%20I%27m%20sending%20the%20letter%20to%20get%20it%20the%20same%20day%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/18596)
I'm not sure why the letter carrier would do that without some type of notification that you and your mother don't live there anymore. I don't think the letter carrier should have done that. I guess you could write a note next to the other note with you and your mother's name as well. If that doesn't work, you could also contact the postmaster or delivery supervisor and explain that you still live there. I hope that helps because we shouldn't be deciding whether or not someone lives at a certain address or not. In truth, somebody doesn't have to live at an address there just to have mail accepted there.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Can%20the%20mailman%20decide%20whether%20or%20not%20you%20live%20at%20an%20address%20he%20is%20stop%20delivering%20mail%20to%20both%20me%20and%20my%20mother%20but%20still%20delivers%20to%20our%20roommate.%20as%20far%20as%20to%20write%20a%20note%20with%20side%20the%20mailbox%20with%20the%20roommates%20last%20name%20and%20%22%20only%20%22next%20to%20it.&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/18100)
Jillian, we are assigned to work at a Post Office in a particular city when we are hired. That city may have just one PO or may have several stations which we can work from. To answer your question, we choose the routes that we want to take based on seniority, which I find to be the fairest way of doing most things. It eliminates any favoritism that could occur and everything is out in the open with regards to seniority. Some carriers choose routes that have more business deliveries while others may prefer to deliver to residences or a combination. Some routes require more walking than others. Some routes are entirely driving and mail is delivered from the postal vehicle directly into a curbside mailbox. In a major urban areas some buildings could be so large that a carriers route is just one building. I have stayed with the first route that I was every able to bid on successfully. My seniority (18 years) would allow me to move onto what are considered more desirable routes when vacancies occur. I'm comfortable in what I do and I know it well and I think it's a fair days work. Some carriers are a lot more picky than others. As you can see it really depends on personalities and what one perceives as desirable. I hope this helps answer your question.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=How%20do%20mail%20carriers%20figure%20out%20which%20route%20to%20take%20in%20the%20city%20there%20in&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/18355)
-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
