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.
JC, I'm so glad you had a great experience with your letter carrier today. Too often I hear of the opposite happening. I don't know exactly how you'd leave feedback for your letter carrier, but I have 2 suggestions. First, you could go to www.usps.com and look for info on how to contact the USPS. It may just be a general call center but hopefully they'll give you the number or some way to contact your local PO. Another option is to write a letter (I know it's not too common these days) to your local PO, attention: Delivery Supervisor or Postmaster giving praise to your letter carrier and describing what she did to go above and beyond. You don't necessarily need the street address for the PO, just the correct ZIP code for your PO. Using the USPS mobile app or the website you can find the address of your local PO. Thanks for taking the time to give positive feedback.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Is%20there%20a%20place%20for%20me%20to%20leave%20feedback%20for%20my%20mailman%3F%20%20She%20is%20awesome%20and%20went%20%22above%20and%20beyond%22%20for%20me%20today.%20%20I%27d%20like%20her%20superiors%20to%20know.&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/18121)
GG, I don't really have a suggestion for you. If it were affecting your mail delivery in any way I'd be quite upset and concerned. In theory, they shouldn't keep holding someone's mail for pickup indefinitely. I mean they shouldn't be able to have their mail held, pick it up, and then just put it on hold again. The solution for that person would be to rent a PO Box and have their mail forwarded to it. I know we often won't hold mail for individuals at a certain address. We usually hold the entire mail for an entire address but I can't quote you any internal policies on this because I don't know them. If any mail for the previous owner actually gets delivered to your house, I'd say that you should feel free to discard it since the PO isn't helping you at all. I know it sounds vindictive but the person who moved out or sold the property should either fill out a proper COA or just not care about any mail addressed to him at your current residence.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Someone%20is%20using%20my%20physical%20address%20for%20mail%20but%20asking%20the%20PO%20to%20hold%20their%20mail%20for%20pick%20up.%20He%20used%20to%20live%20at%20the%20property%20but%20sold%20it%20in%20Nov2016.%20He%20will%20not%20complete%20a%20change%20of%20address%20form%20and%20the%20post%20master%20will%20not%20help.%20What%20can%20I%20do%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/18415)
It's very common for people not to check their mailbox daily (me included). If there is mail in there from previous days I generally wouldn't look for any outgoing mail. Outgoing mail should have uncanceled postage and be clearly visible when you open the mailbox. Sometimes people leave the lid open or place the letters vertically to show that they have outgoing mail. If the item has no postage I just leave it there. Other people or companies aren't supposed to leave items in a mailbox but it's common and I just ignore it. Landscapers or oil delivery companies sometimes leave an invoice in the mailbox. Every now and again I forget to take someone's outgoing mail, but not often. Some mailboxes may have a red plastic flag that is put in the "up" position to notify the letter carrier that there may be outgoing mail. Upon collection of the mail, the letter carrier should put the flag in the "down" position. These flags are more common in a rural or suburban delivery environment.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=How%20do%20you%20know%20if%20what%20is%20in%20the%20mailbox%20is%20outgoing%20mail%20to%20be%20collected%20or%20if%20the%20resident%20just%20left%20something%20in%20their%20mailbox%3F%20I%20know%20sometimes%20people%20forget%20to%20check%20their%20mailbox%20everyday%20%26%20sometimes%20a%20neighbor%20may%20leave%20somethin%20in%20the%20box&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/17406)
Jonas, I am no legal expert to cite which laws may or may not have been broken. I am pretty sure that this isn’t an appropriate action on behalf of your husband’s friend. In fact, I’m very disturbed to hear this story. You are completely correct that our job is to deliver the mail, NOT ask any q’s or comment about the mail destination or be a private detective. You need not answer him at all or you could take it a step further and say “Do not ask me anything about my mail”. I’m not so sure I’d threaten to report the letter carrier for his actions but you’d be within your rights to do so if the problem continued. I hope this issue doesn’t continue for you.
On a related note, I definitely do pay attention to where mail is going to or coming from. I would never comment on it to a customer or talk about it with someone else. We should be trusted employees and have an obligation to keep all information confidential.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=My%20husband%20friend%2Cmail%20man%2Casked%20me%20why%20I%20have%20mail%20going%20to%20another%20mans%20house.That%20man%20is%20my%20payee%20rep%20and%20accountant.Your%20job%20is%20to%20deliver%20the%20mail%2C%20you%20are%20a%20mail%20man%2Cnot%20a%20private%20detective.Did%20he%20break%20any%20laws%2Cthis%20is%20not%20the%201st%20time%20w%20nosey&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/19521)
Veterinarian
Who are the bigger hypochondriacs: dog owners or cat owners?
Security / Bodyguard
Are you expected to take a bullet that's meant for someone you're guarding?
TV Meteorologist
Is having a weatherman really better than just throwing to a 5-day forecast screen?
This job message board isn't a customer service site to advise when mail will be delivered to a specific address. Depending on staffing and quality of the operations at your local PO will have an impact as to when your mail is delivered. In my experience mail is usually delivered between 0930 and 1800 but have heard about mail being delivered much later in some locations. If you called the USPS general customer service number i don't think they'd give you anymore of a specific answer either.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=what%20time%20mail%20man%20delivers%20mail%20in%20181%20willow%20rd%2018%20san%20ysidro%20ca%2092173&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/17766)
You're not supposed to wear your own shoes while you're a letter carrier. As part of your yearly uniform allowance you may order USPS-approved SR/USA shoes. They are almost always black in color and are slip-resistant. I'm not sure how strictly it is enforced but I always wear the approved shoes. If you were to fall while delivering mail one of the first things that will be looked at is whether or not you were wearing the proper footwear. I don't take very good care of my footwear and I deliver mail on a walking route so my shoes tend to wear out quickly. I pay apprx $110/pair for the USPS-approved work shoes. On a yearly basis we are allotted apprx $450 for our uniform purchases.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Can%20you%20wear%20your%20own%20shoes%20during%20work&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/18578)
Martha, I have no knowledge in the field of hiring and retests for when one fails an LLV test. Since you are applying for a different position at a different location, it's possible they let you retake the exam, but I'm just guessing.
I have no idea about the internal communications of USPS HR and if one dept or location would even know about the other. I'm guessing with the internal HR technology that they might share information about your past applications to the USPS but have no idea what impact that would have for your future hiring prospects. It is very important to learn how to drive the LLV safely and responsibly. I hope you get to take the exam again because I found that once you learn how to operate an LLV safely it becomes second nature even though the steering wheel is on the right side of the vehicle.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Hi%2C%20I%20recently%20failed%20the%20LLV%20test%20for%20RCA%20and%20I%20asked%20if%20I%20can%20retake%20the%20test%20again%20but%20their%20answer%20is%20their%20are%20not%20sure.%20I%20was%20told%20I%20was%20ineligible%20for%20that%20position.%20I%20interviewed%20for%20CCA%20will%20I%20be%20able%20to%20retake%20it%20since%20it%27s%20diff%20location.&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/18080)
-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
