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

i ordered live fish off ebay will the mailman just them in my mailbox or what

Asked by sam about 12 years ago

I am not sure, but if it is properly packaged and labeled, I think it would be fine to leave in a mailbox if it fits and no signature was required. I am imagining that it comes in a styrofoam box and inside there are some bags with the fish in them, but I really don't know.

I'm CCA struggling to meet my sup's 3pm deadline in my 1st wk. I was given a RT 85% residntl. The sup complained I take 7.5hrs to do a 3hr job. They said take a day off but u noted CCA can't be disciplined for too slow but no wrk is like discipline.

Asked by GS from Calif. over 12 years ago

I can't comment on your particular situation, but maybe I misspoke about no discipline as long as you are doing your job. I agree that taking a day off does sound like discipline. Did you call the SUpv to say you couldn't make the 3PM deadline? They shouldn't be so hard on you in the first week, though going over by 4.5 hrs is quite a bit. Any chance of somebody training you better to be more efficient as you deliver? These are just some suggestions. 

I have gone through all my training as a mail carrier and just finished my driving test. .Everything went well and he said I did well but im not comfortable with the 2 ton. Will i be asked to drive this or was it just to familiarize me with it?

Asked by Daniel M over 11 years ago

Congratulations Daniel on finishing your training as a mail carrier including the driving evaluation. With regard to driving the 2-ton vehicle, I don't know if you will ever be made to drive it. I would hope that you wouldn't be. I know that I am in the same position as you with regards to driving it. I have only driven it a few times in my career and and am never asked to drive it. If you didn't feel comfortable driving it, I would speak up and mention that you don't think it is safe for you to drive it and see if you could get out of doing it. I wish you well.

hello what does it mean when a package is in transit?

Asked by Patrick over 11 years ago

That means a package that has been sent is traveling from it's origin (where it was mailed) to the destination post office. The package could be on a tractor-trailer or an airplane or in a sorting facility. When a package arrives at the destination post office, it will usually be scanned "arrived" so if one were to look up the package status, they would know it has been rcvd at the destination and PO and will be delivered that day or the next delivery day.

Today I mailed a 1st class package from Texas destined for Australia. Just checked the tracking, and it says "available for pickup" ---any idea what's goin on? Thanks

Asked by Sandy over 11 years ago

I have no idea why it would say "available for pickup" when you check the status of the package that you just mailed today to Australia. I can only speculate that somehow the package was mis-scanned by a USPS employee that caused that status to appear at usps.com tracking. 

Hey Dave, I was just hired at a PO in Long Island as a CCA. Zip code starting 118. My office is a fairly large office. What are the pros/cons on being at a large office? Also if I am asked to deliver with my own vehicle, can I refuse?

Asked by Rob almost 12 years ago

Rob, congratulations on being hired as a CCA. I am guessing it is either Hcksville or Plainview. The PROs may be that you will have many people to meet, many opportunities for filling vacancies, and large neighborhoods to get to know. A con may be that if they are short-staffed, the mgmt can ask you to fill in and do parts of several routes in one day which may be exhausting. The positive part to that is that you are paid for all of your time work including Overtime pay. I believe you can refuse to use your own vehicle to deliver mail, however, they may not then be obligated to give you a govt vehicle to deliver the mail. If that is the case, you may have a reduced opportunity to earn a paycheck. Try to be as polite as possible when given assignments and if it turns out to be too much, speak up and advise the supervisor how much extra time you may need. Always make sure to work safely as well. Try not to get too involved with any office gossip or politics. Good luck and continue asking if you have more qs.

Thanks for answering my previous question about the application process in '98. I applied on-line last August and so far have heard nada. Zip. Zilch! Do you have any idea if I will get at least a reply or rejection notice? #lostinspace

Asked by FF about 12 years ago

Do you mean that you applied 3 mos. ago? I am not sure how long it takes to get a response either yea or nay. I would hope that you would at least get some reply but I have no further info.