Ask a Mailman (City Letter Carrier) anything

1237 Questions

Last Answer on February 18, 2022

How late could I expect to possibly have my package arrive tonight?

Asked by Brian over 11 years ago

I don't know if you will receive the package tonight. This time of year I'd say that most packages are delivered by 6PM, but each office probably has varying times due to mail volume and staffing levels. During the holiday season, we deliver some packages on Sunday as well. If you have a tracking number you can track the shipment at www.usps.com but I'm not sure how well it works with items that originated from another country.

1020 Votes

Ok I receive ssi but the apt I have my cheek going to is vacant now so will my check go back to the post office?

Asked by meicy almost 12 years ago

As long as the letter carrier knows that the unit is vacant and doesn't deliver it there, the SSI ck will eventually find its why back to the issuing govt agency where it will probably stay until they get a valid address from you as to where to send the SSI cks in the future.

1019 Votes

if we get mail that we don't want like catalogs is there any way we can refuse it and send it back or do we have to pay postage to do that?

Asked by anonymous over 12 years ago

I'm not sure of the answer to this. I think you have to pay postage if the mail was sent to you at a rate called presort Standard. The reason is because if you just leave that type of mail in your box for the carrier to take back they can refuse to take it, or, if they do take it back, it will likely just be discarded into a recycling bin at the PO. That type of mail is called NOVM (No Obvious Value Mail). There will be no effect on you continuing to get that type of mail in the future because the mailer has no notification that you want to be taken off their mailing list. The most effective way to have these mailings cease would likely be to call the mailer or email them to be removed from their mailing list. I have found this effective for reputable emailers but have never tried it with traditional paper mailers. Thanks for your question.

1018 Votes

If I don't empty my mailbox for a week or two, but it is not full, is my postal carrier allowed to post notes on my door demanding I empty it and threatening to send it back?

Asked by jordan almost 12 years ago

Jordan, first of all, thank you for writing in to this Q and A board. I don't know the rules as far as sending back mail because you haven't emptied your box for a week or two and your box is not full. If I were the letter carrier, I would just continue to deliver mail until the box is full and then probably return any future mail endorsed "box full" to the senders (or discard the mail if it is unendorsed Standard Class mail.) I don't recall ever coming across this situation in my postal career, but if it came about I'd probably ask my supervisor for direction. It is not in my nature to leave any notes (esp. threatening ones) for the most part.

1018 Votes

Also on Jobstr...

Help Desk Technician

Do the stats actually back up the "Mac's never get viruses and crash way less than PCs" thing?

Investment Banker

What's a 100-hour work week like?

Hollywood Executive Assistant

Are Hollywood execs as nightmarish as depicted on TV?

I live in an apartment building ( in Canada ) with locked mailboxes for each apartment at the front.of.the building. My neighbor moved out and left a letter for the mail person to put her mail in my box... is this legal?

Asked by Pepper over 11 years ago

I don't know anything about the rules/laws in Canada about redirecting mail to another address just with a note. Are you okay with this? If so, then if it happens, so be it. If you don't want this or the Canada Post doesn't operate that way, then I guess it's more of an issue. I know I wouldn't abide by a letter like this. In the United States for mail to be put in another addresses mailbox (legally), a forwarding order has to be submitted with the US postal service and then the mail will be properly redirected, even if it is just a next door neighbor. I have one customer on the route I deliver that owns 2 houses adjacent to each other. One of them is for sale. Once that house is sold, I will need to have a forwarding order submitted to have mail forwarded from the sold house to the unsold house (if that's what they want). Thanks for the question.

1017 Votes

In your experience, when a CCA or a Letter Carrier gets into an accident while on the job and it is his or her fault, would they still be kept on the job or terminated?

Asked by Larry over 11 years ago

In my experience it isn't too common for anyone to get terminated for anything. I mean people are given a letter of removal but the union often will appeal that and the carrier is reinstated. If it isn't the first time something happened that was the carrier's fault it may be more difficult to appeal successfully. If you are a CCA it is probably easier to fire you if you get in an at-fault accident. I don't recall any letter carriers at my office ever being terminated for an at-fault MVA. I can't speak for any of the other thousands of offices nationwide. Drive carefully, defensively and don't be distracted.

1017 Votes

I was just wondering. If the mail carrier delivers a package to your door, is there a reason why he chooses to leave the rest of the mail in the mailbox? I have a long driveway atop a hill, so why not bring it all up?

Asked by CJB over 12 years ago

I am not sure why they would leave the mail in the mailbox at the bottom of the hill. One reason is that if there is nowhere to securely put the mail at the top of the hill outside of the elements the carrier wouldn't want to leave the mail outside.

1015 Votes

Showing 365 - 371

Show All

856 More Answers by Mailman (City Letter Carrier)

Last 7

50 51 52 53 54 55

...

Next 7 Answers

Mailman (City Letter Carrier)

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

How late could I expect to possibly have my package arrive tonight?

Ok I receive ssi but the apt I have my cheek going to is vacant now so will my check go back to the post office?

if we get mail that we don't want like catalogs is there any way we can refuse it and send it back or do we have to pay postage to do that?

If I don't empty my mailbox for a week or two, but it is not full, is my postal carrier allowed to post notes on my door demanding I empty it and threatening to send it back?

Also on Jobstr...

I live in an apartment building ( in Canada ) with locked mailboxes for each apartment at the front.of.the building. My neighbor moved out and left a letter for the mail person to put her mail in my box... is this legal?

In your experience, when a CCA or a Letter Carrier gets into an accident while on the job and it is his or her fault, would they still be kept on the job or terminated?

I was just wondering. If the mail carrier delivers a package to your door, is there a reason why he chooses to leave the rest of the mail in the mailbox? I have a long driveway atop a hill, so why not bring it all up?

Mailman (City Letter Carrier)

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

How late could I expect to possibly have my package arrive tonight?

Ok I receive ssi but the apt I have my cheek going to is vacant now so will my check go back to the post office?

if we get mail that we don't want like catalogs is there any way we can refuse it and send it back or do we have to pay postage to do that?

If I don't empty my mailbox for a week or two, but it is not full, is my postal carrier allowed to post notes on my door demanding I empty it and threatening to send it back?

Also on Jobstr...

I live in an apartment building ( in Canada ) with locked mailboxes for each apartment at the front.of.the building. My neighbor moved out and left a letter for the mail person to put her mail in my box... is this legal?

In your experience, when a CCA or a Letter Carrier gets into an accident while on the job and it is his or her fault, would they still be kept on the job or terminated?

I was just wondering. If the mail carrier delivers a package to your door, is there a reason why he chooses to leave the rest of the mail in the mailbox? I have a long driveway atop a hill, so why not bring it all up?

Login

Forgot Your Password?

Register