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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1237 Questions

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Last Answer on February 18, 2022

Best Rated

If DOG is barking in fenced in front yard, should the mail carrier still enter when sign on gate warns of the dog?

Asked by herding hollywood almost 12 years ago

I know I have sort of answered this question already, but I will again. I would say that a letter carrier shouldn't enter a yard where a barking dog is visible and not on a leash and could physically come in contact with the letter carrier. If the owner isn't present to accept the mail, the carrier is best advised to bring the mail back to the post office and notify the supervisor why the mail couldn't be delivered. The USPS wants to reduce the number of dog bites because it is dangerous to the letter carrier and costly to the USPS because of any time off required and any medical treatment needed. Fortunately where I work I don't hear of too many dog/carrier incidents, but I do realize other areas may not be as safe. 

886 Votes

i frogot to put my returning address on the mail i sent out today, what will happen?

Asked by Emily over 11 years ago

It is fine not to put a return address on anything you mail. The issue that could come about is if the item you sent is "undeliverable as addressed" meaning that you didn't put on the correct destination address. In this case, the letter would likely be sent to the "nixie" or "dead letter" office. I don't know what it is called nowadays and I don't know what would happen to the letter, but you wouldn't get it back unless somebody opened it and your address was found on the inside. I don't even know if that is legal to do or if it is even done. Again, as long as you put the proper destination address on the letter, don't worry at all about not putting on the return address. Thanks for your inquiry.

885 Votes

I sent an item in a Priority Mailing envelope, but the label I purchased online via PayPal was for Parcel Select. It was returned to me as "insufficient packaging". Does this mean I have to pay all that postage again? Thanks!

Asked by Charly almost 12 years ago

Do you mean that the marking was "insufficient postage", not "insufficient packaging". If it was "insufficient postage", I'm pretty sure you would just have to pay the difference between the Parcel Select rate and the Priority Mail rate. What I'm not sure about is how you get credit for an already purchased postage label, if that's even possible. If you took this to the PO for some type of resolution, I question whether all of the clerks would know how to adjust the rate properly as the ability, care, and training of the SSAs (sales and service associates) seems to vary widely. Thanks for writing. 

885 Votes

I just checked my mailbox n received a authorization to hold mail form. I did not request this n is signed by an unknown person. what does this mean & how do I fix it?

Asked by Jay almost 12 years ago

I am not sure why the authorization to hold mail form would show up in your mailbox unless it was put there by error. Normally we wouldn't deliver a signed form like that until it is time to resume delivery of mail after the hold period which was authorized has expired. Postal Customers use that form (or can complete it at www.usps.gov) to have their mail held at the post office if they will be away for a period of time between 3 and 30 days. At the end of the authorized time period, a letter carrier will either deliver all of the mail that was held at the PO or the postal customer can pick up the mail at the Post Office. If the form you recevied has been completed (or even if not), you may put a post-it note or attach a note to it and leave it in your mailbox explaining to the letter carrier that you don't want your mail held at all and that you didn't authorize it. Another option is to take the card to your local post office that delivers the mail and tell them you don't want your mail held. My guess is that somebody has made an error in delivering the form to you OR something shady is going on, but I think it is more likely the former. Thank you for your inquiry.

885 Votes

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We went bankrupt and lost our house, only my family knew where we moved yet we got mail with our old address at our new place, how did the mailman know where to take it?

Asked by Gwen Marchbank about 12 years ago

I am not sure how the mail got delivered to your new address unless it was maybe in the same town and somehow the letter carriers coordinated internally to deliver it to the new address, though this is unlikely. Usually, you would need to fill out a change of address card (by mail or online) to have mail from a previous address sent to a new address. 

885 Votes

Where do you put someones mail if you cant put it in their mailbox? (Or gain access to an apartment building)

Asked by Alpha over 11 years ago

If I can find a safe place nearby like near a garage door or by the front door of the house I would rubber band the mail and put it there. If it is mail addressed to an apt building and I can't gain access I would likely bring it back to the Post Office, notify a supervisor, and likely attempt delivery the next day. Fortunately, this doesn't happen very often on the route where I deliver the mail. It is inconvenient to have to bring the mail back to the PO and try again the next day.

885 Votes

My mother had a bill to mail, everything was in the envelope and it was stamped. Some time after 6pm, I walked down to the blue collection box and mailed it. She didn't seal the envelope. Can I ask the carrier to open the box and find the envelope?

Asked by L.Williams over 11 years ago

You may certainly ask a carrier to open the collection box, but I don't know if they will. I don't even have keys to open one of those boxes so it's possible the carrier you ask won't have access to the collection box. If you are able to have a carrier open the box, if there is a lot of mail in there, I don't know that they will take the time to go through it to find the bill you are looking for. Bring ID with you in case they want to match up the unsealed mail with your address. As I said, I don't know what response you will get from the letter carrier, but was just giving you some possibilities. It is also possible that the bill will get to the destination unsealed and all will be fine.

884 Votes

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