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

Can a mail carrier write my house number on the outside of my mailbox with a sharpie?

Asked by Steven about 11 years ago

I don't know if they can do that, but I would do it if it weren't clearly posted on the house or on the mailbox. This is important so that the letter carrier can deliver the mail properly. I am very big on communication so that anybody can fill in on any route and deliver the mail properly. As far as marking the house number on the outside of the mailbox, I don't know that it is necessary. A sticker on the inside lid or inside the box that clearly states a house number should be fine.

Hi. I was wondering about if there is a way to get my mail early. I need to leave for holiday travel tomorrow and my mailman doesn't come till almost 5 pm. Do you have any suggestions?

Asked by mcmjuly over 11 years ago

I don't know if this would work and I generally don't like customers doing this but you could possibly find your letter carrier on their route earlier in the day and ask for it. Please understand that your mail could be somewhere not easily accessible in the delivery vehicle and the letter carrier may not want to make the effort to get it out for you. I rarely have anybody ask me for their mail early so I can't tell you how I would handle it. Is your mail that important that you can't wait until you return from holiday travel to retrieve it? Many people go days without taking in their mail from the mailbox. My recommendation would be to not ask for your mail early but it wouldn't hurt to try if it is that important to you. Happy Thanksgiving and travel safely.

Mister mailman. I am only 8 yes old and am curious if a mailman delivers mail then who delivers his mail and Is it possible for mailman to actually pick up their own mail?

Asked by annonomous over 11 years ago

Hello, I'm glad you have an interesting question at such a young age. Usually another mailman delivers the mail to a mailman's house unless they happen to live on the same postal route that they deliver mail to. This does happen but I haven't seen it in the PO where I work. As for the question is it possible to pick up their own mail, I would say probably not. I deliver mail to a letter carrier's house who happens to work in the same office as me. I don't give him his mail any differently than I would any other customer on my postal route. I stay professional and no special favors are done for anybody. As an aside this particular letter carrier has never even asked me for anything special or to pick up his mail. I hope this answers all of your questions and send anymore if you think of them.

Is it okay to finish a route and take the half hour lunch at the end then drive back to office

Asked by JVitto over 10 years ago

I used to do this but was then told that I really should take the 30 minute lunch within 6 hours of my BT (begin tour) time. I now take lunch from approximately 1300-1330. The new scanners that we have tells the mgmt where we are so they can see if we are sitting for 30 minutes at the end of the day instead of our approved lunch period. If the management doesn't give you a hard time about it, I don't see why not but the union and managers technically should be enforcing the 6-hour rule for taking a lunch break. I've become used to it so it's no big deal to take lunch when I'm supposed to and not at the end of the delivery route.

Thanks for the answer, but doesn't each carrier have a route number, like C001-19046, the last part being the zip code that they deliver to? So if I addressed it to Letter Carrier Route C001-19046 he /she would get the letter?

Asked by Jane over 10 years ago

You are the right track with your question. C001, for example, would be City Route 1. I don't think there is a special ZIP code for the route #. What you could I address the item to "Letter Carrer C0001" and then the PO name and address and 5-digit ZIP code. I think the addl 4 digits for the ZIP code would be -9998 for mail going to the PO and not to a customer. Don't quote me on that last part. I've reread your question now. If you put C001-19046 on the top line of the address they might get the letter. I've never seen this done before but it does make sense. I would recommend addressing the envelope to "Letter Carrier C001", but it's your choice.

Can a mailman refuse to deliver mail to a rural box if the box is open?

Asked by Collette about 11 years ago

I'm not sure why a mailman would want to refuse delivery to a rural mailbox if the lid is open. Most of the ones I see just have flip down lids which aren't secure or they have no lids at all and may have broken off over the years. I don't know the exact rules of what condition a rural mailbox must be in to receive mail. I suppose if the carrier felt the mail wasn't secure they could refuse delivery until the condition of the rural mailbox is rectified. I've never refused to deliver mail due to an open mailbox, but then again, I'd rather deliver the mail then have to bring it back to the PO and re-attempt delivery on a subsequent day. Thanks for your question.

If you notice a broken mailbox what do you do with the mail and how do I get it as soon as possible

Asked by Heem over 10 years ago

I usually will continue to deliver the mail as long as the mail can be sheltered from the rain and other elements and hope that the customer will fix the mailbox in a reasonable amount of time. Some letter carriers will not deliver the mail to a mailbox that has fallen to the ground or is broken in some way. I suppose that is their option. If the mail isn't being delivered, it is likely being held at the PO for a certain amt of time (I don't know how long). You can probably go and pick it up there as long as you present identification that matches your address and if the clerk can find the mail that is being held.