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 recently finished my route, came back office and someone defaced my time card. I took a picture, notified my steward to meet with postmaster on Monday. No point in notifying supervisor it was Saturday, rather go to postmaster. Any thoughts,

Asked by rocketman60 over 10 years ago

First of all, I want to say that it's disgusting that a co-worker would do that. It could almost be taken as a threat from a co-worker and make for a hostile environment. I think you did the right thing by taking a photo of it and getting your shop steward involved. It wouldn't have hurt for you to notify the supervisor since they are next up the chain of command. It sounds like you feel that this is serious enough to go right to the postmaster and I understand that. I don't know if your office has internal video cameras which would cover the area by the time clock. That'd give you all of the evidence you need. Be careful not to just wildly point fingers as to who you think has done the defacing, but if you have had a noticeable conflict with one co-worker you could mention that in the meeting with the postmaster and your shop steward. Nobody at work should have to put up with that kind of defacement or intimidation and I really hope that the management and NALC doesn't take this lightly.

621 Votes

If I address mail like:
.
John Cook
123 Ort Rd, New York,NY,USA
~zip code~
.
Will it still be delivered to my house from an outside country or does the zip code go back up by the street and city name or does it not matter?

Asked by ghords about 11 years ago

The mail will still likely make it to your address in the USA, but the proper addressing format would be to have the bottom line read the country of destination. The ZIP should go on the same line as City and State. The Street (or PO Box) should go on the line above City, State, and ZIP code.

621 Votes

On parcels/spurs that have the insured blue label and/or signature confirmations, does the customer have to sign in person at post office, same true for domestic registered? Some carriers check item at P.O. cust signs 3849, what is policy on that

Asked by jrv about 11 years ago

I think I understand your question. You are asking if an item that is insured or signature confirmation can be signed for on a 3849 and left out by the customer for the item to be delivered without the customer present or do they have to sign for it at a PO. In the area where I deliver mail, it is sufficient for a signed 3849 to be an authorization to leave an item at the address even if nobody is present. For domestic registered mail, I'd advise against this because the items may contain very valuable items so I might be uncomfortable just leaving them without a recipient available. I rarely get domestic registered (red label) mail to deliver so I can't say for sure what I do in each situation. To me, domestic registered mail is the most secure service we offer and needs to be treated accordingly.

621 Votes

I sent a letter friday to California and it usually takes 3 days to send but monday is MLK day so what day should it arrive

Asked by selena over 11 years ago

I don't know where you mailed the letter from, but I think mail is still processed on a holiday even if there is no delivery. I would suggest that it will arrive on Tues or Wednesday. Also, I've heard through unofficial sources that the service standards for first class mail has been delayed by a day, at least with local mail. Mail that used to take one day has started to take two days as of last week, but I haven't heard any official word or complaints about it. I don't work in an environment where I'd head too many complaints from customers nor would management tell us of too much with regards to service changes unless they absolutely had to.

620 Votes

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My mail carrier frequently delivers mail to my house for my neighbor. I have been walking it over, but it is happening almost daily now. How can I solve the situation? Is it rude to leave it to be re-delivered when the address is so close to me?

Asked by MB about 11 years ago

Your postal carrier shouldn't be misdelivering the mail at all. We all make mistakes but it shouldn't be a regular occurrence as you imply happens with your neighbor's mail coming to you. I think it's nice of you to bring it to your neighbor but you certainly don't have to. It is not rude whatsoever to leave the mail in your mailbox so the carrier can see it and hopefully deliver it correctly. I know you may not feel comfortable leaving a note in your mailbox with the incorrectly delivered mail stating that this is a regular occurrence and please be more careful with your delivery, but this type of note would be entirely appropriate. I care so much about delivering properly that I appreciate it when a customer tells me about an errant delivery or leaves the letter in their mailbox to be re-delivered. I wish all of my co-workers felt the same way. Some do and some don't. Thanks for your question.

619 Votes

How does a new CCA in Mass have to do to memorize his route on the beginning? And how hard is it? In a non familiar area. Thank you!

Asked by Lazarevicmass over 11 years ago

A CCA shouldn't have to memorize a delivery route as far as I know. I believe as long as you can read a map or use a smart phone GPS, you should be okay. Hopefully the postal management or a fellow letter carrier can give you written instructions and/or a map to help you. I know that if I give away part of my route for a CCA to deliver, I am expected to write down the delivery instructions including park points, vacant houses, certified mail, and Managed Service Points (which need to be scanned). I will admit that not every office or carrier is that well organized so there may be a level of "baptism by fire". The key for me is organization and reading a map if you are unfamiliar with an area.

619 Votes

Can my landlord put a stamp on an envelope and post it to my residential / home mail box?

Asked by Joel S over 10 years ago

I think what you are asking me is if your landlord can put a stamp on an envelope and put it directly in your mailbox. I don't know the answer to that but mail should probably be processed through our mail delivery system. By putting postage on the envelope they are paying to have something put in a mailbox so I'm not sure that it's technically wrong. There is a possibility that if its in your mailbox with uncanceled postage on it, a letter carrier may assume it's outgoing mail and take it with them as we usually don't look at the destination address for outgoing mail. Thank you for writing.

619 Votes

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