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.
Without the proper postage (or any postage at all), one of 3 things might happen with the item you mailed: 1) it will be delivered as if it had postage 2) it will be delivered, but the recipient will be asked to pay the postage (currently .49 for a first-class 1 oz. letter), or 3) the letter will be "returned for postage" to you if you put your return address on it. Where you are mailing the item from/to shouldn't matter if it was mailed in the US.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20accidentally%20forgot%20to%20put%20a%20stamp%20on%20my%20envelope%20and%20I%20mailed%20it%20already%2C%20does%20it%20matter%20as%20long%20as%20I%20am%20mailing%20%20from%20New%20York%20to%20New%20York&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/12140)
You're welcome and thank you for the compliment. Good luck to you in the interview this week for CCA. The rural carrier position is a completely separate pay scale and pay method vs. city carriers. They are also represented by a different union. I honestly don't know the procedure or opportunities for transfering between a city carrier and rural carrier. City carriers are paid by time at an hourly wage. Rural Carriers are given a route, or part of a route, to complete and paid a set wage on the volume of mail for a particular assignment. I think the dollar amt. is adjusted yearly during a "mail count" period for rural carriers. The sooner a rural carrier finishes their daily assignment, the sooner they can go home and still be paid a set amt. for the day. In the office that my brother works in, I think that most of the rural carriers are done before noon and start their day apprx. 7:00 AM. It is a pretty good deal for them. Some of them are required to work 6 days/week as part of their regular assignment. The office I work in has both city carriers and rural carriers though I've not ever seen one transfer between crafts. It doesn't mean it can't be done. I'm sorry that I'm just not familiar with how it's done and if it would mean a re-starting over in your craft seniority for bidding purposes.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Hello%2C%20thanks%20for%20this%20site%2C%20it%27s%20helpful.%20I%20have%20an%20interview%20for%20the%20CCA%20position%20this%20week.%0A%0AI%20am%20wondering%2C%20if%20after%20X%20amount%20of%20years%2C%20if%20I%20am%20giving%20a%20career%20position%20if%20I%20had%20the%20option%20to%20transfer%20to%20a%20rural%20carrier%20at%20some%20point%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/10701)
I am sorry but I am not familiar with the application process and how it would work if you didn't live in the area. If you go to www.usps.com and look at careers that may give you an idea. I hope in your case that it is possible.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Looking%20to%20relocate%20from%20small%20town%20in%20Kansas%20to%20somewhere%20in%20the%20Houston%20Texas%20area.%20Is%20it%20possible%20to%20apply%20for%20and%20get%20a%20job%20in%20another%20state%20before%20actually%20moving%20there%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/11312)
More than likely the envelope with the irregular thickness item in it would make it through the mail system as long as the item didn't puncture through the paper envelope and possibly get lost. The letter sorting process is highly automated so the item in the envelope could get damaged as it goes through the letter sorting machinery. For this reason, I highly recommend using a small padded envelope to protect any fragile or valuable contents that need to be mailed. The cost to mail this is higher than that of a letter-sized envelope but well worth it.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=If%20I%20were%20to%20send%20a%20letter%20envelope%20with%20more%20than%20just%20a%20letter%2C%20like%20if%20it%20had%20a%20ring%20inside%20as%20well%2C%20would%20it%20be%20able%20to%20go%20through%20the%20mail%20system%20without%20a%20problem%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/12482)
Beauty Queen
Have you ever suspected that the judging in a pageant was rigged?
Bar Mitzvah DJ
Why are DJ's so unwilling to accommodate song requests?
Private Detective
Can I be a successful P.I. if I'm hardworking but don't have any connections in law enforcement or politics?
I don't believe that the tests matter at all by state, but when you take the test it is usually given by a certain district which is hiring. It has been many years since I've taken a hiring exam so I don't know if the process has changed. Furthermore, I don't know how long the grades are on file once the exam is taken. Good luck to you Jadrian.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Also%2C%20are%20the%20mail%20carrier%20tests%20good%20throughout%20the%20U.S.%20or%20are%20they%20required%20to%20be%20retaken%20in%20each%20individual%20state%3F%20How%20long%20are%20they%20good%20for%20on%20file%20once%20taken%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/11314)
To my knowledge rural letter carriers aren't required to wear a USPS uniform and I have never seen a RLC wearing one. There are 2 rural routes that are delivered from the office where I work and I've never seen them in anything except everyday clothes a regular manual worker would wear. Your question of why should a rural carrier wear a uniform is one I don't know. I didn't think a rural carrier could even purchase official USPS uniform items except maybe a baseball cap or other headwear. It's true that they don't get a uniform allowance like the city carriers receive. You could contact the NRLCA if you had a question I can't answer hear. They are the union that represents Rural Letter Carriers nationwide.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Why%20should%20a%20rural%20carrier%20wear%20a%20uniform%20when%20we%20don%27t%20get%20a%20uniform%20allowance%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14250)
No, you don't have to start at the bottom. Many mail carriers start out in that position. Nowadays, you are likely to be starting as a CCA (City Carrier Assistant). I think that the position is one you are just paid per hour worked and I don't know that there is any health insurance or other benefits or guarantee of hours either. As full-time positions become available in an office, a CCA is often promoted to the position of Full Time Regular Letter Carrier which has many benefits as well as a guarantee of 40 hours per week. If you visit www.nalc.org and look at the left hand side of the page there is a section that says "Welcome, New Hires!" which should answer any CCA questions in greater detail.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20am%20considering%20getting%20into%20the%20postal%20service%20as%20a%20mail%20carrier%2C%20but%20I%20want%20to%20start%20out%20in%20this%20position%20rather%20then%20work%20my%20way%20up.%20Is%20this%20possible%20or%20do%20I%20have%20to%20start%20at%20the%20bottom%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/11575)
-OR-
Login with Facebook (max 20 characters - letters, numbers, and underscores only. Note that your username is private, and you have the option to choose an alias when asking questions or hosting a Q&A.)
(A valid e-mail address is required. Your e-mail will not be shared with anyone.)
(min 5 characters)
By checking this box, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to Jobstr.com’s Terms and Privacy Policy.
-OR-
Register with Facebook(Don't worry: you'll be able to choose an alias when asking questions or hosting a Q&A.)
Browse Jobs
Host a Q&A
Search
Submit Your Question
Host a Q&A
Last 7
