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.
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.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Can%20my%20landlord%20put%20a%20stamp%20on%20an%20envelope%20and%20post%20it%20to%20my%20residential%20%2F%20home%20mail%20box%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15422)
I am appalled at these observations of a mail carrier. If they are a city letter carrier, they aren't allowed to do any of the as far as I know. The actions seem completely unprofessional and probably against postal regulations. I would never give someone a ride in my mail truck or even have enough time to talk to one person on the route. If I talk to someone for even a few minutes I start to get anxious that I'll be late returning to the PO from my delivery route. I don't think it is against the rules to take a ride with someone while you are in uniform as long as the mail is secured in the postal delivery vehicle. We are authorized a 30 minute lunch break, two 10-minute breaks, plus whatever bathroom breaks are necessary. I have heard stories like you have told while reading some Facebook Forums or message boards. They are definitely working somewhere I'm not familiar with and with a management who doesn't care to do anything about this. I believe in an honest day's work for an honest day's pay. People like you have observed have probably been ripping off the USPS and the ratepayers for years. There are definitely other USPS workers who would disagree strongly with my comments, but this is how I see it. If you know for sure you aren't getting all of your mail, you could bring it to the attention of the delivery supervisor of your local PO. I would question how you would know you are missing anything. It's possible that your apartment complex residents don't receive a lot of mail. Thanks for writing.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Can%20a%20mail%20carrier%20talk%20for%20hours%20on%20the%20job%282%E2%80%933%29%20with%20just%20one%20person%2Cgive%20people%20rides%20in%20her%20mail%20truck%2C%20and%20take%20car%20rides%20with%20neighbors%20while%20still%20in%20uniform%3F%20This%20is%20the%20worst%20mail%20carrier%20I%27ve%20had.%20Everyone%20in%20my%20apartment%20also%20gets%20few%20mail&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15193)
I have no idea why your aunt would take your packages to your uncle's house and he would open them? That sounds illegal to me unless you have some sort of relationship with them to allow this. I'm assuming you don't live together and aren't happy about this. Your aunt must also live nearby. Was anything missing from the packages? You could start by asking your aunt why she did this and tell her not to. You could also mention it to a delivery supervisor at the USPS where she works. I don't know what kind of family tension you want to cause but if something is actually stolen you could call the police to file a complaint. I also have no idea how far that would go. Whatever you do, it sounds like a real sleazy thing for your aunt and uncle to do and I would never imagine doing this.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=My%20usps%20delivery%20woman%2C%20who%20is%20my%20aunt%2C%20took%20my%20packages%20to%20her%20house%20and%20gave%20them%20to%20my%20uncle%20so%20they%20could%20go%20through%20them.%20My%20uncle%20brought%20my%20packages%20and%20shortly%20after%20she%20deliver%20my%20paper%20mail%20to%20my%20mailbox.%20How%20illegal%20is%20this%3F%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/13837)
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.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=My%20mail%20carrier%20frequently%20delivers%20mail%20to%20my%20house%20for%20my%20neighbor.%20I%20have%20been%20walking%20it%20over%2C%20but%20it%20is%20happening%20almost%20daily%20now.%20How%20can%20I%20solve%20the%20situation%3F%20Is%20it%20rude%20to%20leave%20it%20to%20be%20re-delivered%20when%20the%20%20address%20is%20so%20close%20to%20me%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14608)
Videogame Reviewer
Pick one: Nintendo Ice Hockey, NHL ‘94, or Blades of Steel?
Navy Officer (Former)
Just how educated is the typical US military serviceman?
Waitress
Do you get annoyed when people use Groupons?
It's a very good question with a pretty easy answer. In our office, besides the regular letter carriers who deliver the same route daily, we have a group of carrier technicians (aka floaters) who deliver the mail when a carrier has a day off during the week. As much as mail is delivered Mon-Sat most carriers are only obligated to work 5 of those days. To also help fill the gap when a carrier is sick or on vacation or out for any reason a CCA (city carrier assistant) can deliver the mail. If we are very short-staffed (common in the office where I work), we deliver our own routes and then take part of the vacant route and deliver that, usually for OT pay. That is usually :30-1:00 of additional delivery time but could be longer.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Who%20delivers%20the%20mail%20if%20you%20are%20sick%20or%20on%20vacation%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15648)
I have not had an office to deliver on a regular basis so I can't comment as to how far a letter carrier is supposed to go I to an office to deliver or retrieve outgoing mail. Usually I'd expect to mostly deliver to a mail room or reception desk. As far as getting paid by the foot, I can assure you if it is a city letter carrier they are being paid "on the clock" meaning it has nothing to do with distance traveled on foot, but only by time working. A rural letter carrier may have a different way to calculate their pay where I don't know the details. If your letter carrier is wearing the traditional blue uniform, it is likely they are a city carrier and if the location of your postage machine took them longer to access, they'd actually be paid more money because it took them longer. I am being picayune but I hope you understand the point. Some mail carriers are just lazy, will feed you a line, or genuinely know some of the rules about office delivery.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=The%20mailman%20at%20my%20office%20came%20in%20to%20deliver%20mail%20and%20I%20told%20him%20that%20we%20had%20moved%20our%20postage%20machine%20from%20one%20location%20to%20another%20and%20he%20told%20me%20that%20they%20get%20paid%20by%20the%20foot%20and%20his%20supervisor%20measures%20it%20once%20a%20year.%20Is%20that%20true%3F%20I%20doubt%20it%21&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14881)
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.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=How%20does%20a%20new%20CCA%20in%20Mass%20have%20to%20do%20to%20memorize%20his%20route%20on%20the%20beginning%3F%20And%20how%20hard%20is%20it%3F%20In%20a%20non%20familiar%20area.%20Thank%20you%21&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14385)
-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
