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.

SubscribeGet emails when new questions are answered. Ask Me Anything!Show Bio +

Share:

Ask me anything!

Submit Your Question

1236 Questions

Share:

Last Answer on February 18, 2022

Best Rated

How does insurance work if the package gets lost along the way? My tracking has said out for delivery for two weeks now. Do I get payment for the amount of insurance I paid for no questions asked?

Asked by ButterBean over 11 years ago

There is a claims process to be followed when item is missing. I am not sure of the details of this process. There may be some questions asked, but if our tracking system shows as "out for delivery" and no scan afterwards that is a good indication that something went wrong and you'd probably be entitled to a refund. 

If I mailed something on Saturday evening, but forgot to place a check in the letter, could I ask the mailman on Monday for my letter back?

Asked by VV over 11 years ago

Unlikely. Mail that is collected from either a residential mailbox or blue collection box is often dispatched to a central sorting facility the same day.  Even if the mail were not sent out to the central sorting facility, the volume of mail collected would probably preclude anybody from going through it to look for your 1 letter. 

my letters come back with a stamp saying postage due. what does that mean? and they wont send my letters this has happened about 3 times now same letters going to the same place.

Asked by Kelsey Barclay over 11 years ago

Usually that means that insufficient postage was applied and the item is being returned To you for more postage. Was your letter shaped like a square or otherwise abnormally shaped? Those letters need .20 add'l postage. Was there an amt. written next to the "postage due" stamp? Usually one "forever" stamp is sufficient to cover the postage for a letter unless it weighs more than 1 oz.

A few times my neighbor has come to me to tell me that a package for her was coming to my house. I've seen her going through the mailbox at the house in the corner that's 4-sale. I'm becoming suspicious of criminal activity. Should I be concerned?

Asked by Luis over 11 years ago

it sure sounds suspicious to me. why doesn't she just get the pkgs delivered directly to her house. I don't know if you should actually report this person, but you can say that you will no longer accept a pkg for her addressed to you. Also, she shouldn't be going through another house's mailbox. 

if I mailed 2 letters around 1pm in the blue drop off box and then it started to rain hard an hour later, do the letters or mail in the blue box get wet!? It happened that day and even today!! Or r the letters untouchable from rain in that dropbox

Asked by Natalie over 11 years ago

The blue collection boxes that you are referring to are shaped in a way that is unlikely for any water to get inside from a rain storm. I don't recall ever collecting wet mail from those boxes. The only thought I have about this is if its pouring and the letter carrier goes to empty the box, there may be a short period of time where the mail gets wet. I would say its nothing to worry about. 

Is it illegal to walk through my yard especially when there is a sidewalk from the sidewalk on street to our mailbox?

Asked by JulieAnne over 11 years ago

Generally for efficiency purposes I've always been told to take the most direct paths betweeN mailboxes even if that means going through a yard instead of out to a sidewalk and then back up a walkway to the next resident's mailbox. If an hour explicitly (in writing) requests we don't cross the lawN or yard, we would/should honor that request since it is their property. for the most part I get very few, if Any, requests not to cross a yard. 

The mailman at my mother's house won't deliver my mail to her house, even though I use her address as my permanent address. (I have not sent a change of address from her house.) What can I do to have him deliver it there? I am not local.

Asked by Just Me over 11 years ago

It is surprising to me that a carrier would purposely not deliver mail for a certain name if there is no forwarding order for that name FROM that address. I guess the mail is being returned to the sender? My recommendation is for you to see if you can contact the PO that services your mother's house and make it clear that mail for you should be delivered to as addressed (to your mother's house). Another option would be for your mother to speak to the letter carrier directly and say that her son (you) should have his mail delivered as addressed. I hope this helps.