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.
Teri, generally the mailman will be running behind because the day after any holiday there is often a heavier quantity of mail to deliver. I can't speak for all offices, but most of my co-workers were probably 1:00-1:30 behind their regular schedule when they started deliveries today. There was a huge quantity of parcels to have sorted by the clerks (took awhile) and also delivering these takes longer . One other factor is that the sun sets earlier this time of year so delivering the mail in the dark takes even longer.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=is%20the%20mailman%20going%20to%20be%20running%20behind%20on%20the%20day%20after%20Thanksgiving%20with%20his%20mail%20delivery&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/13970)
I don't know where you live but delivery is usually done by 5:30 or 6PM based on my experience. I suppose if an office is short-handed or the mail volume is too high then delivery may be much later. The route which I deliver in Long Island, NY generally is done by 3:30 PM if the mail volume (including parcels to deliver) is average. So you can see there is quite a range as to how late a letter carrier route can be and there are variables that make it hard to pinpoint when delivery will be on any given day. Thanks for your question.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=how%20late%20does%20the%20mail%20carrier%20run%20pls%20hlp%20thnx&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15575)
I actually have no idea regarding the blue collection boxes being replaced with ones that have thinner slots. Possibly it is harder to steal out of it with a thinner slot buy I'm purely speculating. I don't know that theft from these boxes is much of an issue in most areas. Your question is the first I'm hearing about different size slot collection boxes. If anything I just hear of there being less collection boxes in general due to the decline in First-Class Mail being sent.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=It%20seems%20that%20all%20the%20big%20blue%20mailboxes%20%20on%20the%20street%20that%20we%20put%20our%20mail%20into%20have%20been%20replaced%20with%20new%20ones.%20%20They%20look%20just%20like%20the%20old%20ones%20but%20there%20is%20less%20space%20for%20the%20envelopes%20to%20go%20through%20into%20the%20box.%20%20Why%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15592)
The only suggestion I'd have is to have your daughter or you contact the PO which delivers the mail to her and see if the key may still be in the mailbox for another resident and/or the package is still in the lockbox. It is disconcerting that if another resident errantly got the key and/or package that they wouldn't deliver it to the intended recipient. As a letter carrier I can tell you we make delivery mistakes on a somewhat regular basis. I am pretty accurate (though not 100%..nobody is) in my delivery, but some carriers don't care as much or are unfamiliar with an area and sometimes rush which can result in mistakes. I understand that the tracking is only somewhat helpful because it shows as delivered to the lock box but that doesn't help if your daughter didn't get the key.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20recently%20sent%20a%20pkg.%20to%20my%20grandson.%20The%20tracking%20%23%20says%20it%20was%20delivered%20and%20put%20in%20the%20lock%20box%20but%20my%20daughter%20says%20there%20is%20no%20key%20in%20her%20box.%20I%20am%20so%20afraid%20someone%20else%20got%20the%20key%20by%20mistake.%20What%20do%20we%20do%3F%20This%20is%20a%20priceless%20gift.%20Thanks&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16027)
Former IRS Revenue Officer
Did you ever deal with people who tried the 'Wesley Snipes' defense?
Antiques Dealer
What do real antiques dealers think of the Antiques Roadshow reality show?
Sushi Chef
Is there a stigma against sushi restaurants that have non-Asian chefs?
As a general rule, I think a letter carrier should be delivering mail to a mailbox unless they know or trust the person asking for the mail. If you are asking if they can bypass a house and not deliver mail at all, the main reason for refusing to deliver mail would be that the carrier feels their personal safety is in jeopardy due to a dog or other unsafe condition. They can also refuse to deliver the mail if safe access or access in general (door to an apt. Building is locked for an example) to the mailbox can't be assured. I don't know if the situation occurred to you which brought up this question. It is rare that I ever don't deliver mail to an address. Even if it's an unsafe construction area, I may give the mail to one of the workers who will put the mail in the mailbox.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Could%20any%20mailman%20refuse%20to%20give%20you%20your%20mail%20for%20any%20reason&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15531)
I'm not sure what it means, but I'd gather that the renter of the PO Box either stopped paying the fee on the PO Box and it was closed or that they closed it on purpose. They also probably didn't put in a forwarding address which is why the label said "return to sender". It means the PO Box number exists but is not currently in use.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20received%20a%20letter%20back%20and%20it%20has%20stamped%20on%20it%20BOXED%20CLOSED%20RETURN%20TO%20SENDER...DOES%20THAT%20MEAN%20THE%20P.O.%20BOX%20NUMBER%20IS%20NOT%20GOOD&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15854)
Kim, that is generally what would happen if you came up to my postal vehicle to hand me outgoing letters. I have a small square tray which is raised on 4 sides where I put the outgoing letters and bring back to the post office for dispatch. Some use a bin or a larger tray depending on the outgoing mail volume. So in a word, nothing to worry about it and good question.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=The%20mail%20man%20came%20to%20my%20house%20before%20I%20could%20put%20the%202%20letter%20I%20needed%20to%20mail%20out%20so%20I%20chased%20him%20down%20since%20I%20heard%20the%20truck.%20He%20looked%20at%20the%202%20letters%20and%20then%20dumped%20it%20into%20a%20white%20bin%20by%20his%20legs.%20Is%20this%20what%27s%20supposed%20to%20happen%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16231)
-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
