Ask a Mailman (City Letter Carrier) anything

1237 Questions

Last Answer on February 18, 2022

If I was to put mail in the outside mailbox at post office on a Sunday buy the box said mon-fri 5 does that mean it won't be picked up until Monday at 5? When can I expect it to be delivered

Asked by lynnie over 9 years ago

It depends on where your letter is being mailed to. I think nationwide most letters reach their destination in 2-3 days, but probably no sooner than that. The mailbox you deposited the letter into said collection is m-f at 5PM. That means that as long as the letter was deposited prior to box posted time, your letter will be dispatched that day for processing and transport. It's possible that the letter was collected before 5PM on Monday but that would be a decision made locally by the post office. If it was collected early someone would still have to go to empty the collection box at or after the posted time.

495 Votes

While driving the vehicle to make a delivery, another motorist points towards the back of your vehicle as if something is wrong. What do you do?

Asked by tareq almost 10 years ago

If I were in motion, I'd safely pull over, put on my four-way flashers, and then get out to investigate. It's possible that my gas cap is hanging out the side of the LLV, the back gate isn't secure, or maybe I'm dragging something. It could also be something that I haven't thought of. If the motorist is still around I'd ask them what they are pointing out. If it seemed to be some type of phony diversion tactic, I'd try to get far away from the motorist pointing and then investigate safely.

495 Votes

Why is my mail all of the sudden being delivered to my home in Montpelier Vermont by a red mini van with Massachusetts license plates - BTW the plates are civilian style plane on mass plates

Asked by Craig about 10 years ago

I don't know that it matters where the plates are from if someone is delivering your mail, but I'm by no means criticizing your question. Do you know if you live on a Rural Delivery route? If so, those carriers sometimes use a POV (privately owned vehicle) to deliver the mail. In the office where I work, the rural carriers used to use POVs but now they use the USPS-owned Long-Life vehicles, aka LLVs. The USPS sometimes leases vehicles if there is a shortage of company vehicles available. If you live on a rural route, it may be delivered by a Rural Carrier Associate (RCA) who may have their own vehicle for delivery. There are several variables as to why your mail is being delivered by a MA-plated Red Minivan but I can't say for sure.

495 Votes

if u went to a door and a guy opened it droped straight 2 his knees and asked u to drop urpants would u

Asked by EJ almost 10 years ago

This is a very immature question to ask on this site, but the answer is no. I'm not interested in men to begin with, but even it were a woman I don't think I'd get involved because it's not worth losing a job for a few minutes of fun. I keep it professional while on the clock. In my years of experience nothing even close to the scenario you described (with a male or female) has happened to me.

495 Votes

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Is there a reason why we should be getting our magazines and catalogs all on one day and usually the weekend?

Asked by Mary almost 10 years ago

I don't know why that would be. I don't have any involvement in how the mail is transported and processed and I also don't know the operations at your local post office. Where I work most of the mail that comes into the building on any given day goes out the same day or the next day. Some of the reason for this is that much of our catalogs and magazines come to our PO via FSS trays. These are trays of flats (the more official name for catalogs and magazines) where the items are all sorted in delivery order and ready to be delivered without any additional sorting. FSS mail gets delivered the same day they arrive at a local PO. Not all POs receive FSS mail so it's possible that flats are curtailed for one or two days a week. I am just speculating and don't really know if that is what happens. As an aside, actual magazines (like Time, People, TV Guide, local newspapers) are considered Periodicals Class mail and should be delivered the same day that they arrive at your local PO. FSS stands for Flats Sequencing System.

495 Votes

I had my bank mail a check to someone but it was sent to an incorrect address. The check was cashed/stolen. Would the carrier leave it at an address even though the name was not someone who lived there? Should it have been returned to the sender?

Asked by Nonni5 over 10 years ago

I can't say for sure what should have happened with the check that was mailed to the wrong address. It is bad that the check was cashed by an unintended party. A letter carrier doesn't always know who lives at each address and there are many days where a replacement carrier or CCA (City Carrier Assistant) is delivering the mail. If I'm not sure that piece of mail should go the address on the envelope, I will likely deliver it anyway with a "?" written next to the name. Hopefully the resident at the address would put the envelope back in the mail if it doesn't belong to them and write "doesn't live here" on the outside.

495 Votes

My sister was recently in jail. Our mail carrier saw letters from us going to her at the jail and has been telling a lot of people about her being in jail. Is this legal for him to do?

Asked by Gregory almost 10 years ago

I can't quote the statute that says it is illegal for the letter carrier to discuss with others the fact that your sister was in jail, however it is entirely inappropriate and probably against postal regulations re: sanctity and confidentiality of the mail. I see mail going to/from prison while delivering the mail but never say a word to anybody about it. I'm not sure if you want to discuss it with your letter carrier to tell him how wrong it was to say anything to anybody. I also don't know it it would go anywhere if you complained to the USPS about his behavior. Legally, you may also need proof or witnesses if in fact it is illegal what the letter carrier divulged to others. I know I'd be very upset if I found out my letter carrier was talking about things they should be confidential about, but not sure what avenue I would take to resolve it.

494 Votes

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Mailman (City Letter Carrier)

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

If I was to put mail in the outside mailbox at post office on a Sunday buy the box said mon-fri 5 does that mean it won't be picked up until Monday at 5? When can I expect it to be delivered

While driving the vehicle to make a delivery, another motorist points towards the back of your vehicle as if something is wrong. What do you do?

Why is my mail all of the sudden being delivered to my home in Montpelier Vermont by a red mini van with Massachusetts license plates - BTW the plates are civilian style plane on mass plates

if u went to a door and a guy opened it droped straight 2 his knees and asked u to drop urpants would u

Also on Jobstr...

Is there a reason why we should be getting our magazines and catalogs all on one day and usually the weekend?

I had my bank mail a check to someone but it was sent to an incorrect address. The check was cashed/stolen. Would the carrier leave it at an address even though the name was not someone who lived there? Should it have been returned to the sender?

My sister was recently in jail. Our mail carrier saw letters from us going to her at the jail and has been telling a lot of people about her being in jail. Is this legal for him to do?

Mailman (City Letter Carrier)

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

If I was to put mail in the outside mailbox at post office on a Sunday buy the box said mon-fri 5 does that mean it won't be picked up until Monday at 5? When can I expect it to be delivered

While driving the vehicle to make a delivery, another motorist points towards the back of your vehicle as if something is wrong. What do you do?

Why is my mail all of the sudden being delivered to my home in Montpelier Vermont by a red mini van with Massachusetts license plates - BTW the plates are civilian style plane on mass plates

if u went to a door and a guy opened it droped straight 2 his knees and asked u to drop urpants would u

Also on Jobstr...

Is there a reason why we should be getting our magazines and catalogs all on one day and usually the weekend?

I had my bank mail a check to someone but it was sent to an incorrect address. The check was cashed/stolen. Would the carrier leave it at an address even though the name was not someone who lived there? Should it have been returned to the sender?

My sister was recently in jail. Our mail carrier saw letters from us going to her at the jail and has been telling a lot of people about her being in jail. Is this legal for him to do?

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