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.
As far as I know you are allowed to. I know some carriers who have portable radios or just use their PED to play music. As far as a cell phone goes, I'm pretty sure you can use it as long as it is hands free. I have a route where I walk most of the day and I listen to podcasts on my iPhone. I have one earphone in and leave the other ear free. I think it's inappropriate and a bit unsafe to have both ears covered while delivering on foot or driving. The outside noise is important to hear if a car is coming or a customer that may need your attention. From time to time, there may be a safety talk or notice at work about the use of personal electronic devices but it doesn't seem too strict or maybe just not enforced. I don't like seeing my colleagues have both ears covered while delivering mail, but I'm not a supervisor so I don't address this issue.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Are%20you%20allowed%20to%20listen%20to%20music%20in%20your%20truck%3F%20Say%20for%20a%20cell%20phone&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15017)
I don't think so. The request has never been made of me but generally once mail has been delivered it would seem to be in the possession of the recipient even if they haven't actually retrieved the item from their mailbox. I've also never heard of anybody else having this requested so my advice for the future is be careful what you mail because it is almost definitely a one-way trip.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=can%20a%20postman%20retrieve%20mail%20i%20sent%20if%20it%27s%20still%20in%20the%20recievers%20mailbox%20if%20i%20request%20it%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16177)
I am not familiar with this situation on what the mailman is allowed to do or not with respect to spraying an area for bees and killing flowers and demanding weeds can be cut. I can tell you that the mailman does need to have unobstructed access to your mailbox with low/no risk of being stung by a bee that could affect his health. I'd say that he could suspend delivery to your house until the situation is fixed to his satisfaction. I just hope both parties will be reasonable and you won't worry about him being vindictive if you call the PO to discuss this issue with a delivery supervisor/manager/postmaster. I'm not sure what you mean by "he can spray". If you are asking, "can be spray?" I don't know this answer.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=We%20live%20in%20the%20country%20and%20my%20husband%20planted%20lilies%20around%20our%20mailbox.%20%20The%20mailman%20is%20alergic%20to%20bees%20so%20he%20sprayed%20the%20flowers%20and%20killed%20them.%20%20Now%20there%20are%20weeds%20he%20wants%20us%20to%20cut.%20%20Can%20he%20stop%20delivering%20our%20mail%20if%20we%20don%27t%3F%20%20He%20can%20spray.&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15432)
Susie, I won't be able to answer this question as I don't know anything about eReassign. There may be minimum times where you have to stay at a certain work location before being approved to another work location more of your preference. As for who to ask, I could say your union representative or HRSSC, but they may not know either. My guess, and all this is would be a guess, would be one year at a current location before being able to be reassigned.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20just%20transferred%20stations%20via%20eReassign.%20%20How%20long%20to%20I%20have%20to%20stay%20in%20my%20current%20assignment%20before%20bidding%20on%20job%20closer%20to%20my%20home%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16777)
Sitcom Writer
Is reality TV here to stay?
Starbucks Barista
If a homeless person wants to use your bathroom, are you supposed to stop him?
Air Traffic Controller
When would you order fighter jets to be scrambled?
Will, I am not a rural carrier so I'm not sure how much my tips would help because as city carriers, we are paid for whatever time we work. There is almost an incentive not to work as quickly, but I think most city carrier's give a fair shake and not try to make their day longer. At least I don't do that because I enjoy my free time. My main tip would try to be very organized both in the office and on the route. Work efficiently, but safely, especially when driving. I load my parcels in the order of delivery or close to it. Being more organized does initially take more time, but you should come back with a pretty empty truck not having forgotten anything to deliver. Do you case your DPS letter size mail? If not, you can take it to the street and go through it as you deliver and not waste time in the PO casing it. City Letter carriers generally don't see the DPS letter mail until we finger through it at the delivery point. Along the route and in the office, try not to waste time talking to too many people.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20am%20an%20RCA%20.%20I%20have%20been%20carrying%207%20months.%20I%20work%20a%20different%20route%20every%20day.%20I%20can%20typically%20get%20done%20right%20at%20my%20evaluated%20time%20but%20I%20can%27t%20seem%20to%20get%20done%20before.%20On%20real%20heavy%20days%2C%20forget%20it.%20I%27m%20out%20there%20until%206.%20Any%20tips%20to%20speed%20up%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15555)
If it was a blank envelope with cash in it, I have no idea how it can be retrieved. I know this doesn't help you, but I'd have just left the item in the box if I saw no postage and no address on it. The letter carrier probably put it in the outgoing mail which is usually sent to a processing facility. There'd be no way to trace it back to your mother's address. To answer your question, I'd surmise that the envelope containing the cash is gone forever.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20left%20cash%20in%20an%20envelope%20in%20my%20mom%27s%20mailbox.%20Unfortunately%20the%20mail%20carrier%20made%20it%20there%20before%20she%20did%2C%20and%20picked%20up%20the%20envelope%20%28assuming%20it%20was%20outgoing.%29%20The%20envelope%20was%20blank.%20Is%20there%20any%20way%20we%20can%20retrieve%20it%20--%20or%20is%20it%20gone%20forever%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16358)
My pleasure to answer yours and others questions, Dee! It's easy to respond quickly as I don't get an overwhelming number of questions. I also don't like to have a backlog of emails either. Anyhow, to answer your question the correct thing to do is to not deliver the mail and have it returned to the sender with the endorsement "No Mail Receptacle". I don't come across this situation very often. I sometimes fill in on another route and there is one house with no mailbox. I just rubber band the mail and leave it on their bench by a front door. I think if it was on my postal route I'd request the customer install a mailbox to have mail delivery service.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Thank%20you%20so%20much%20for%20a%20speedy%20answer.%20Thank%20you%20for%20answering%20all%20these%20questions%21%20One%20other%20question%20I%20would%20have%20is%2C%20what%20do%20you%20do%20when%20a%20house%20does%20not%20have%20a%20mailbox%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/17363)
-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
