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.
Sure, I don't think there are any restrictions on this whatsoever. I have a friend of the family who met his future wife while delivering mail to her. I think it's important to keep it professional while delivering the mail and don't do any special favors or inappropriate while in uniform. I mean having lunch with them would seem fine to me, but don't have them follow you around if you are delivering mail on foot. Romance can bloom anywhere. Two of my former coworkers met while working at the PO and later became married and have a child and work in separate locations.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Are%20you%20allowed%20to%20date%20someone%20who%20is%20on%20your%20route%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16107)
1) The PO that I work in has a lot of space inside. There are high ceilings and the main areas in the back are the carrier section, mail distribution, and parcel distribution. I work in the carrier section mostly. This area has sorting cases where we prepare any mail that has to be manually sorted into delivery order. The cases have individual dividers that hold the mail for one or two addresses. We stand up to work at these cases although a stool is provided should we need it. The mail clerks sort mail into cases based on the address on the mailpiece. The clerks are scheme-trained which means they know which route delivers the mail for that address. The parcels are sorted the same way but it's a large area because we receive so many parcels to deliver. The letter carriers take a hamper on wheels and "sweep" the mail from the clerk distribution case and then bring the mail to our own assigned carrier sorting case and sort the mail there. We mainly organize the parcels as we load our delivery vehicle. The bulk mailing/dispatch clerk has his own office and the postmaster has an office. The registry clerk has an office also because that is where the registered and accountable mail is secured. Besides that everyone else mainly works on an open floor of sorting equipment and desks. The sorting equipment is all manual. Any mail automation is done at a more central processing facility and trucked to our PO.
2) I don't deliver to many packages that need signatures. When I do attempt delivery of such a package and the person isn't home to receive it, I complete.PS Form 3849 and leave it in the customer's mailbox. This notifies them that we have attempted delivery of an item requiring a signature and they may pick it up at the PO or we can redeliver it on a future date. If the form is signed by the recipient, we can generally leave the package without the person being home. I work in a very safe community so it's unlikely a package would go missing due to theft. I think it's more common for us to misdeliver a package than for one to actually get stolen.
I hope this answers both of your questions.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Two%20questions%21%20%0A1.%20What%20is%20the%20office%20like%20on%20the%20inside%3F%20Who%20gets%20an%20office%3F%20How%2Fwhere%20do%20you%20pick%20up%20the%20mail%20YOU%20have%20to%20deliver%3F%0A2.%20When%20delivering%20packages%20that%20need%20signature%2C%20what%20would%20happen%20if%20the%20person%20is%20not%20home%3F%0A%28Thank%20you%21%20%29&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16375)
I'm generally satisfied with the uniforms that we wear at the USPS and they haven't changed much since I've been working there. The only issue that I have with our uniforms that I can think of is that they are difficult to keep clean. I wear a satchel over my shoulder and carry mail in my arms so the shirt tends to get very dirty. The shoulder strap makes a mark on the uniform shirt where it rests. I admit that I don't wash the shirts as often as I should but they are hard to keep looking crisp nonetheless. I like the fact that we wear uniforms so there isn't much to think about wearing each day to work except the layering to keep me warm in the winter. Thank you for your question.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=If%20you%20could%20change%20anything%20about%20your%20uniform%20what%20would%20it%20be%3F%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/17523)
I don't think there's any benefit for the USPS at all. I just think he's benefiting himself and it does seem unethical to me. It doesn't sound legal to take home any mail even though it's nondeliverable, nonreturnable, or excess advertisements. I just am not familiar with anybody enforcing it if it is illegal. On a similar note, there is a promotional pen company that sends out sample pens to potential customers. Sometimes the company has moved and the mail isn't forwardable. I'll take the pen out of the envelope and put the envelope into the NOVM (no obvious value mail) receptacle which each PO has. Again, it may not be legal, but I don't see the issue in taking it for personal use.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=The%20volume%20that%20he%20takes%20seems%20a%20bit%20unethical%20%26%20he%20has%20been%20known%20to%20take%20coupons%20for%20free%20items%2C%20B1G1%2C%20%2410%20off%20a%20%2410%20purchase%2C%20get%20the%20items%20in%20bulk%20then%20resells%20them%20on%20Craigslist%20or%20Ebay.%20Extra%20benefit%20for%20USPS%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16522)
Peace Corps Volunteer
Are Peace Corps volunteers just a bunch of "hippie freaks?"
Hotel Travel Blog Active 2019
Can hotels see what I look at when connected to their in-room wifi?
Parcel Delivery Mailman
Are you a lot stronger and more fit because of your job?
That is very considerate of you to wonder if we will be annoyed by you receiving so many parcels. Have you worked out with the local USPS if you can pick them up daily? At the office where I work I don't think that would be allowed unless you are a PO Box renter or have made an arrangement that I wouldn't know about. . If packages are addressed to your residence or office they would be delivered since that is our service. I know that I'd never be annoyed if someone received many packages on a regular basis. That's our business. I can't say that other coworkers would be so positive as I am but I wouldn't be concerned. If you use a private mailbox service it is possible that the USPS is still delivering the items to the private mail company known as a CMRA and you'd be picking up your packages there.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20will%20be%20receiving%2030-50%20textbook%20size%20packages%20a%20day%20in%20the%20mail%20for%20a%20small%20business%20I%20am%20starting.%20I%20will%20pick%20them%20up%20daily%20but%20I%20was%20wondering%20if%20that%20will%20annoy%20the%20post%20office%20workers%3F%20Should%20I%20take%20my%20business%20to%20a%20private%20mailbox%20service%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16295)
I don't know the answer to this though not much surprises me regarding the USPS. While most mail is delivered domestically within about 4 days, I suppose there a reason some exceptions where it takes much longer. You can post this question again with the answer (if you know it) or email me privately daveabbey at aol dot com.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=this%20isn%27t%20a%20trivia%20question%20but%20kind%20of%20sounds%20like%20one%20do%20you%20know%20what%20island%20in%20the%20US%20it%20would%20take%20up%20to%20three%20weeks%20to%20receive%20mail%20from%20in%20oregon&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16182)
Not often. I deliver the same route each day, so I pretty much know when residents move in or out. I deliver mail in an upper middle class community and there aren't many rentals and most houses are occupied. If mail begins to accumulate for awhile and I don't see any activity at the house and the grounds start to look more unkempt I may suspect a house is vacant. When most people move, they submit a change of address/forwarding order. This also gives me an indication that if I don't see a new residents name that the house could be vacant. At present, about 1% of the houses on my route are considered vacant and don't receive mail delivery. I'm sure in many other communities that aren't as well off economically there could be more vacant homes.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=do%20you%20come%20across%20a%20lot%20of%20vacant%20houses%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/17161)
-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
