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.

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Last Answer on February 18, 2022

Best Rated

I wanted to add my business to my rural delivery box vs a po box. I was given the driver's cell number and told that if it was o.k. with him, I should then submit an updated card. Was she drunk or do drivers decide who qualifies to receive mail?

Asked by capecod over 9 years ago

I don't know anything about cards that need to be submitted so that mail can be received at rural mailboxes, but I'm also not familiar with rural route procedures in general. I don't see why mail that has a valid address regardless of the name of the resident/business which is on the mail wouldn't be delivered unless the recipient refuses it. I have no authority as a city letter carrier to decide who qualifies to receive mail. I deliver mail to an address unless it's a previous resident or an unknown name which the current resident doesn't know or want to accept. It's very normal to have someone run a business from their home. I think it was proper of you to check with your local PO to ask about this but I wouldn't have thought you would receive the answer you did. If you wanted to, you could tape a small note inside of your mailbox saying "accepting mail for (name of business)". That would remove any doubt in the mind of a rural carrier whether or not the business name is valid at your address. To answer the first part of your q, I hope the postal worker wasn't drunk, just giving you wrong info.

My mouth just dropped! I am definitely no home wrecker lol I know you were kidding. I do have an update lol, I asked the fill in guy what happened and he said that my regular had too much mail to carry today, then said he thinks hes on vaca.. BS

Asked by Jessica over 7 years ago

Jessica, yes I have a very dry sense of humor and since you don’t know me it’s important I put LOL. If I didn’t you may have been a bit taken aback by the comment. Either of the reasons given by the fill-in guy could be valid but you think it may be another reason. I think eventually that you will find out by whether or not he starts delivering to your house again. Sometimes if we have too much to deliver, the supervisor will take away part of our route and give it to a substitute letter carrier or for another regular carrier as overtime.

Can mail be forwarded to an address out of state if the person is not physically living in a residence in that state, due to health issues. Secondly, would that affect the persons medical benefits or tax issues in any capacity when filing taxes, etc

Asked by JVITTO48 almost 9 years ago

I can answer your question in two parts. The first question you have is about whether or not mail can be forwarded to an address out of state even if the person isn't living in a residence in that state. Mail can be forwarded anywhere that the USPS delivers to as long as there is a proper change of addresss authorization/request submitted to the USPS. The easiest way to do this is at USPS.com . 

As far as affecting and medical benefits and tax issues, I'm not qualified to give you an official answer. It probably depends on the source of the medical benefits. Some state public health assistance programs like Medicaid may require the recipient to live in that state. It doesn't necessarily mean their mail can't go somewhere else. I don't know about tax issues either. It shouldn't matter when filing a federal tax return, but I'm not sure about different state tax laws. There are probably 50 different answers to that.

I do not p/u my mail but about 3 times a week. I live in a condo. The past couple of weeks have been hit or miss as I have had 3 eye surgeries and had a very hard time using the steps to get my mail. MM won't leave mail.

Asked by Grandma Ellen about 9 years ago

I am not exactly sure what your question is but it seems that the letter carrier isn't delivering your mail because you don't pick it up frequently enough or that you are requesting it be brought to your door due to your medical condition (eye surgery). I'm not aware of any special accommodations made for anyone who can't get to their mailbox. Any delivery issues can be discussed with the delivery supervise me or postmaster of the PO where your carrier works from. I'm not sure how helpful they will be but you could try anyway. With condo boxes, it is common for people to not pick up their mail daily and I would be delivering the mail until the box got full which could take awhile depending on the size of the mailbox and how much mail you receive. If you have any friends or acquaintances (that you trust) in the condo, maybe you could ask them to bring you the mail if you'd give them your mailbox key.

Is there a way i could gwt my mail early from the post office before courier leaves for route? If so what woyld be the best way to do so.

Asked by wayne over 9 years ago

I don't know if there is a way to do this for sure. We generally frown upon this at the PO as it takes time for the letter carrier to gather up the mail for someone before leaving for delivery. The reason is that in many offices the mail is automated so the carrier doesn't have your mail easily accessible. It may be in trays that the carrier doesn't access until they leave for delivery. The only way to do this is to go to the retail counter and ask the sales and service associate if you could get your mail. They may flat out say that they don't do this. I have rarely been asked to get a person's mail while still at the PO so I think we don't even allow it at our office, Basically, what I'm saying is that it can't hurt to try but don't be surprised if the answer is no.

Im waiting on mail from california. It has full address but apt doesn't exist. Will my mail carrier still have it or will it be at local post office? How long does mail usually takes if mailed from California Friday coming to Georgia?

Asked by Brittany over 9 years ago

Mail from California to Georgia which was mailed on Friday should take about 3-4 days to be delivered. If the address is correct but lacking the apt. # it is possible the letter carrier will return the item to the sender marked "insufficient address". If the letter carrier knows where the letter should be delivered to, they normally will deliver it properly. It usually won't be sitting at your local PO and would be hard to find even if it were. I'd say be patient and hopefully it will show up by Wednesday.

What is the time frame that management have to inform you that you have to work in your schedule day off? And were I can find the info. Thx!!!

Asked by Tellado over 9 years ago

I don't know where you can find this information as to if it's in our ELM or JCAM since I'm not involved in contract administration whatsoever. Your shop steward might have an answer plus I think some offices operate differently even if it's in violation of a nationally agreed upon procedure. It also depends on whether or not you are a CCA or if you're a Regular. If you're a Regular carrier, it also depends on whether or not you are on the ODL. That will determine if they can mandate you in on your SDO (also known as your NS day). In the office where I work, CCAs don't technically have a scheduled day off and should be checking the schedule daily to confirm when/if they need to report for work the next day. As far as regular carriers go, it seems that our management makes the schedule up on a daily basis but probably does a rough draft in the later part of the previous week. The schedule is on a clipboard on the supervisors desk. I've heard in other offices the management will usually post the following weeks schedule by Wed. of the previous week. I don't know the real rules probably because it doesn't seem to be much of an issue in my office (except maybe when we are very short-handed) and I like to work a lot of OT if it's available. I'm not willing to do the research to give you a more definitive answer which is why I've referred you to other sources that maybe could assist you.