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.
Jordan, first of all, thank you for writing in to this Q and A board. I don't know the rules as far as sending back mail because you haven't emptied your box for a week or two and your box is not full. If I were the letter carrier, I would just continue to deliver mail until the box is full and then probably return any future mail endorsed "box full" to the senders (or discard the mail if it is unendorsed Standard Class mail.) I don't recall ever coming across this situation in my postal career, but if it came about I'd probably ask my supervisor for direction. It is not in my nature to leave any notes (esp. threatening ones) for the most part.
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Most of the mail that we take out is sorted ahead of time into trays, but there is always some "residual mail" that has to be hand sorted and sometimes collated in with the mail that has already been sorted. It is rare that these trays would be more than 20 lbs. in my estimation. Some offices have more automation than others meaning some offices still have to do a lot of manual sorting. While there are sometimes heavy packages to lift, I think the max. Is 70 lbs. and i don't see a parcel that heavy too often. The mail that I mentioned earlier comes sorted into trays is done by automated sorting machines located at a larger processing facility.
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Sure it's common to run late. It's possible the carrier had another assignment to do before starting their regular route. Also, if staffing is short, a route may be broken up into several sections and a carrier will do that section for overtime which could vary the delivery time greatly. Thanks for the question.
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I dont know if they are officially allowed to do this, but I'd do that if it were a once-in-awhile siituation where access to a door slot or mailbox was blocked. I know I prefer to deliver the mail rather than bring it back to the PO. If a customer wanted to complain that this was being done, they certainly could speak to a delivery supervisor and voice a comment about this. if a mailbox can't be accessed or doesn't exist, a carrier can return the mail to the sender marked NMR which stands for "No Mail Receptacle"
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Congratulations on getting hired as a CCA. Even though you may not get benefits and pay like a career employee, I recommend sticking with it because it is a decent job in the long run. To answer your question I really don't know. It likely depends on the needs of the office to which you are assigned. There is no minimum amt of hours per week for a CCA as far as I know and be prepared to work every day including Sundays. Some offices deliver Amazon parcels on Sunday and assign a CCA to work. Once you pass probation (90 days) you can ask to "hold down" assignments for carriers who are either sick long term or on vacation. If you get to have a "hold down" you will then be guaranteed 40 hrs per week (8 hrs per day) for the period that the "hold down" is in effect. Good luck and remember to be professional and organized.
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If the PO or letter carrier can figure out what the address corresponds to and there is a secure place to leave the item, the carrier may just leave it at the corresponding address. I don't think the item would go the PO Box # if it weren't stated!but I can't be sure what will actually happen to the item. I have rarely encountered this situation so i don't have any great insight.
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I am not sure. If you put the correct town on it where it is supposed to be returned to maybe contact your PO to alert them of this error and what the correct address should be. This way when it arrives at your local PO, they will have been advised as to the correct address to deliver the passport.
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